The 1988-89 Seattle SuperSonics season marked a period of transition and competitive play in the NBA. Under head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, the Sonics finished the regular season with a 47-35 record, securing the seventh seed in the Western Conference. This performance was built on a strong roster featuring key players like Dale Ellis, who was the team’s leading scorer, averaging 27.5 points per game, and Xavier McDaniel, contributing significantly with 21.4 points per game and solid defensive play.
The SuperSonics’ playstyle was characterized by a potent offense and aggressive defense, which translated into a successful season despite the competitive nature of the league. The team’s ability to perform well on both ends of the court allowed them to secure a playoff spot and face the Houston Rockets in the first round.
In the playoffs, the Sonics demonstrated resilience and skill, sweeping the Rockets 3-0 in the first round. Their postseason run, however, came to an end in the Western Conference Semifinals against the formidable Los Angeles Lakers. They managed to push the series to five games but ultimately fell 4-1 to the Lakers, who were led by their star-studded lineup.
Overall, the 1988-89 season was a testament to the Sonics’ competitive spirit and set the stage for further development and success in subsequent years. The team’s performance during this season remains a notable chapter in Seattle basketball history.
- Regular Season Record: 47-35
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-1, Western Conference Semifinals: 0-4
Seattle SuperSonics Roster and Stats for 1988-89 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Dale Ellis | 82 | 27.5 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 47.8 | 8 | 22.9 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 40.5 |
| Xavier McDaniel | 82 | 20.5 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 30.5 | 8 | 18.8 | 8.4 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 33.3 |
| Derrick McKey | 82 | 15.9 | 5.7 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 33.7 | 8 | 13.3 | 6.5 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 11.1 |
| Michael Cage | 80 | 10.3 | 9.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 8 | 7.1 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Sedale Threatt | 63 | 8.6 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 36.7 | 8 | 12.0 | 1.6 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 25.0 |
| Alton Lister | 82 | 8.0 | 6.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 8 | 7.0 | 4.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| Jerry Reynolds | 56 | 7.6 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 20.0 | 4 | 5.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 25.0 |
| Nate McMillan | 75 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 9.3 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 21.4 | 8 | 6.8 | 3.1 | 7.9 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Russ Schoene | 69 | 5.2 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 38.2 | 3 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Lucas | 74 | 4.2 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 26.5 | 4 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Greg Ballard | 2 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Olden Polynice | 80 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 8 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Avery Johnson | 43 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 11.1 | 6 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Champion | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Seattle SuperSonics in the 1989 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Seattle SuperSonics
In the 1989 NBA Playoffs, the Seattle SuperSonics faced the Houston Rockets in the first round. As the seventh seed, the Sonics pulled off an upset by defeating the second-seeded Rockets in a thrilling five-game series. Led by key performances from Dale Ellis and Xavier McDaniel, Seattle advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, showcasing their resilience and competitive spirit.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 111-107 | |
| Apr 30, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 109-97 | |
| May 03, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | L 126-107 | |
| May 05, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | W 98-96 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Los Angeles Lakers
In the 1989 NBA Playoffs, the Seattle SuperSonics faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round, where they ultimately fell in a hard-fought series. Despite their resilience and strong performances from key players like Dale Ellis and Xavier McDaniel, Seattle couldn't overcome the Lakers' depth and experience, losing the series 4-0. This matchup highlighted the SuperSonics' potential while underscoring the Lakers' dominance during that era.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 07, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-102 | |
| May 10, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 130-108 | |
| May 12, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 91-86 | |
| May 14, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 97-95 |
Seattle SuperSonics 1988-89 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1988-89 season for the Seattle SuperSonics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 04, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | W 104-97 | |
| Nov 05, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 142-141 | |
| Nov 08, 1988 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 97-75 | |
| Nov 09, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-108 | |
| Nov 11, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 114-103 | |
| Nov 12, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 141-129 | |
| Nov 17, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 101-98 | |
| Nov 19, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 112-106 | |
| Nov 22, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 125-104 | |
| Nov 23, 1988 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 93-85 | |
| Nov 25, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 110-105 | |
| Nov 29, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 109-102 | |
| Nov 30, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-106 | |
| Dec 02, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 154-104 | |
| Dec 03, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 136-106 | |
| Dec 06, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 112-107 | |
| Dec 07, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 102-98 | |
| Dec 10, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | L 110-91 | |
| Dec 13, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 126-116 | |
| Dec 15, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 122-107 | |
| Dec 17, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 141-111 | |
| Dec 20, 1988 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 121-118 | |
| Dec 21, 1988 | @ Miami Heat | W 109-101 | |
| Dec 23, 1988 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 119-107 | |
| Dec 27, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 104-100 | |
| Dec 29, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 129-99 | |
| Jan 03, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-106 | |
| Jan 05, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 120-106 | |
| Jan 07, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 129-123 | |
| Jan 09, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 105-103 | |
| Jan 10, 1989 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 125-109 | |
| Jan 12, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 130-95 | |
| Jan 14, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 102-93 | |
| Jan 16, 1989 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 146-117 | |
| Jan 17, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 130-107 | |
| Jan 19, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 124-108 | |
| Jan 21, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 121-119 | |
| Jan 24, 1989 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 103-100 | |
| Jan 27, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 119-112 | |
| Jan 29, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-106 | |
| Jan 31, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 118-112 | |
| Feb 02, 1989 | @ Miami Heat | W 100-93 | |
| Feb 03, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 108-106 | |
| Feb 05, 1989 | @ Boston Celtics | W 89-87 | |
| Feb 07, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 109-99 | |
| Feb 08, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 109-102 | |
| Feb 14, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 129-113 | |
| Feb 15, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 135-112 | |
| Feb 17, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 126-112 | |
| Feb 18, 1989 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 116-115 | |
| Feb 21, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 96-91 | |
| Feb 25, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 97-94 | |
| Feb 27, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 116-107 | |
| Feb 28, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 108-106 | |
| Mar 03, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-108 | |
| Mar 04, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-104 | |
| Mar 07, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 110-92 | |
| Mar 08, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 112-96 | |
| Mar 10, 1989 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 102-90 | |
| Mar 11, 1989 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 105-88 | |
| Mar 13, 1989 | @ Washington Bullets | L 106-101 | |
| Mar 14, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | L 116-110 | |
| Mar 16, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-88 | |
| Mar 18, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 122-104 | |
| Mar 21, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 101-96 | |
| Mar 23, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-112 | |
| Mar 25, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 111-110 | |
| Mar 27, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | L 124-105 | |
| Mar 28, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | L 120-117 | |
| Mar 30, 1989 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 123-116 | |
| Mar 31, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 111-108 | |
| Apr 04, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 115-97 | |
| Apr 06, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 126-119 | |
| Apr 08, 1989 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 114-90 | |
| Apr 10, 1989 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 102-89 | |
| Apr 13, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-111 | |
| Apr 15, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 125-92 | |
| Apr 17, 1989 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 116-109 | |
| Apr 18, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 122-118 | |
| Apr 20, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 124-118 | |
| Apr 21, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 139-136 | |
| Apr 23, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 121-117 |