New York Knicks vs. Seattle Supersonics
These two teams have no history of facing each other in the NBA Playoffs.
Last year, the Seattle Supersonics fell short of making the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks made the Playoffs, but got swept by the New Jersey Nets 4 games to none in the First Round.
NBA Finals History
New York Knicks
NBA Titles: 2 Total appearances: 8 Last appearance: 1999
The Knicks last trip to the NBA Finals was in 1999, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs 4-1. The Knicks were the #8 seed in the East and upset the #1 seed Miami Heat in the opening round in five games.
In the 90s, the Knicks also made it to the finals in 1994, losing in 7 games to a Hakeem Olajuwon-led Houston Rockets team that would go on to repeat a year later.
The last time they won the NBA Championship was in 1974, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1. Just a year earlier, they lost in the Finals to the same team. In 1970, they also won the NBA Championship, behind the stellar play of Willis Reed in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks also made the NBA Finals in three straights years from 1951-1953, but never won any.
Seattle Supersonics
NBA Titles: 1 Total appearances: 3 Last appearance: 1996
The Sonics last trip to the NBA Finals was in 1996, where they lost to the record-breaking 72-10 Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls 4-2.
The last time they won the NBA Championship was in 1979, defeating the Washington Bullets 4-1. Just like the Knicks, a year earlier they lost in the Finals to the same team they would end up beating for the NBA Championship.
Playoff Experience
Mehmet Okur: Finals
Kevin Garnett: Conference Finals
Kyle Korver: none
Baron Davis: Conference Semifinals
Gilbert Arenas: none
Chris Mihm: none
Vladamir Radmanovic: First Round
Charlie Ward: Finals
Steve Smith: Finals
Samaki Walker: Finals
Casey Jacobsen: First Round
Kelvin Cato: Conference Finals
P.J. Brown: Conference Finals
Caron Butler: Conference Semifinals
Michael Redd: First Round
Gary Payton: Finals
Chris Wilcox: none
Manu Ginobili: Finals
Stephen Jackson: Finals
Shammond Williams: none
Knicks
Finals: 4
Conference Finals: 1
Conference Semifinals: 1
First Round: 2
None: 3
Sonics
Finals: 3
Conference Finals: 2
Conference Semifinals: 1
First Round: 1
None: 2
The experience is about the same, but the old veteran Gary Payton should have the advantage on the young stud Gilbert Arenas in terms of being able to use his old tricks to keep up with the All-Star. Arenas is without question the fresher of the two, but what GP lacks in youth, he'll be sure to make up with his experience of being to the Finals before. Sonics also have two proven scorers and Ginobili and Stephen Jackson, who have won it before, coming off the bench.
Season Series
Sunday, March 13: Sonics defeat the Knicks 133-129 (0-1) @ Madison Square Garden
Friday, March 25: Knicks defeat the Sonics (1-1) @ Key Arena
The season series was even (1-1). Both teams won on the other's home floor.
New York Knicks have the best record in the league (62-20) and have won nineteen of their last twenty-one games going into this series. They swept the Chicago Bulls(8) in the First Round and the Detroit Pistons(4) in the Conference Semifinals, and they beat a tough Shaq-led 76ers team in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Seattle Supersonics(41-41) are the #8 seed in the West. But they upset the #1 seed Denver Nuggets in the opening round. They swept the Utah Jazz (5) in the Conference Semifinals. And in the Western Conference Finals they beat the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Vince Carter and the Golden State Warriors in 5 games, a team that had the Knicks number, sweeping them in the home and home series.
Key Players
Kevin Garnett 24.2ppg 4.9apg 13.9rpg 2.2bpg 1.5spg 39.4mpg
Kyle Korver 4.5ppg 0.5apg 1.5rpg 0.34spg 11.92mpg
Gilbert Arenas 19.3ppg 4.9apg 4.5rpg 1.8spg 36.9mpg
Baron Davis 22.9ppg 7.5apg 4.3rpg 2.36spg 40.1mpg
Vladimir Radmanovic 12ppg 1.8apg 5.3rpg 0.55bpg 1.04spg 30.1mpg
Caron Butler 9.2ppg 1.9apg 4.8rpg 1.1spg 29.9mpg
Michael Redd 21.7ppg 2.7apg 4.9rpg .99spg 36.8mpg
Gary Payton 14.6ppg 5.5apg 4.2rpg 1.17spg 34.5mpg
Manu Ginobili 12.8ppg 3.8apg 4.5rpg 1.77spg 29.4mpg
Stephen Jackson 18.1ppg 3apg 4.8rpg 1.78spg 36.8mpg
Probable Starters
C- Kevin Garnett
PF- Vladamir Radmanovic
SF- Kyle Korver
SG- Gilbert Arenas
PG- Baron Davis
C- Kelvin Cato
PF- P.J. Brown
SF- Caron Butler
SG- Michael Redd
PG- Gary Payton
Keep it up and good luck in Game 1!
