[Tommy]

From The Sports Network
By Warren Blatt, NBA Editor


SEATTLE SUPERSONICS: 3rd Seed, West (52-30)

SACRAMENTO KINGS: 6th Seed, West (50-32)


(Sports Network) - The third-seeded Seattle SuperSonics return to the postseason after a two-year absence, as they will battle with the sixth-seeded Sacramento Kings in a best-of-seven series in the first round of the 2005 NBA playoffs.

The Kings and Sonics will meet for the second time in the postseason. In 1996, Seattle defeated Sacramento, 3-1, in the first round.

Seattle was a pleasant surprise this season, as it captured the Northwest Division and won its first division title since 1997-98, when it went 61-21 and won its third consecutive Pacific Division crown. The Sonics posted 50 or more wins for just the 10th time in franchise history and first since the 1997-98 campaign.

All-Stars Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis were unbelievable this season for the Sonics. Allen, who played in 78 contests this season, averaged a team-best 23.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists, while Lewis contributed 20.5 points and 5.5 boards in 71 games.

The Sonics' offense runs through Allen and Lewis and their success will continue to depend heavily on the performance of the two All-Stars. However, Seattle also has guards Luke Ridnour and Antonio Daniels, who has been battling a nagging knee injury. Ridnour averaged 10 points and a team-high 5.9 assists in second season in the league, while Daniels was fourth on the club in scoring at 11.2 points per game.

Forward Vladimir Radmanovic was having a solid season until he suffered a stress fracture of his right fibula in March. He played in 63 games and averaged 11.8 points and 4.6 boards before the injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Without Radmanovic, Seattle's offense is not as effective as he gives them another dangerous threat from three-point range. Radmanovic would have had a big impact if he would have been healthy for this series.

Seattle struggled at the end of the regular season, as it lost its last two contests and dropped eight of its last 10 games overall. The Sonics are not the same team that won 17 of their first 20 games to open the 2004-05 campaign.

Sacramento, which qualified for the playoffs for a seventh straight year, enters the postseason playing solid basketball. The Kings crushed the top- seeded Phoenix Suns, 132-105, in their season finale and ended with five wins it their last seven games overall.

The Kings made a bold move during the regular season, as they traded forward Chris Webber, arguably their best player, prior to the trade deadline to Philadelphia in a six-player deal that landed forwards Kenny Thomas, Brian Skinner and Corliss Williamson in Sacramento.

After dealing Webber, the Kings went 16-12 and were able to stay in the thick of the playoff race. Sacramento is a much different team, as forward Peja Stojakovic, who is battling a groin injury, and guard Mike Bibby are the go-to players. Two-time All-Star center Brad Miller is trying to comeback from a broken leg, and shooting guard Cuttino Mobley, who was acquired from Orlando for Doug Christie, is relied upon heavily on offense.

Stojakovic averaged a team-best 20.1 points in 66 games this season, while Bibby played in 80 contests and contributed 19.8 points and a team-high 6.8 assists per game. Before Miller went down with his injury, he was averaging 15.6 points and a team-high 9.3 boards.

Thomas has played very well since being traded to Sacramento, and has become a key figure on the team. He scored in double-digits in 21 of the 26 games he played in for the Kings, and recorded eight double-doubles in that span.

The last time Sacramento was knocked out in the first round was in 1999 when it fell five games to Utah, while the Sonics have not won a playoff series since 1998 when they defeated Minnesota in the opening round.

During the regular season, the Sonics defeated the Kings in three of the four contests between the clubs. Seattle swept the two games at KeyArena, while the teams split a pair of contests at ARCO Arena.


FRONTCOURT: The Kings have some question marks, as Stojakovic and Miller are both trying to get healthy for the playoffs. The sharp-shooting Stojakovic should be ready to go, while Miller's status is still up in the air. Thomas and Skinner, who sprained his right foot in the season finale against the Suns, have played very well for Sacramento, and will most likely join Stojakovic up front. Skinner, who has been a decent center for the Kings, could be replaced in the starting lineup by Miller if the former All-Star can comeback.

The Sonics will counter with forwards Reggie Evans and Lewis and center Jerome James. James and Evans are not threats offensively, but both play tough defense and are solid rebounders. Evans averaged a team-high 9.4 rebounds this season for Seattle. Lewis will provide the scoring up front and will need to work off the screens that Evans and James set to get open looks at the basket.

This is not the strength of either squad. However, this could be the x-factor in the series as the frontcourt that performs best could end up leading its club to victory.

EDGE: SACRAMENTO


BACKCOURT: Bibby and Mobley vs. Ridnour and Allen is a solid matchup.

Bibby and Mobley can both light it up from anywhere on the court. When Bibby is at his best, Sacramento's offense runs like a machine. He is able to penetrate and draw the defense in, which allows Mobley and Stojakovic to get open looks from beyond the arc.

Mobley, who averaged 17.2 points in 66 games for Orlando and Sacramento this season, has fit in with the Kings style of offense. He does not play the tenacious defense that Christie provided, but he is a better shooter and can hold his own when asked to make a stop defensively.

The five-time All-star Allen is the key for the Sonics. He has been through the playoff wars before, as he has participated in 26 postseason contests during his nine-year career. His experience will prove to be valuable in helping Ridnour play through any playoff jitters he may have.

Bibby should be able to have his way with Ridnour. Bibby is a smart player and he will be able use his experience to take advantage of this matchup.

EDGE: SACRAMENTO


BENCH: Once again, Miller's health is a key. If he can come back, Sacramento becomes a much deeper club. The Kings got fiery guard Bobby Jackson back for the last game of the season, as he had been out for an extended period with a left wrist injury. Jackson only played 25 games this season and saw his first action since December 21st.

Darius Songaila and Williamson will also see some minutes off Sacramento's bench. The two forwards will provide some rebounding and scoring from the low post. Songaila averaged 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds, while Williamson checked in with 10.3 points and 3.6 boards for Sacramento and Philadelphia during the regular season.

Nick Collison, Daniels, Danny Fortson and Ronald Murray are the key reserves for the Sonics. Daniels and Murray will be asked to provide a spark offensively when Ridnour and Allen are resting, while Fortson, who averaged 7.5 points and 5.6 boards in 62 games, is physical and tries to intimidate the opposition with his play in the middle. Collison can add some offense in the low post and is solid off the glass.

EDGE: EVEN


COACH: Rick Adelman completed is 15th season as an NBA coach and seventh with Sacramento. He has guided the Kings to three Pacific Division titles and seven straight postseason appearance. A former head coach of Portland and Golden State, Adelman led the Trail Blazers to two NBA Finals appearances (1990, 1992).

Nate McMillan was named Seattle's interim head coach on November 27, 2000 and then received a four-year contract on March 27, 2001. He spent his entire 12- year playing career with the Sonics and was a defensive standout during his days as a player. McMillan is in the final year of his contract and has done his best job as a coach in the 2004-05 campaign.

EDGE: SACRAMENTO


PREDICTION: The Sonics will rely heavily on Allen and Lewis to carry the load, while Sacramento needs a total team effort to be effective. The team should win here.

SACRAMENTO IN SIX

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04/21 14:47:34 ET