1991–92 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1991–92 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 24th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. The SuperSonics had the 14th overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft, and selected center Rich King from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The SuperSonics won seven of their first ten games of the regular season, but then lost eight of their next twelve games. Head coach K. C. Jones was fired after an 18–18 start to the season; after four games under interim coach Bob Kloppenburg, the SuperSonics hired George Karl, who returned after a four-year absence from coaching in the NBA. Under Karl, the SuperSonics held a 24–24 record at the All-Star break, and finished in fourth place in the Pacific Division with a 47–35 record, earning the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Ricky Pierce led the SuperSonics in scoring averaging 21.7 points per game, while sixth man Eddie Johnson averaged 17.1 points per game off the bench, and Shawn Kemp played most of the regular season off the bench averaging 15.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. In addition, Derrick McKey provided the team with 14.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, but only played 52 games due to a thumb injury, while Benoit Benjamin provided with 14.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, only playing in 63 games due to a broken hand injury, and second-year guard Gary Payton contributed 9.4 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Meanwhile, Michael Cage averaged 8.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, Dana Barros contributed 8.3 points per game, and Nate McMillan provided with 6.0 points, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida, Kemp participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the third consecutive year. Despite a stellar season, Pierce was not selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game. Karl finished in 13th place in Coach of the Year voting.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1992 NBA playoffs, the SuperSonics faced off against the 3rd–seeded Golden State Warriors, who were led by the trio of All-Star forward Chris Mullin, All-Star guard Tim Hardaway, and sixth man Šarūnas Marčiulionis. The SuperSonics managed to win Game 1 over the Warriors on the road, 117–109 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, before losing Game 2 on the road, 115–101 as the Warriors evened the series. The SuperSonics won the next two games at home, which included a Game 4 win over the Warriors at the Seattle Center Coliseum, 119–116 to win the series in four games.

In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Midwest Division champion Utah Jazz, who were led by the trio of All-Star forward Karl Malone, All-Star guard John Stockton, and Jeff Malone. The SuperSonics lost the first two games to the Jazz on the road at the Delta Center, before winning Game 3 at the Seattle Center Coliseum, 104–98. However, the SuperSonics lost the next two games, including a Game 5 road loss to the Jazz at the Delta Center, 111–100, thus losing the series in five games.

The SuperSonics finished 19th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 588,928 at the Seattle Center Coliseum during the regular season.

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

|- | 1 | November 1 | Phoenix | L 95–99 | Ricky Pierce (25) | Michael Cage (13) | Gary Payton (7) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,863 | 0–1 |- | 2 | November 3 | San Antonio | L 98–106 | Derrick McKey (23) | Michael Cage (9) | Nate McMillan (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,863 | 0–2 |- | 3 | November 5 | Sacramento | W 98–87 | Derrick McKey (20) | Michael Cage (16) | Gary Payton (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,343 | 1–2 |- | 4 | November 7 | @ Utah | W 103–95 | Benoit Benjamin (22) | Benoit Benjamin (13) | Gary Payton (5) | Delta Center<br>18,700 | 2–2 |- | 5 | November 9 | Indiana | W 118–111 | Michael Cage (23) | Michael Cage (22) | Gary Payton (7) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,930 | 3–2 |- | 6 | November 14 | @ Cleveland | L 109-115 (OT) | Ricky Pierce (29) | Michael Cage (10) | Gary Payton (12) | Coliseum at Richfield<br>10,838 | 3–3

|- | 7 | November 15 | @ Indiana | W 124–108 | Ricky Pierce (34) | Michael Cage (14) | Gary Payton (15) | Market Square Arena<br>10,877 | 4–3 |- | 8 | November 17 | @ Minnesota | W 101–91 | Ricky Pierce (28) | Michael Cage (11) | Gary Payton (9) | Target Center<br>19,006 | 5–3 |- | 9 | November 19 | @ Washington | W 113–106 | Gary Payton (22) | Michael Cage (20) | Gary Payton (7) | Capital Centre<br>7,015 | 6–3 |- | 10 | November 20 | @ Detroit | W 91–86 | Ricky Pierce (18) | Michael Cage (9) | Nate McMillan,<br>Gary Payton (4) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>21,454 | 7–3 |- | 11 | November 22 | Chicago | L 109–112 (OT) | Ricky Pierce (30) | Benjamin,<br>Cage (12) | Gary Payton (7) | Kingdome<br>38,067 | 7–4 |- | 12 | November 24 | @ L. A. Clippers | L 86–89 | Ricky Pierce (28) | Benoit Benjamin (15) | Benjamin,<br>McMillan (5) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>9,196 | 7–5 |- | 13 | November 26 | Golden State | W 136–130 (OT) | Eddie Johnson (29) | Derrick McKey (15) | Nate McMillan (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,743 | 8–5 |- | 14 | November 29 | @ Denver | L 90–101 | Eddie Johnson (20) | Michael Cage (13) | Gary Payton (4) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>10,613 | 8–6 |- | 15 | November 30 | @ San Antonio | L 101–119 | Eddie Johnson (21) | Nate McMillan (10) | Gary Payton (5) | HemisFair Arena<br>16,057 | 8–7

