I-5 rivalry explained

I-5 rivalry
Team1:	Portland Trail Blazers
Team2:	Seattle SuperSonics
First Contested:	October 23, 1970 SuperSonics 141, Trail Blazers 111
Mostrecent:	March 24, 2008 SuperSonics 97, Trail Blazers 84
Total:	192
Longeststreak:	SuperSonics, 9 (1971–1972)
Series:	SuperSonics, 106–102
Regularseason:	SuperSonics, 98–94
Postseason:	Tied, 8–8
Section Header:	Postseason history
Section Info:	1978 Western Conference Semifinals: SuperSonics won, 4–2 1980 Western Conference First Round: SuperSonics won, 2–1 1983 Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers won, 2–0 1991 Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers won, 3–2

The I-5 rivalry was a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle SuperSonics. The two Pacific Northwest cities are 180 miles (290 km) apart and connected by Interstate 5. The rivalry ended in 2008 when the SuperSonics were relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.

On July 18, 2006, after unsuccessful efforts to persuade Washington state government officials to provide funding to update the SuperSonics' KeyArena, Howard Schultz and Basketball Club of Seattle LLP sold the SuperSonics and their sister team, the Women's National Basketball Association's Seattle Storm for $350 million to Professional Basketball Club LLC (PBC), an investment group that was headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. On April 18, 2008, NBA owners approved a potential SuperSonics' relocation to Oklahoma City in a 28–2 vote by the league's Board of Governors; only Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks and Paul Allen of the Trail Blazers voted against the move. The approval meant the SuperSonics would be allowed to move to Oklahoma City's Ford Center for the 2008–09 season after reaching a settlement with the city of Seattle.^[1]

Seattle and Portland have had rivalries based on various sports teams. Of the five major sports leagues in North America, the two cities each currently have franchises in Major League Soccer with the Timbers and the Sounders, which have played annually sinces the Timbers joined MLS in 2011. Previously, the two cities had various incarnations of the current professional franchises in leagues such as the North American Soccer League and USL. The top women's soccer league in the U.S., the NWSL, features a rivalry between the Seattle Reign and Portland Thorns. Additionally, the Oregon–Washington football rivalry is one of the most played rivalries in NCAA Division I FBS history, and has been played regularly since 1900.

History

The first meeting between the Blazers and Sonics occurred on September 30, 1970, in a pre-season exhibition game held at the W. F. West High School gymnasium in Chehalis, Washington, midway between Portland and Seattle. The teams were immediately projected to be rivals, owing to the close proximity and existing rivalry between the Pacific Northwest cities. The Trail Blazers were a new expansion team for 1970, while the SuperSonics began play three seasons earlier in 1967.

Oden / Durant

Both teams beat long odds to emerge as the winners of the 2007 NBA draft lottery. Portland, with only a 5.3% chance, received the number one selection. Seattle, at a 9.7% chance, won the second pick. Their lottery luck and the presence of two generational prospects in the draft fueled instant hope for the revival of both franchises.

In the 2007 NBA draft, Portland selected Greg Oden as the draft's number one pick. Seattle followed, selecting Kevin Durant at number two.

Cruelly, neither city's fanbase would enjoy success from the draft. Oden was plagued with injuries and would play only 82 total games for the Blazers before being waived in 2012. Durant earned the 2007–2008 NBA Roookie of the Year award with the SuperSonics, but his addition was unable to prevent the team from being relocated to Oklahoma City the following year, where they began play as the Thunder.

Hiatus (2008–present)

The Blazers' rivalry did not continue with the newly relocated Oklahoma City Thunder, despite that organization's past history in Seattle and both teams continuing to play in the Western Conference Northwest Division.

Both cities gained Major League Soccer teams in the years since the Sonics left, with the Sounders beginning play in 2009 and the Timbers in 2011. The Portland Timbers–Seattle Sounders rivalry, which dates back to the 1970s, has continued the civic rivalry, as has the three-team Cascadia Cup with Vancouver Whitecaps FC (former home of the similarly relocated Vancouver Grizzlies NBA team).

The Blazers eliminated the Thunder from the first round of the 2019 NBA playoffs on a Game 5, 37 foot buzzer beater 3 by Damian Lillard. Lillard mockingly waved goodbye to the Thunder after the shot, and would later comment: "What can I say? That was for Seattle."

