The 1993-94 Seattle SuperSonics had a remarkable regular season, finishing with a league-best 63-19 record. Coached by George Karl, the team was known for its defensive prowess and athleticism. Seattle’s roster featured key players like Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, and Detlef Schrempf, who played crucial roles in both offense and defense. Payton, known as “The Glove,” was particularly dominant in his defensive role, earning All-Defensive First Team honors that season.
Offensively, the SuperSonics were versatile and dynamic. Kemp and Schrempf provided significant scoring and rebounding, while Payton orchestrated the offense. Schrempf, known for his scoring and shooting ability, contributed significantly, earning a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. The team also benefited from the sharpshooting of Ricky Pierce and the defensive contributions of Nate McMillan.
Despite their regular-season success, the playoffs were a different story. The SuperSonics faced the Denver Nuggets, an eighth seed, in the first round. In a stunning upset, the Nuggets defeated Seattle in five games, marking the first time in NBA history that an eighth seed had beaten a first seed in a best-of-five series. This unexpected early exit was a huge disappointment for Seattle, as they were considered strong contenders for the NBA championship. Nonetheless, the 1993-94 season is remembered for the team’s excellent regular-season performance and the shocking playoff upset.
- Regular Season Record: 63-19
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 2-3
Seattle SuperSonics Roster and Stats for 1993-94 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Shawn Kemp | 79 | 18.1 | 10.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 25.1 | 5 | 14.8 | 9.8 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Gary Payton | 82 | 16.5 | 3.3 | 6.0 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 27.8 | 5 | 15.8 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 33.3 |
| Detlef Schrempf | 81 | 15.0 | 5.6 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 32.4 | 5 | 18.6 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 33.3 |
| Ricky Pierce | 51 | 14.5 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 18.7 | 5 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kendall Gill | 79 | 14.1 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 31.7 | 5 | 13.4 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 22.2 |
| Sam Perkins | 81 | 12.3 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 36.7 | 5 | 9.8 | 7.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 42.9 |
| Vincent Askew | 80 | 9.1 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 19.4 | 5 | 7.2 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nate McMillan | 73 | 6.0 | 3.9 | 5.3 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 39.1 | 5 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 36.4 |
| Michael Cage | 82 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 5 | 2.8 | 5.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Chris King | 15 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 28.6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Alphonso Ford | 6 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 100.0 | |||||||
| Ervin Johnson | 45 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Steve Scheffler | 35 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rich King | 27 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
Seattle SuperSonics in the 1994 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Seattle SuperSonics
In the 1994 NBA Playoffs, the Seattle SuperSonics, despite entering as the top seed with a 63-19 record, were stunned by the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets in a historic first-round upset. The series, which went to a decisive Game 5, saw the Nuggets, led by Dikembe Mutombo's defensive prowess, overcome a 2-0 series deficit to win 3-2. This marked the first time in NBA history that an eighth seed defeated a first seed, making it one of the most memorable upsets in playoff history.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 106-82 | |
| Apr 30, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 97-87 | |
| May 02, 1994 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 110-93 | |
| May 05, 1994 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 94-85 | |
| May 07, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 98-94 |
Seattle SuperSonics 1993-94 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1993-94 season for the Seattle SuperSonics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 06, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 129-101 | |
| Nov 08, 1993 | @ Utah Jazz | W 101-100 | |
| Nov 09, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-86 | |
| Nov 11, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-102 | |
| Nov 13, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 97-89 | |
| Nov 16, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 95-94 | |
| Nov 19, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-87 | |
| Nov 20, 1993 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 112-97 | |
| Nov 24, 1993 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 120-93 | |
| Nov 26, 1993 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 110-92 | |
| Nov 27, 1993 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 101-90 | |
| Nov 30, 1993 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 92-80 | |
| Dec 02, 1993 | @ Washington Bullets | W 105-95 | |
| Dec 04, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-82 | |
| Dec 06, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-96 | |
| Dec 08, 1993 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 109-107 | |
| Dec 09, 1993 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 125-93 | |
| Dec 11, 1993 | @ Houston Rockets | L 82-75 | |
| Dec 14, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 124-100 | |
| Dec 17, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 127-97 | |
| Dec 18, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 126-111 | |
| Dec 21, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 91-88 | |
| Dec 23, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 87-86 | |
| Dec 28, 1993 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-97 | |
| Dec 29, 1993 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 99-92 | |
| Jan 04, 1994 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 112-106 | |
| Jan 05, 1994 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 106-98 | |
| Jan 07, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 102-93 | |
| Jan 08, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-87 | |
| Jan 11, 1994 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 108-99 | |
| Jan 14, 1994 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 121-100 | |
| Jan 15, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 97-78 | |
| Jan 18, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-88 | |
| Jan 19, 1994 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 114-95 | |
| Jan 21, 1994 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 91-87 | |
| Jan 22, 1994 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 98-91 | |
| Jan 24, 1994 | @ Utah Jazz | L 95-90 | |
| Jan 25, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 111-103 | |
| Jan 27, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 102-92 | |
| Jan 29, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 106-92 | |
| Feb 01, 1994 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 104-103 | |
| Feb 02, 1994 | @ Boston Celtics | W 97-84 | |
| Feb 04, 1994 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 108-84 | |
| Feb 05, 1994 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 115-94 | |
| Feb 09, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-94 | |
| Feb 15, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 133-105 | |
| Feb 17, 1994 | @ Miami Heat | L 115-112 | |
| Feb 18, 1994 | @ Orlando Magic | L 124-93 | |
| Feb 20, 1994 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 101-95 | |
| Feb 22, 1994 | @ New York Knicks | W 93-82 | |
| Feb 23, 1994 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 99-92 | |
| Feb 25, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-102 | |
| Feb 27, 1994 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 122-118 | |
| Mar 01, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-96 | |
| Mar 05, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-98 | |
| Mar 06, 1994 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 102-85 | |
| Mar 08, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 113-98 | |
| Mar 10, 1994 | @ Houston Rockets | L 87-82 | |
| Mar 11, 1994 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 100-99 | |
| Mar 13, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-102 | |
| Mar 15, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 89-87 | |
| Mar 17, 1994 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 107-92 | |
| Mar 18, 1994 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 87-84 | |
| Mar 20, 1994 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 124-115 | |
| Mar 22, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 105-89 | |
| Mar 24, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-106 | |
| Mar 26, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 113-93 | |
| Mar 28, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 111-97 | |
| Mar 29, 1994 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 114-100 | |
| Mar 31, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 95-92 | |
| Apr 02, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 119-109 | |
| Apr 05, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 86-79 | |
| Apr 07, 1994 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 104-90 | |
| Apr 08, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 111-93 | |
| Apr 10, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 111-108 | |
| Apr 12, 1994 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 116-101 | |
| Apr 14, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 150-101 | |
| Apr 16, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 100-97 | |
| Apr 19, 1994 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 122-116 | |
| Apr 20, 1994 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 112-90 | |
| Apr 22, 1994 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 94-87 | |
| Apr 24, 1994 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 110-108 |