|- | 16 | December 3 | Washington | W 91–90 | Ricky Pierce (26) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Gary Payton (5) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br> 10,957 | 9–7 |- | 17 | December 6 | Minnesota | W 96–94 | Ricky Pierce (29) | Michael Cage (23) | Payton,<br>Pierce (5) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,796 | 10–7 |- | 18 | December 7 | Dallas | W 104–101 | Ricky Pierce (27) | Michael Cage (14) | Nate McMillan (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,313 | 11–7 |- | 19 | December 10 | @ Chicago | L 103–108 | Ricky Pierce (30) | Michael Cage (13) | Kemp,<br>Payton (5) | Chicago Stadium<br>18,061 | 11–8 |- | 20 | December 11 | @ New York | L 87–96 | Ricky Pierce (25) | Benjamin,<br>Kemp (9) | Ricky Pierce (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>14,934 | 11–9 |- | 21 | December 13 | @ Boston | L 97–117 | Ricky Pierce (21) | Benoit Benjamin (8) | Nate McMillan (8) | Boston Garden<br>14,890 | 11–10 |- | 22 | December 14 | @ Philadelphia | L 95–104 | Benoit Benjamin (23) | Benoit Benjamin (9) | Nate McMillan (8) | The Spectrum<br>12,395 | 11–11 |- | 23 | December 17 | L. A. Clippers | W 116–99 | Benoit Benjamin (20) | Michael Cage (13) | Nate McMillan (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>10,357 | 12–11 |- | 24 | December 19 | Denver | W 119–106 | Ricky Pierce (29) | Michael Cage (15) | McKey,<br>McMillan,<br>Payton (4) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>10,663 | 13–11 |- | 25 | December 21 | Golden State | W 120–112 | Ricky Pierce (34) | Gary Payton (11) | Gary Payton (12) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,180 | 14–11 |- | 26 | December 22 | @ Portland | L 87–96 | Benoit Benjamin (18) | Michael Cage (9) | Kofoed,<br>Payton (5) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 14–12 |- | 27 | December 26 | @ Sacramento | W 115–106 (OT) | Ricky Pierce (27) | Benoit Benjamin (13) | Gary Payton (5) | ARCO Arena<br>17,014 | 15–12 |- | 28 | December 27 | Boston | L 87–110 | Ricky Pierce (26) | Derrick McKey (7) | Gary Payton (4) | Kingdome<br>37,175 | 15–13

|- | 29 | January 2 | Miami | W 113–109 (OT) | Ricky Pierce (34) | Benoit Benjamin (15) | McMillan,<br>Payton (4) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>10,787 | 16–13 |- | 30 | January 4 | Philadelphia | L 93–112 | Derrick McKey (24) | Cage,<br>Kemp (7) | Gary Payton (7) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,166 | 16–14 |- | 31 | January 7 | @ Denver | W 106–99 | Ricky Pierce (28) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Gary Payton (4) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>8,877 | 17–14 |- | 32 | January 8 | Orlando | L 103–104 | Benoit Benjamin (24) | Shawn Kemp (8) | Gary Payton (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,958 | 17–15 |- | 33 | January 10 | @ Dallas | W 94–82 | Eddie Johnson (19) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (9) | Reunion Arena | 18–15 |- | 34 | January 11 | @ Houston | L 115–119 | Eddie Johnson (28) | Benjamin,<br>Cage (7) | Nate McMillan (8) | The Summit<br>15,458 | 18–16 |- | 35 | January 13 | @ L. A. Clippers | L 94–98 | Eddie Johnson (20) | Benjamin,<br>Johnson,<br>Kemp (10) | Gary Payton (8) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>10,087 | 18–17 |- | 36 | January 14 | Charlotte | L 116–117 (OT) | Ricky Pierce (20) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Bart Kofoed (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,132 | 18–18 |- | 37 | January 16 | L. A. Clippers | W 101–98 | Ricky Pierce (26) | Shawn Kemp (19) | Gary Payton (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>10,408 | 19–18 |- | 38 | January 18 | L. A. Lakers | W 112–108 | Ricky Pierce (28) | Michael Cage (10) | Benoit Benjamin (4) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,533 | 20–18 |- | 39 | January 20 | @ L. A. Lakers | L 110–116 | Eddie Johnson (29) | Shawn Kemp (15) | Gary Payton (6) | Great Western Forum<br>17,236 | 20–19 |- | 40 | January 21 | Atlanta | L 119–128 | Ricky Pierce (29) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,436 | 20–20 |- | 41 | January 23 | Portland | L 109–113 | Shawn Kemp (26) | Johnson,<br>Kemp (9) | Ricky Pierce (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,457 | 20–21 |- | 42 | January 25 | Utah | L 103–104 | Benjamin,<br>Pierce (22) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Gary Payton (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,084 | 20–22 |- | 43 | January 28 | @ Orlando | W 102–97 | Eddie Johnson (39) | Eddie Johnson (11) | Gary Payton (7) | Orlando Arena<br>15,151 | 21–22 |- | 44 | January 29 | @ Miami | L 114–119 | Ricky Pierce (28) | Shawn Kemp (16) | Gary Payton (11) | Miami Arena<br>14,728 | 21–23 |- | 45 | January 31 | @ Charlotte | W 122–105 | Eddie Johnson (30) | Shawn Kemp (21) | Nate McMillan (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>23,698 | 22–23