On October 3, 2022, the Blazers played in a "Rain City Showcase" preseason game versus the Los Angeles Clippers at the newly renovated Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

Annual finishes

Season	NBA season
W	Wins
L	Losses
%	Winning percentage
Playoffs	Final result in season's playoffs
Series	Record in season's head-to-head matchups
	Trail Blazers had more regular season wins than SuperSonics
†	SuperSonics had more regular season wins than Trail Blazers
‡	Trail Blazers won season series against the SuperSonics
§	SuperSonics won season series against the Trail Blazers

Regular season

Season	Trail Blazers	SuperSonics	Series
Team	W	L	%	Playoffs	Team	W	L	%	Playoffs
		29	53	.354			38†	44	.463		SEA 4–2^§
		18	64	.220			47†	35	.537		SEA 6–0^§
		21	61	.256			26†	56	.317		SEA 4–3^§
		27	55	.329			36†	46	.439		3–3
		38	44	.463			43†	39	.524	Lost Conference Semifinals	SEA 6–2^§
		37	45	.451			43†	39	.524	Lost Conference Semifinals	3–3
		49*	33	.598	Won NBA Finals		40	42	.488		POR 3–1^‡
		58*	24	.707	Lost Conference Semifinals		47	35	.549		POR 3–1^‡
		45	37	.549	Lost First Round		52†	30	.634	Won NBA Finals	SEA 3–1^§
		38	44	.463	Lost First Round		56†	26	.683	Lost Conference Finals	SEA 5–1^§
		45*	37	.549	Lost First Round		34	48	.415		POR 4–2^‡
		42	40	.512			52†	30	.634	Lost Conference Semifinals	3–3
		46	36	.561	Lost Conference Semifinals		48†	34	.585	Lost First Round	3–3
		48*	34	.585	Lost First Round		42	40	.512	Lost First Round	POR 4–2^‡
		42*	40	.512	Lost Conference Semifinals		31	51	.378		POR 4–2^‡
		40*	42	.488	Lost First Round		31	51	.378		POR 5–1^‡
		49*	33	.598	Lost First Round		39	43	.476	Lost Conference Finals	POR 4–2^‡
		53*	29	.646	Lost First Round		44	38	.537	Lost First Round	3–3
		39	43	.476	Lost First Round		47†	35	.573	Lost Conference Semifinals	SEA 4–2^§
		59*	23	.720	Lost NBA Finals		41	41	.500		POR 3–2^‡
		63*	19	.768	Lost Conference Finals		41	41	.500	Lost First Round	POR 4–0^‡
		57*	25	.695	Lost NBA Finals		47	35	.573	Lost Conference Semifinals	POR 4–1^‡
		51	31	.622	Lost First Round		55†	27	.671	Lost Conference Finals	SEA 3–2^§
		47	35	.573	Lost First Round		63†	19	.768	Lost First Round	SEA 4–1^§
		44	38	.537	Lost First Round		57†	25	.695	Lost First Round	SEA 3–2^§
		44	38	.537	Lost First Round		64†	18	.780		SEA 3–1^§
		49	33	.598	Lost First Round		57†	25	.695	Lost Conference Semifinals	SEA 3–1^§
		46	36	.561	Lost First Round		61†	21	.744	Lost Conference Semifinals	SEA 4–0^§
		35*	15	.700	Lost Conference Finals		25	25	.500		2–2
		59*	23	.720	Lost Conference Finals		45	37	.549	Lost First Round	POR 4–0^‡
		50*	32	.610	Lost First Round		44	38	.537		2–2
		49*	33	.598	Lost First Round		45	37	.549	Lost First Round	POR 3–1^‡
		50*	32	.610	Lost First Round		40	42	.488		POR 4–0^‡
		41*	41	.500			37	45	.451		2–2
		27	55	.329			52†	30	.634	Lost Conference Semifinals	SEA 3–1^§
		21	61	.256			35†	47	.427		SEA 3–1^§
		32*	50	.390			31	51	.378		2–2
		41*	41	.500			20	62	.244		2–2

Postseason

• 1978 Western Conference Semifinals: SuperSonics won, 4–2
• 1980 Western Conference First Round: SuperSonics won, 2–1
• 1983 Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers won, 2–0
• 1991 Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers won, 3–2

See also

• List of National Basketball Association rivalries
• Portland Timbers–Seattle Sounders rivalry
• Portland–Seattle rivalry
• Dodgers–Padres rivalry (MLB rivalry under the same name)

Notes and References

1. News: NBA Board of Governors Approve Sonics Move to Oklahoma City Pending Resolution of Litigation. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. NBA.com. April 18, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080421225911/http://www.nba.com/news/bog_sonics_080418.html. April 21, 2008. March 31, 2024. live.