The Rise and Fall of Forgotten NBA Teams
The Rise and Fall of the Vancouver Grizzles
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a professional basketball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The team played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1995 to 2001. The Grizzlies were founded as an expansion team in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors. The team's home arena was the GM Place, which was later renamed Rogers Arena. The Grizzlies' first head coach was Brian Winters. The team's first general manager was Stu Jackson.
The Grizzlies struggled in their early years, finishing with a losing record in each of their first four seasons. The team's fortunes began to improve in 1999, when they finished with a 22-60 record, good for fifth place in the Pacific Division. The Grizzlies made their first NBA playoff appearance in 2000, but they were defeated by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Grizzlies continued to improve in 2001, finishing with a 42-40 record, good for fourth place in the Pacific Division. The Grizzlies made their second NBA playoff appearance in 2001, but they were again defeated by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
In 2001, the Grizzlies were sold to a group led by Michael Heisley. Heisley moved the team to Memphis, Tennessee, and renamed them the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies have been playing in Memphis ever since.
The Rise and Fall of the Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. The team played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1967 to 2008. The SuperSonics were founded as an expansion team in 1967, along with the San Diego Rockets. The team's home arena was the Seattle Center Coliseum, which was later renamed KeyArena. The SuperSonics' first head coach was Al Bianchi. The team's first general manager was Bob Houbregs.
The SuperSonics struggled in their early years, finishing with a losing record in each of their first four seasons. The team's fortunes began to improve in 1971, when they finished with a 38-44 record, good for fourth place in the Western Division. The SuperSonics made their first NBA playoff appearance in 1972, but they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. The SuperSonics continued to improve in the 1970s, finishing with a winning record in each of the next six seasons. The team made its first NBA Finals appearance in 1979, but they were defeated by the Washington Bullets in five games.
The SuperSonics continued to be a strong team in the 1980s and 1990s, making the NBA Finals four more times. The team won its only NBA championship in 1979. The SuperSonics struggled in the early 2000s, and they were sold to a group led by Clay Bennett in 2006. Bennett moved the team to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and renamed them the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder have been playing in Oklahoma City ever since.
Conclusion
The Vancouver Grizzlies and the Seattle SuperSonics were two of the most successful expansion teams in NBA history. Both teams made multiple NBA playoff appearances and even reached the NBA Finals. However, both teams were eventually sold and relocated. The Grizzlies are now playing in Memphis, while the SuperSonics are now playing in Oklahoma City. The rise and fall of these two teams is a reminder of the ever-changing nature of the NBA.
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