On January 15, 1997, the Sonics dominated the Toronto Raptors 122-78 and set a new record.
On January 15, 1997, the Seattle SuperSonics made NBA history. The team set a new record for steals in a single game with 27 steals, breaking a milestone that had stood for over 20 years. The Golden State Warriors had previously held the record, with 25 steals set in 1975 and matched in 1989.
That night, the Sonics dominated the Toronto Raptors 122-78. The Sonics’ defense was a team effort. Eleven of the 12 players who saw the court that night recorded at least one steal. Nine players had at least two steals, and five players finished with three or more.
Gary Payton had three steals, along with teammates Sam Perkins and Eric Snow. Craig Ehlo (4 steals in 7 minutes) and Greg Graham (4 steals in 12 minutes) also played their part off the bench.
Before this, only two teams had ever hit 25 steals in a game: the Warriors, first in 1975 against the Lakers and again in 1989 against the Spurs. But on that day in 1997, the Sonics became just the second team in NBA history to break the 25-steal barrier.
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The SuperSonics, however, soon became a thing of the past. In 2008, the franchise moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. But on January 15, 1997, the Sonics gave Seattle fans something to remember forever.
Most steals in a NBA game:
27 Steals: Seattle SuperSonics (Jan. 15, 1997) vs. Raptors
25 Steals: Golden State Warriors (March 25, 1975) vs. Lakers
25 Steals: Golden State Warriors (Feb. 15, 1989) vs. Spurs
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