Dennis Johnson was instrumental in helping the then Seattle SuperSonics win their 1st NBA championship in 1979.
The Thunder franchise began in the 1968 season in Seattle where they were the SuperSonics until moving to Oklahoma City ahead of the 2008-2009 campaign. Over those 58 seasons, the franchise has one NBA Championship in 1979. Let’s learn more about the SuperSonics’ run to the title to close out the 1970s.
1979 NBA Championship
The SuperSonics had been building toward a championship in the years leading up to 1979, making their eventual title run all the more gratifying. In 1978, Seattle advanced to the Finals after a six-game win over the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, setting up a showdown with the Washington Bullets.
The Sonics pushed the Bullets to seven games but ultimately fell short. That loss fueled their 1979 campaign.
Their championship squad wasn’t built on star power but rather continuity and chemistry. Only two players made the All-Star team, and just one — Jack Sikma — received MVP votes (seven in total). Gus Williams led the team in scoring with 19.2 points per game, but contributions came from everywhere: seven SuperSonics averaged double-digit points.
Still, Seattle’s success was more about its defense than its offense. The team ranked 19th in scoring and 20th in field goal percentage out of 22 teams, metrics that wouldn’t usually signal a 52-win season. What made the difference? Elite defense.
The Sonics led the league in defensive rating and opponent points per game, holding teams to a league-worst 46.3% shooting from the field. Dennis Johnson anchored that effort. Though this was before the Defensive Player of the Year award existed, Johnson earned All-Defensive Team honors.
Seattle earned a first-round bye by finishing first in the Western Conference. They beat the Lakers in five games in the Semifinals, including two overtime battles. In the Conference Finals, they edged the Suns in seven games, winning the last two to secure their return to the Finals, and a rematch with the Bullets.
With redemption on the line, the Sonics seized the moment. Washington took Game 1, 99–97, but Seattle responded by winning the next four. Dennis Johnson earned Finals MVP honors, averaging 22.6 points per game.
The 1979 championship remains the franchise’s only NBA title, but the current core gives Seattle hope of adding more to the trophy case in the years ahead.
