Despite clawing through an extremely close playoff race, the Seattle SuperSonics say they aren't checking the scoreboard to plot the progress of rivals such as the Portland Trail Blazers or the Phoenix Suns.

Going into Saturday night action, the Sonics trailed the Blazers by one game and led the Suns by a half-game in the tightly bunched race for the final playoff spots in the Western Conference.

"I don't speak for the rest of the guys on the team, but I don't really look at that," veteran guard Brent Barry said. "We've got to concentrate on what we have to do."

While he may not have spoken for the rest of the team, most Sonics echoed his sentiments.

"We're not really looking at it," injured forward Vin Baker said. "We're not going to get in with 25 (wins) and no one else is going to get in with 25. We've got a goal that we'd like to reach that we should be able to get in with. We've just got to stay solid and get to that goal."

"You can't start looking at the playoffs," swingman Desmond Mason said. "You know it's there, but the main thing is just to focus on the following game. We've got a big road trip coming up."

Forward Rashard Lewis said the best way to make the playoffs is to play as though they have already begun.

"Once the playoffs start, we don't want to go home, we want to play in the playoffs," he said. "So we have to step it up like it's playoff basketball right now."

After their game tonight in Sacramento, the Sonics will play a couple of games where they won't have to check any scoreboards but their own. On Tuesday, the Sonics fly to Arizona to go head-to-head with the Suns. On Wednesday, the Blazers visit KeyArena.

No roster moves - The Sonics have not placed Baker on the injured list, although he almost certainly will miss more than the required five games for the IL after suffering three dislocated toes Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Sonics also are not rushing to sign another player to the roster.

"Just brining in someone for the sake of bringing him in, we haven't decided to do that," coach Nate McMillan said. "We're looking, and if somebody is out there that we think can help or that we want to take a look at, then that's a possibility."

McMillan said he plans to put rookie Vladimir Radmanovic in Baker's power forward spot in the starting lineup.

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* Reach staff writer Don Ruiz at 253-597-8808 or [email protected]

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SIDEBAR: GAME DAY

Matchup - Seattle SuperSonics at Sacramento Kings

When - 6 p.m., Arco Arena TV - KONG

Radio - 950-AM

The series - Sacramento leads the season series, 2-1. The teams split four games last season. Seattle leads the all-time series, 107-63.

Scouting report - Sacramento has the best record in the NBA (39-12). ... The Kings are led in scoring by forwards Chris Webber (24.5 points per game) and Peja Stojakovic (22.6). Webber also leads the team in rebounding, with 10.4 per game. Mike Bibby leads Sacramento with 5.1 assists per game. ... Seattle native Doug Christie is averaging 12.3 points in a starting guard role for the Kings. ... Sacramento is first in the league in defensive rebounds (33.4 per game), second in overall rebounding (45.1) and second in points per game (104.3).

Next - 6 p.m. Tuesday at Phoenix.