The 1980-81 Seattle SuperSonics season marked the team’s 14th year in the NBA. Coming off a strong performance in the previous season, the SuperSonics aimed to maintain their competitive edge in the Western Conference. Under the guidance of head coach Lenny Wilkens, the team focused on building a cohesive unit that could challenge the top contenders.
During the regular season, the SuperSonics finished with a 34-48 record, placing them sixth in the Pacific Division. This performance was a step back from their previous seasons, as they struggled to find consistency. Key players like Jack Sikma and Gus Williams continued to lead the team in scoring and rebounding, but the overall team balance was not sufficient to secure a playoff berth.
Defensively, the SuperSonics showed flashes of their potential but were unable to sustain it throughout the season. Their defensive strategy, which focused on strong perimeter guarding, occasionally faltered against more dynamic offenses in the league. Offensively, while they had moments of brilliance, the lack of depth in scoring options became apparent as the season progressed.
The 1980-81 season was ultimately seen as a rebuilding phase for the SuperSonics. The franchise recognized the need to rethink their strategy and roster composition to regain their status as a playoff contender. Despite the setbacks, the season laid the groundwork for future improvements and set the stage for rebuilding towards a more competitive team in subsequent years.
- Regular Season Record: 34-48
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Seattle SuperSonics Roster and Stats for 1980-81 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Jack Sikma | 82 | 18.7 | 10.4 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Paul Westphal | 36 | 16.7 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 24.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Fred Brown | 78 | 15.5 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 35.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| James Bailey | 82 | 14.0 | 7.4 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Lonnie Shelton | 14 | 13.0 | 5.6 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Vinnie Johnson | 81 | 13.0 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 19.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Johnson | 80 | 11.5 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Wally Walker | 82 | 8.4 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Bill Hanzlik | 74 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| James Donaldson | 68 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Armond Hill | 51 | 5.0 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rudy White | 12 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dennis Awtrey | 47 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jacky Dorsey | 29 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Shumate | 2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Seattle SuperSonics 1980-81 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1980-81 season for the Seattle SuperSonics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 99-98 | |
| Oct 12, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 107-96 | |
| Oct 14, 1980 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 85-83 | |
| Oct 15, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | L 103-100 | |
| Oct 18, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 127-122 | |
| Oct 20, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | W 98-92 | |
| Oct 22, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 107-102 | |
| Oct 24, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 104-98 | |
| Oct 25, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 100-75 | |
| Oct 26, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 111-98 | |
| Oct 28, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 119-102 | |
| Oct 31, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 112-96 | |
| Nov 01, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 123-118 | |
| Nov 03, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-83 | |
| Nov 05, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 125-117 | |
| Nov 07, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 113-94 | |
| Nov 12, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 114-106 | |
| Nov 14, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 127-125 | |
| Nov 15, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 143-139 | |
| Nov 18, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | L 138-118 | |
| Nov 21, 1980 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 101-91 | |
| Nov 23, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 110-99 | |
| Nov 26, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 113-103 | |
| Nov 28, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 93-92 | |
| Nov 30, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 113-89 | |
| Dec 03, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 113-105 | |
| Dec 06, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | W 108-98 | |
| Dec 08, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 104-99 | |
| Dec 09, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 111-98 | |
| Dec 10, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 108-103 | |
| Dec 12, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-107 | |
| Dec 14, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 91-81 | |
| Dec 17, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 101-94 | |
| Dec 19, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 95-92 | |
| Dec 22, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 109-98 | |
| Dec 26, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 96-90 | |
| Dec 27, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 104-98 | |
| Dec 30, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 102-100 | |
| Jan 02, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 120-117 | |
| Jan 05, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-89 | |
| Jan 07, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-94 | |
| Jan 09, 1981 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 92-87 | |
| Jan 10, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 119-116 | |
| Jan 11, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 106-98 | |
| Jan 13, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 104-99 | |
| Jan 16, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 95-94 | |
| Jan 18, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-92 | |
| Jan 20, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | L 98-97 | |
| Jan 21, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 126-122 | |
| Jan 23, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 103-91 | |
| Jan 25, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-106 | |
| Jan 28, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 119-110 | |
| Feb 04, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-99 | |
| Feb 06, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 102-92 | |
| Feb 07, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 96-89 | |
| Feb 08, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 133-112 | |
| Feb 10, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-107 | |
| Feb 12, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 112-109 | |
| Feb 14, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 134-117 | |
| Feb 15, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 107-105 | |
| Feb 17, 1981 | @ Utah Jazz | W 101-98 | |
| Feb 18, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 105-103 | |
| Feb 20, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-111 | |
| Feb 22, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 111-96 | |
| Feb 24, 1981 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 102-84 | |
| Feb 26, 1981 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 123-113 | |
| Feb 27, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | L 96-92 | |
| Mar 01, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 108-102 | |
| Mar 04, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 105-93 | |
| Mar 06, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 102-94 | |
| Mar 07, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 106-103 | |
| Mar 08, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 103-92 | |
| Mar 11, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 101-95 | |
| Mar 13, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 102-100 | |
| Mar 15, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 132-108 | |
| Mar 17, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 124-112 | |
| Mar 20, 1981 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 133-119 | |
| Mar 22, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 107-91 | |
| Mar 24, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 111-106 | |
| Mar 25, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 112-103 | |
| Mar 27, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 97-90 | |
| Mar 29, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 96-92 |