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Gary Payton led the Seattle SuperSonics to one NBA Finals appearance in 1996. Despite being a perennial All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year, Payton's Sonics teams often fell short in the playoffs, losing in the first or second round in most seasons. The 1996 Finals appearance was the pinnacle of Payton's career in Seattle, but the Sonics ultimately lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games.