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04-05 ESPN Power rankings review


Power Ranking
SEASON WEEK RECORD RANK COMMENT
2005 Training Camp 37-45 29 Only two teams in the West have no shot at the playoffs, and this
is No. 1 on that list. The return of Nick Collison will help, but it
was another way-too-quiet summer in Seattle.
2005 Preseason 37-45 28 Brent Barry makes a Week 1 return Sunday to Key Arena, but here's
guessing the reunion does more to kickstart Barry's three ball than it
does for Sonics.
2005 Week 1 2-1 19 Looks like that 30-point loss to Clips on Opening Night -- which
quickly sparked whispers about Coach McMillan's immediate future -- was
a really loud wake-up call.
2005 Week 2 6-1 10 Remember last November, when Flip Murray was deified? Danny Fortson
is this season's Flip, because some Sonics fans are apparently calling
Fortson the next Lonnie Shelton.
2005 Week 3 9-2 7 Sayeth Ray: 'I'm not playing like this because it's the last year
of my contract.' Sayeth us: The contract issue can't hurt and should
help Allen keep this up, even if other Sonics can't.
2005 Week 4 13-2 3 Don't be smug, Seattle. Surely you didn't expect your Supes to be
the first team to reach 10 wins -- or to rank third in the NBA in
rebounding differential after a month.
2005 Week 5 15-3 4 It's only a bad rumor. Sonics didn't really petition the league to
play all 82 games this November. They're even off to an encouraging 2-0
start in December.
2005 Week 6 17-4 1 Here's another way to break it down: Sonics are indeed 0-2 against
Boston ... but also 2-0 against San Antonio. You can guess which
resonates most with the committee.
2005 Week 7 18-5 3 It's an Adam Sandler line we can't hear enough, and we're a little
late with it as it is, but here goes: Happy Hanukkah to the owner of
Seattle SuperSonic-ahs ... past and present.
2005 Week 8 19-5 2 It's not as good as Sandler and his SuperSonic-ahs, but it's my
second-favorite Seattle line: Ray Ray calling the offense 'organized
confusion.' One of the lines of the season so far.
2005 Week 9 22-6 4 The other leading surprise package, along with Phoenix, just
completed a restful stretch of one game game in nine days between Dec.
18-26. January will be a lot busier (and tougher).
2005 Week 10 24-8 3 More credit where it's overdue: Seattle is now 2-0 against Miami and San Antonio. Makes it easy for Supes to get over that first (two-game) losing streak of the season.
2005 Week 11 27-9 2 The good news: Sonics have six victories since Dec. 1 in which
they've trailed in the fourth quarter. The bad news: Seattle still
can't figure out how to beat Clips in L.A.
2005 Week 12 28-11 3 Sources say Sonics are petitioning the league for more Sunday home
games, because they haven't lost one yet (6-0). On the flip side,
Seattle is just 11-8 since that 17-3 start.
2005 Week 13 30-12 3 The good news: Karl's arrival in Denver means the list of teams
that can woo Ray away just got one shorter. The bad news: Ray says his
uncertain future is starting to be a distraction.
2005 Week 14 32-13 3 Sonics have to hold firm up here, with a fat division lead and a 7-2 record vs. Spurs, Suns, Kings, Mavs and Heat.
2005 Week 15 35-14 2 January (8-7) wasn't super, but Supes are a sparkling 5-1 in
February and 9-3 overall against .640-or-better teams, even after
losing at home Sunday to Dallas.
2005 Week 16 35-15 5 So how soon do Supes clinch the division? Can they actually clinch before April? Not impossible, if our math is right.
2005 Week 17 38-16 5 As poorly as they played in Milwaukee, Sonics enjoyed a fine February. They went 8-3, after an 8-7 mark in January.
2005 Week 18 41-17 3 Can't beat Phoenix on their home floor, but you can forgive Sonics
for that. They're still a tidy 7-4 vs. the rest of the top six.
2005 Week 19 42-19 4 Winning at MSG salvaged something from what had to be Sonics' worst
week of the season. Holding a 10 1/2-game division lead over Denver
doesn't hurt, either.
2005 Week 20 45-20 5 Trust us: Coach McMillan is far more concerned about the injury
loss of Radmanovic than reports of the season's first locker-room
grumbling about minutes, roles, shots, etc.
2005 Week 21 48-21 4 As hot as Nuggets are, look at Sonics' division lead. It's still nearly 10 games, in spite of stubborn Seattle's recent turmoil.
2005 Week 22 50-23 6 Wondering what keeps Sonics up here? Slump or not, injuries or not,
Sonics are still 23-14 against .500-plus teams, second only to San
Antonio's 26-14. Phoenix is third at 24-15.
2005 Week 23 50-26 11 This is no joke. Sonics haven't won since April 1 and have nothing but injuries (Rashard, Radmanovic, Daniels, Fortson).
2005 Week 24 52-28 8 It wasn't the smoothest divisional clinch, but c'mon. Fifty-two
wins! Nate must have done some coaching to coax 52 wins out of a
smallish squad universally picked to be a doormat.