So there were three rounds including the 1987 Western Conference Finals. They got through Dallas and then Houston. I was surprised they won the Mavericks series, but that was a bit of revenge for Dale Ellis who was traded from the Mavericks to the Sonics. Issue with the Rockets was they lost two key players from their 1986 NBA Finals team - Lewis Lloyde and Mitchell Wiggins. Also, Sampson was out hurt most of the year, but was there for the playoffs and definitely not 100%. His career just declined after those injuries and forced him into early retirement. Their Twin Tower Strategy with Olajuwon and Sampson was the main reason they got to the 1986 NBA Finals, but wasn’t working anymore with Sampson’s injuries. Now in terms of Seattle, I felt like they had a lot going for them. Bernie Bickerstaff was a younger coach but had a lot of energy and utilized his bench which was the same - young and full of energy. They had three starters who averaged more than 20 ppg with SG Dale Ellis (that year’s most improved player), SF Xavier McDaniel, and PF Tom Chambers. Chambers was an All Star that year (and won the All Star Game MVP) and you could make a strong case that Ellis and McDaniel also should have been All Stars. I believe they were the only team with three players who averaged 20 ppg. So in reference to the PG spot they had a solid hard working Rookie with Nate McMillan and at Center they had Alton Lister with backups Clemson Johnson and the Enforcer Maurice Lucas who could play Center or PF.
As of the end of the 2023-2024 season, the 1987 Sonics is the last NBA team with a losing record to win a postseason series, and they did it twice in that postseason, by winning their first round and their second round series. Since then, some teams with losing records have come close to winning a playoff series, but they fell short in the end. Most notable = the 1993 Lakers, the 1996 Suns, the 2008 Hawks
So there were three rounds including the 1987 Western Conference Finals. They got through Dallas and then Houston. I was surprised they won the Mavericks series, but that was a bit of revenge for Dale Ellis who was traded from the Mavericks to the Sonics. Issue with the Rockets was they lost two key players from their 1986 NBA Finals team - Lewis Lloyde and Mitchell Wiggins. Also, Sampson was out hurt most of the year, but was there for the playoffs and definitely not 100%. His career just declined after those injuries and forced him into early retirement. Their Twin Tower Strategy with Olajuwon and Sampson was the main reason they got to the 1986 NBA Finals, but wasn’t working anymore with Sampson’s injuries. Now in terms of Seattle, I felt like they had a lot going for them. Bernie Bickerstaff was a younger coach but had a lot of energy and utilized his bench which was the same - young and full of energy. They had three starters who averaged more than 20 ppg with SG Dale Ellis (that year’s most improved player), SF Xavier McDaniel, and PF Tom Chambers. Chambers was an All Star that year (and won the All Star Game MVP) and you could make a strong case that Ellis and McDaniel also should have been All Stars. I believe they were the only team with three players who averaged 20 ppg. So in reference to the PG spot they had a solid hard working Rookie with Nate McMillan and at Center they had Alton Lister with backups Clemson Johnson and the Enforcer Maurice Lucas who could play Center or PF.
@@ihateapplebeeswano disrespect AT ALL but those players weren't elite AT ALL and please tell me when did bernie bickerstaff become the head coach of the nuggets
@@youtuber3328 the Sonics weren't elite they were a good team that had a good run at the right time. That said, Ellis, Chambers, and McDaniel were all very good players. Ellis was an elite 3 point shooter and made an all star team. Chambers played in 4 and had an all star mvp. And the X- man played in one all star game. So I guess it depends on your definition of 'elite'. I wouldn't call them elite either. But they WERE all star caliber players and the Sonics had 3 of them... So it's really not our of the realm of possibility that they could get hot in the playoffs and make some noise like they did. They were a fun team to watch
So there were three rounds including the 1987 Western Conference Finals. They got through Dallas and then Houston. I was surprised they won the Mavericks series, but that was a bit of revenge for Dale Ellis who was traded from the Mavericks to the Sonics. Issue with the Rockets was they lost two key players from their 1986 NBA Finals team - Lewis Lloyde and Mitchell Wiggins. Also, Sampson was out hurt most of the year, but was there for the playoffs and definitely not 100%. His career just declined after those injuries and forced him into early retirement. Their Twin Tower Strategy with Olajuwon and Sampson was the main reason they got to the 1986 NBA Finals, but wasn’t working anymore with Sampson’s injuries. Now in terms of Seattle, I felt like they had a lot going for them. Bernie Bickerstaff was a younger coach but had a lot of energy and utilized his bench which was the same - young and full of energy. They had three starters who averaged more than 20 ppg with SG Dale Ellis (that year’s most improved player), SF Xavier McDaniel, and PF Tom Chambers. Chambers was an All Star that year (and won the All Star Game MVP) and you could make a strong case that Ellis and McDaniel also should have been All Stars. I believe they were the only team with three players who averaged 20 ppg. So in reference to the PG spot they had a solid hard working Rookie with Nate McMillan and at Center they had Alton Lister with backups Clemson Johnson and the Enforcer Maurice Lucas who could play Center or PF.
