Sonics Steady The Ship

After ending an ugly six-game losing streak with a win over the lowly New Orleans Hornets on Friday, the Sonics posted an impressive 15-point victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday afternoon.

Friday's win, on fan appreciation night, clinched the Sonics' first ever Northwest Division Championship. Actually, it was the first ever Northwest Division championship for anyone, since the NBA created the division this year.

The post-game celebration was cursory. Rookie center and season-long benchwarmer Robert Swift thanked the fans for their support, which is ironic since Swift himself played less than one hour of basketball all season. The only support he needed was that of his folding chair.

Star players Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis did not speak. They did throw their shoes into the crowd, which pointed out an interesting cultural dichotomy. If you threw your shoes at a crowd in Saudi Arabia, they would rush at you with intent to kill. Do it in Seattle, however, and they fight to claim your footwear.

The Sonics are guaranteed home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which begin this Saturday. They are likely to play the Sacramento Kings. On Thursday night, Seattlest was ready to write the Sonics off (literally!), but this weekend's victories give us confidence that the team could make a decent run. Tickets for the first two games of the playoffs are on sale through Ticketmaster.