"The Glove" Gary Payton 1995-96 Seattle Supersonics Highlights (Defensive Player of the Year)

By 1995 Gary Payton had entered the first stage of his peak, using his tremendous athleticism, tenacity and overall energy to give the opposition the business on both ends, every single night. And during the 1995-96 season, the Seattle Supersonics had an amazing year. Winning 64 games. They roared through the western conference.

With Gary Payton leading the Sonics to a first round victory over Mitch Ritchmond and the Sacramento Kings. Shawn Kemp and Gary were working extremely well together, with Kemp averaging 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and a ridiculous 2.7 steals to go with 3.3 blocks. "The Glove" averaged 20.8 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks a game that first round, shooting 47% from the field and 44% from three. His shooting from the free throw was a different story, only making 69% from the line. But it didn't matter, it was a gentlemen's sweep.

The next round they matched up against Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and the defending back to back NBA champion Houston Rockets. It didn't matter, Seattle swept them, with Gary again leading the way averaging 24.5 points, 7.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals a game. His shooting was blistering again that series, 52% from the field and 44% from three. His struggles from the line continued with a paltry 50% but he committed only 2.5 turnovers over 44 minutes a game. That series Shawn Kemp averaged 21.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.3 blocks a game. All on 50% from the field and 89 from the free throw line. Seattle's Duo was playing as well as any little-big combo in NBA history had.

Speaking of the best little-big combo's in NBA history, Karl Malone, John Stockton and the Utah Jazz were the cleaner cut combo of a similar mold in the same division, and the media ran with that. For years they would use Gary and Shawn's unabashed style and swagger against them, claiming they didn't play the right way, or that they would be better if they acted more like their Utah rivals (as if listening to Snoop Dogg was the reason Gary was struggling from the free throw line and Shawn kept turning it over).

But the Jazz were good too, and Seattle knew it. In fact the Jazz managed to push Seattle to 7 games, even with Gary holding John Stockton to 9.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists a game on less than 40% from the field and only 20% from the 3 point line. Karl Malone had a much better series but Seattle's stars pulled it off. Gary averaged 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.6 steals, again shooting tremendous percentages of 51% from the field and 44% from three, his work at the line was again ugly sitting at 58%. And although Shawn Kemp couldn't stop "The Mailman" from delivering, Malone couldn't stop Kemp either. He averaged 20 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks a game. Doing it on a tremendous 69% from the field and 78% from the line. The Sonics All-Star duo toppled their biggest division rivals and possibly biggest rivals in the league at the time. They were going to the NBA Finals.

On his road to the finals Gary averaged 21.7 points, 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and a half a block a game all while guarding the other teams best perimeter player for 42.5 minutes a game. And he did it while shooting 50% from the field and 44% from deep. He wasn't perfect though and his 60% from the free throw line would attest to that but he had quickly gone from potential bust to one of the very best in the entire league.

I don't own any of the clips, highlights or music, I just compiled them for educational purposes.

Music Credit:

regulate - warren g and nate dogg

I wish - skee lo

me against the world - 2pac

Pharcyde - The hustle

up jump the boogie - snoop dogg