As of the end of the 2023-2024 season, the 1987 Sonics is the last NBA team with a losing record to win a postseason series, and they did it twice in that postseason, by winning their first round and their second round series.
Since then, some teams with losing records have come close to winning a playoff series, but they fell short in the end. Most notable = the 1993 Lakers, the 1996 Suns, the 2008 Hawks
KVOS post production. Interesting. That station was based in Bellingham where I'm from. Miss those days of having that station around.
very good team
it's nice 2 meet u + pls read my comment
@@youtuber3328 go sonics
@@master-kq3nw u probably really LOVE the sonics right + or do u have any favorite members of the team pls let me know
@@youtuber3328 payton kemp
@@master-kq3nw do u mean in that order
why were the 87 sonics elite i'm NOT 4 sure cuz they didn't have a top of the line head coach or any elite players
So there were three rounds including the 1987 Western Conference Finals. They got through Dallas and then Houston. I was surprised they won the Mavericks series, but that was a bit of revenge for Dale Ellis who was traded from the Mavericks to the Sonics. Issue with the Rockets was they lost two key players from their 1986 NBA Finals team - Lewis Lloyde and Mitchell Wiggins. Also, Sampson was out hurt most of the year, but was there for the playoffs and definitely not 100%. His career just declined after those injuries and forced him into early retirement. Their Twin Tower Strategy with Olajuwon and Sampson was the main reason they got to the 1986 NBA Finals, but wasn’t working anymore with Sampson’s injuries. Now in terms of Seattle, I felt like they had a lot going for them. Bernie Bickerstaff was a younger coach but had a lot of energy and utilized his bench which was the same - young and full of energy. They had three starters who averaged more than 20 ppg with SG Dale Ellis (that year’s most improved player), SF Xavier McDaniel, and PF Tom Chambers. Chambers was an All Star that year (and won the All Star Game MVP) and you could make a strong case that Ellis and McDaniel also should have been All Stars. I believe they were the only team with three players who averaged 20 ppg. So in reference to the PG spot they had a solid hard working Rookie with Nate McMillan and at Center they had Alton Lister with backups Clemson Johnson and the Enforcer Maurice Lucas who could play Center or PF.
@@DJVijilante you make sense
Bernie Bickerstaff was decent enough to have a long coaching career. Tom Chambers, Xavier McDaniel & Dale's Ellis we all elite.
@@ihateapplebeeswano disrespect AT ALL but those players weren't elite AT ALL and please tell me when did bernie bickerstaff become the head coach of the nuggets
@@youtuber3328 the Sonics weren't elite they were a good team that had a good run at the right time. That said, Ellis, Chambers, and McDaniel were all very good players. Ellis was an elite 3 point shooter and made an all star team. Chambers played in 4 and had an all star mvp. And the X- man played in one all star game.
So I guess it depends on your definition of 'elite'. I wouldn't call them elite either. But they WERE all star caliber players and the Sonics had 3 of them... So it's really not our of the realm of possibility that they could get hot in the playoffs and make some noise like they did.
They were a fun team to watch
eddie johnson was not on this team
There were two Eddie Johnsons. One played in the league from like 81-99, the other (this Seattle one) played from about 77-88.
Thomas is exactly right, this was "fast" Eddie Johnson, a two-time all-star who was at the tail end of his career as a backup for Seattle.