Sonics/Lakers Playoff Matchups Over the Years
As the NBA’s premier West Coast franchise, the Lakers were always a natural adversary of the Sonics. The Lakers dominated the Western Conference in the 1960’s when the Sonics entered the league, creating an instant rival for Seattle. By the late 1970’s the Sonics had overtaken the Lakers as the top West Coast team and enjoyed several years on top of the conference.
No team gave the Sonics more trouble over the years than the Lakers. Although the Sonics won the first two playoff matchups against LA, the Lakers would go on to take the next five.
1978 First Round – Sonics Win 2-1
The first-ever playoff meeting between the Sonics and Lakers pitted a young Sonics’ squad against the Kareem/Adrian Dantley Lakers, who were coached by Jerry West. The series marked the playoff debuts of Dennis Johnson and Jack Sikma and was Gus Williams’ first playoff series in a Sonics uniform.
The series went the distance (3 games at the time) with the Sonics advancing, winning Games 1 and 3. Seattle used a balanced attack to overcome Kareem’s monster 27/14/4 blocks series averages. Gus Williams (20.3), Jack Sikma (18.3) Marvin Webster (17.3) and Fred Brown (16.3) all averaged over 16 points per game, helping lead the Sonics to their 2nd playoff series victory in franchise history.
1979 Conference Semifinals – Sonics Win 4-1
The Lakers and Sonics would meet again in 1979, this time in the Conference Semifinals. Fortunately for Seattle, Kareem had little help from his LA teammates, despite averaging 28/12/5. Fresh off a Finals appearance the year before, the Sonics knocked off the Lakers with relative ease, winning the series 4 games to 1.
Gus Williams poured it on, averaging 31 points per game in the series. Dennis Johnson pitched in 21 per game and Lonnie Shelton averaged 16/9. The Sonics would go on to knock off Phoenix in the Conference Finals and defeat Washington in the NBA Finals.
1980 Conference Finals – Lakers Win 4-1
1980 marked the third straight year the Lakers and Sonics would meet in the playoffs, and the first time in the Conference Finals. Unfortunately, the Lakers had just drafted a certain 6’9” point guard out of Michigan State who would give the Sonics headaches for the next decade.
After back-to-back playoff victories over LA and 2 straight finals appearances, the Sonics were the team to beat in the West. 1980 was a sliding doors moment for the Western Conference – would the Sonics continue their dominance? Or would Magic Johnson usher in a new era of Lakers basketball?
The Sonics would steal Game 1 in LA 108-107 behind 34 points from Fred Brown. However, the Magic/Kareem pairing would prove too much for Seattle, with the Lakers taking the next 4 games. Rookie Magic averaged an incredible 17/9/9 while Kareem put up 31/12. This series would be Dennis Johnson’s last with the Sonics; he was traded to Phoenix before the start of the next season.
1987 Conference Finals – Lakers Win 4-0
Seven years would pass before the Sonics and Lakers met again in the playoffs, and again they met in the Western Conference Finals. To be frank, it was a shock that the ’87 Sonics had made it that far – they had finished with a losing record during the regular season but had upset Dallas and Houston in the first two rounds of the playoffs to reach the Conference Finals.
In 1987, Magic was peaking – he had just won his first MVP award. Magic again dominated Seattle with 20/7/11 series averages but James Worthy provided most of the scoring, averaging 30 per game. However, the Sonics battled; Xavier McDaniel dropped 42 in a 1-point Game 3 loss. The Lakers would end up sweeping the series in 4 games.
1989 Conference Semifinals – Lakers Win 4-0
The Sonics-Lakers matchup 1989 matchup played out much like the 1987 matchup. Seattle’s Dale Ellis/Xavier McDaniel duo couldn’t quite get it done against Magic and Worthy. Worthy again provided the scoring, averaging 28 points per game across the four games while Magic chipped in 15 points and 12 assists per game.
Magic Johnson would end his career with a 12-1 playoff record against the Sonics.
1995 First Round – Lakers Win 3-1
1995 was (to put it bluntly) a disappointing year for Sonics fans. After blowing LA out by 25 points in Game 1, the Lakers shocked the world by winning 3 straight close games against the favored Sonics. Nick Van Exel and Vlade Divac did just enough to get by Seattle, despite Shawn Kemp’s 25/12 averages.
The Sonics would channel the disappointment of the loss into a hugely successful 1996 campaign.
1998 Conference Semifinals – Lakers Win 4-1
1998 marked the only time that Seattle faced the Shaq/Kobe Lakers in the playoffs and the last time the Sonics would face LA in the postseason. 1998 was Seattle’s first 90’s postseason run without Shawn Kemp.
The Sonics would take Game 1 in Seattle behind 25 from Gary Payton and 20 from Hersey Hawkins but the Lakers would cruise in the next four games. Shaq was unstoppable, averaging 30/10 with 4 assists and 4 blocks on 63% shooting.