|- | 46 | February 2 | @ Milwaukee | L 106–122 | Benoit Benjamin (19) | Benoit Benjamin (13) | Tony Brown (4) | Bradley Center<br>17,832 | 22–24 |- | 47 | February 3 | @ Atlanta | W 112–110 | Ricky Pierce (26) | Shawn Kemp (15) | Gary Payton (12) | Omni Coliseum<br>9,951 | 23–24 |- | 48 | February 5 | @ New Jersey | W 95–85 | Ricky Pierce (19) | Benoit Benjamin (10) | Nate McMillan (4) | Brendan Byrne Arena<br>9,328 | 24–24 |- | 49 | February 11 | Houston | W 105–99 | Ricky Pierce (31) | Shawn Kemp (10) | Johnson,<br>McMillan,<br>Payton (4) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,676 | 25–24 |- | 50 | February 14 | San Antonio | W 108–91 | Ricky Pierce (23) | Michael Cage (10) | Nate McMillan (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,126 | 26–24 |- | 51 | February 15 | @ Golden State | L 122–140 | Eddie Johnson (28) | Benoit Benjamin (11) | Gary Payton (10) | Oakland-Alameda County Arena<br>15,025 | 26–25 |- | 52 | February 17 | Phoenix | W 98–96 | Shawn Kemp (24) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Gary Payton (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,144 | 27–25 |- | 53 | February 20 | L. A. Lakers | W 105–103 | Eddie Johnson (24) | Michael Cage (14) | Gary Payton (7) | Kingdome<br>30,847 | 28–25 |- | 54 | February 22 | Portland | W 113–104 | Eddie Johnson (29) | Benoit Benjamin (13) | McMillan,<br>Payton (8) | Kingdome<br>38,610 | 29–25 |- | 55 | February 24 | @ Minnesota | W 106–91 | Eddie Johnson (26) | Shawn Kemp (15) | Nate McMillan (8) | Target Center<br>18,082 | 30–25 |- | 56 | February 27 | @ Utah | W 130–124 (OT) | Eddie Johnson (32) | Shawn Kemp (9) | Nate McMillan,<br>Gary Payton (7) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 31–25 |- | 57 | February 29 | @ Sacramento | L 110–115 | Eddie Johnson (21) | Benoit Benjamin (8) | Gary Payton (7) | ARCO Arena<br>17,014 | 31–26

