Seattle SuperSonics Team Report - April 5

(Basketball News) - The playoff bound Seattle SuperSonics will try once again to lock up the Northwest Division crown on Tuesday, as they visit the Sacramento Kings at ARCO Arena.

Seattle is attempting its first division title since 1997-98, when it went 61-21 and won its third consecutive Pacific Division title. The Sonics have already posted 50 wins for just the 10th time in franchise history and first since the 1997-98 campaign.

The Sonics lead the second-place Denver Nuggets by 8 1/2 games in the Northwest Division.

It is the fourth and final meeting of the season between the clubs. The Sonics won the three previous contests, winning twice at KeyArena and on February 1st at Sacramento. A victory tonight would give Seattle its first regular-season series sweep over the Kings since the 1995-96 season.

Seattle has won three straight after losing the last two meetings in this series, while the Kings have won six of 10 and seven of the last 13 contests. The Sonics have lost seven of its last nine at Sacramento.

On Sunday, Jason Richardson scored 22 points, and the Golden State Warriors won their fifth straight game with a 101-92 victory over the SuperSonics at The Arena in Oakland.

Ray Allen scored a game-high 27 points with nine rebounds and five assists in the loss to Golden State to lead the Sonics, who lost for just the fourth time in their last 13 games. Antonio Daniels and Ronald Murray both finished with 13 points apiece in defeat.

All-Star forward Rashard Lewis is doubtful for Tuesday’s game with a bone bruise and an inflamed tendon in his right foot. He has missed Seattle’s last four contests.

Seattle, which is 13-4 in Tuesday games this season, is an impressive 25-11 on the road. The Sonics have lost two in a row and are 6-4 in their last 10 as the visitor.

The Sonics are scheduled to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday and will then visit Denver on Saturday. They are 3-0 against the Lakers this season and are 2-1 versus the Nuggets.