|- | 58 | March 1 | Cleveland | W 113–107 | Johnson,<br>Pierce (22) | Benjamin,<br>Cage (14) | Ricky Pierce (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>13,647 | 32–26 |- | 59 | March 3 | Denver | W 111–92 | Shawn Kemp (21) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,865 | 33–26 |- | 60 | March 5 | @ Phoenix | L 105–118 | Ricky Pierce (23) | Shawn Kemp (19) | Gary Payton (12) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>14,496 | 33–27 |- | 61 | March 7 | New Jersey | W 109–98 | Ricky Pierce (27) | Michael Cage (13) | Nate McMillan (7) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>13,419 | 34–27 |- | 62 | March 8 | @ Portland | L 97–109 | Ricky Pierce (28) | Ricky Pierce (10) | Gary Payton (7) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 34–28 |- | 63 | March 10 | Detroit | L 92–98 | Gary Payton (19) | Shawn Kemp (9) | Nate McMillan (5) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>13,098 | 34–29 |- | 64 | March 11 | @ L. A. Clippers | W 104–96 | Ricky Pierce (19) | Benjamin,<br>Cage (6) | Gary Payton (9) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>10,912 | 35–29 |- | 65 | March 15 | Dallas | W 109–100 | Ricky Pierce (23) | Shawn Kemp (15) | Gary Payton (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,163 | 36–29 |- | 66 | March 17 | Golden State | L 107–119 | Ricky Pierce (24) | Shawn Kemp (15) | Ricky Pierce (5) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>13,163 | 36–30 |- | 67 | March 19 | @ Houston | W 112–91 | Ricky Pierce (22) | Cage,<br>Kemp (14) | Gary Payton (11) | The Summit<br>15,122 | 37–30 |- | 68 | March 21 | @ San Antonio | L 96–101 | Eddie Johnson (23) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Barros,<br>Cage,<br>McMillan (4) | HemisFair Arena<br>16,057 | 37–31 |- | 69 | March 22 | @ Dallas | W 113–105 | Eddie Johnson (31) | Shawn Kemp (17) | Nate McMillan (8) | Reunion Arena<br>14,345 | 38–31 |- | 70 | March 24 | Houston | W 128–106 | Derrick McKey (23) | Cage,<br>Kemp (11) | McMillan,<br>Payton (7) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,377 | 39–31 |- | 71 | March 27 | Milwaukee | W 96–95 | Eddie Johnson (21) | Nate McMillan (7) | Nate McMillan (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,450 | 40–31 |- | 72 | March 28 | New York Knicks | L 87–92 | Shawn Kemp (27) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Nate McMillan (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,812 | 40–32 |- | 73 | March 31 | Utah | W 122–103 | Barros,<br>Johnson (18) | Kemp,<br>Payton (10) | Payton (13) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,242 | 41–32

|- | 74 | April 2 | @ Sacramento | W 111–103 | Eddie Johnson (28) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Ricky Pierce (9) | ARCO Arena<br>17,014 | 42–32 |- | 75 | April 3 | @ L. A. Lakers | W 96–91 | Eddie Johnson (24) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Nate McMillan (11) | Great Western Forum<br>17,070 | 43–32 |- | 76 | April 7 | L. A. Lakers | 117–88 | Johnson,<br>Gary Payton (18) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Gary Payton (7) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,335 | 44–32 |- | 77 | April 9 | Phoenix | 119–104 | Shawn Kemp (17) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Nate McMillan (12) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,223 | 45–32 |- | 78 | April 10 | @ Portland | L 103–113 | Eddie Johnson (36) | Shawn Kemp (9) | Nate McMillan (12) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 45–33 |- | 79 | April 12 | Minnesota | W 126–116 | Ricky Pierce (21) | Shawn Kemp (16) | Nate McMillan (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,391 | 46–33 |- | 80 | April 14 | @ Phoenix | L 100–122 | Shawn Kemp (26) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Gary Payton (6) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>14,496 | 46–34 |- | 81 | April 17 | Sacramento | W 130–106 | Shawn Kemp (24) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Nate McMillan (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,129 | 47–34 |- | 82 | April 19 | @ Golden State | L 106–108 | Shawn Kemp (23) | Shawn Kemp (19) | Nate McMillan (9) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>15,025 | 47–35

Playoffs

|- | 1 | April 23 | @ Golden State | W 117–109 | Kemp, Pierce (28) | Shawn Kemp (16) | Gary Payton (12) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>15,025 | 1–0 |- | 2 | April 25 | @ Golden State | L 101–115 | Eddie Johnson (22) | Shawn Kemp (19) | Ricky Pierce (7) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>15,025 | 1–1 |- | 3 | April 28 | Golden State | W 129–128 | Derrick McKey (27) | Shawn Kemp (10) | Nate McMillan (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,252 | 2–1 |- | 4 | April 30 | Golden State | W 119–116 | Ricky Pierce (27) | Shawn Kemp (20) | Nate McMillan (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,252 | 3–1

|- | 1 | May 6 | @ Utah | L 100–108 | Derrick McKey (20) | Shawn Kemp (15) | Nate McMillan (8) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 0–1 |- | 2 | May 8 | @ Utah | L 97–103 | Eddie Johnson (26) | Shawn Kemp (9) | Payton, Pierce (3) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 0–2 |- | 3 | May 10 | Utah | W 104–98 | Ricky Pierce (31) | Benoit Benjamin (8) | McMillan, Payton (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,104 | 1–2 |- | 4 | May 12 | Utah | L 83–89 | Ricky Pierce (21) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Nate McMillan (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,252 | 1–3 |- | 5 | May 14 | @ Utah | L 100–111 | Eddie Johnson (26) | Michael Cage (11) | Nate McMillan (12) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 1–4

Player statistics

Season

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Statistics with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Playoffs

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

Records

• Michael Cage finished the season with a franchise record .566 in field goal percentage.

Transactions

Overview

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Waivings

Player Transactions Citation:

See also

• 1991–92 NBA season

References

External links

• 1991–92 Seattle SuperSonics season at Basketball Reference