The 1986-87 Seattle SuperSonics were such a surprise to make the playoffs, their arena already had been booked for an agricultural show when they qualified.

So the SuperSonics played first-round home games at the then-8,000-seat Hec Edmundson Pavilion at the University of Washington. They were determined not to be outdone by any prized pigs.

"We had the cheerleaders from the college, we had the band playing from the college," recalls Tom Chambers, a Boulder Fairview High School graduate who starred at forward for the team. "It was a great atmosphere for basketball."

It sure was for the Sonics, who went 39-43 in the regular season. Seeded a mere seventh in the West, they stunned No. 2 Dallas 3-1 in the first round. And it didn't stop there.

In the second round, the Sonics knocked off Houston 4-2. Reality finally hit when they were swept 4-0 by the eventual champion Lakers in the West final.

Still, the Sonics earned a rare spot in NBA history. Since the NBA in 1983-84 went to eight playoff seeds in each conference, they're one of only two teams seeded seventh or lower to have won two or more series.

When it comes to No. 6 or worst, only five of 138 have won at least two series, a meager 3.6 percent. That's the rocky road that awaits the Nuggets if they hope to do serious damage in the playoffs.

The Nuggets, likely to be No. 6 or No. 7 in the West, don't have to look far for inspiration. Center Marcus Camby and player development coach Rick Brunson were on the 1999 New York Knicks, which made a surprising run to the NBA Finals despite being the East's No. 8 seed with a 27-23 mark during the lockout season.

"We've been talking about it ever since I've been here," said Camby, in his fifth Nuggets season.

It hasn't rubbed off yet. As the No. 8 seed in 2003-04, No. 7 in 2004-05 and No. 3 last season (the Nuggets won the Northwest Division but would have been No. 8 had seeding been based strictly on record), Denver each time was dispatched 4-1.

But the Nuggets now believe they have a team that can make a surprising playoff run. The thinking is Allen Iverson, acquired Dec. 19, finally is meshing well with Carmelo Anthony.

"If we're in the seventh spot or the sixth spot, we get San Antonio or Phoenix," Camby said. "Either way, we go against a heavy hitter in the playoffs and we've got our work cut out of for us. But we can compete with those teams. . . . I've been hearing a lot of teams don't really want to see us in the playoffs."

Stay tuned to see if the Nuggets can add their names to the list of NBA playoff surprises. It's one that starts with the 1994-95 Rockets.

Houston might have been defending champion but went 47-35 and stumbled to the No. 6 seed. Like the Nuggets, the Rockets had acquired a future Hall of Famer during the season, and Clyde Drexler faced an adjustment period.

It happened. The Rockets won four straight series without home- court advantage, the culmination a 4-0 sweep of Orlando for a second crown.

"Houston, that's the one team I remember," Nuggets coach George Karl said of playoff surprises. "It's not an impossible task. We've seen things in sports like (Boston) overcome a 3-0 deficit for the first time in baseball history (in 2004)."

Back to basketball. Since the playoff field was expanded to 16, the other two bottom-three seeds to have won at least two series were No. 6 Phoenix in 1983-84 and No. 6 Chicago in 1988-89. The Suns had gone 41-41 and the Bulls 47-35, two years before Michael Jordan and company started their run of six titles.

Those Suns, coached by former Nuggets assistant John MacLeod, went so far as to give the Lakers a serious scare in the West final, falling 4-2.

MacLeod wonders if the Nuggets could have a similar run.

"They could," MacLeod said. "I like the way they're starting to jell."

MacLeod is not alone in his thinking. Chambers, who does television work for the Suns and watched the Nuggets dismantle Phoenix on Saturday, envisions the offensive firepower of Anthony and Iverson possibly coming alive in the playoffs the way it did on the Sonics 20 years ago with Chambers, Dale Ellis and Xavier McDaniel.

"We had three very good players, and I can see the same with Denver," Chambers said. "They're very talented. If they can stay healthy, they're going to be very tough in the playoffs. . . . But it's tough being a lower seed."

Well, the Nuggets always can bring in a college band for inspiration.

Two Karls in Denver?

If Karl's son, Coby, isn't drafted, he looks to be in line for an invitation to Nuggets summer camp.

"My feeling is yes," Karl said of the 6-foot-4 guard, who just completed his senior season at Boise State and is a long shot to be a second-round pick.

"Right now, my feeling is he fits what we need. We need kind of a playmaking bigger player."

There is a question, though, whether Coby would accept such an invitation. While he said his father never has been one to give preferential treatment, he might be wary of such a perception.

"It would be a tough decision," Coby said. "I want to make a team. So, if this is the best opportunity, I'd probably be more than willing to do it."

The Nuggets aren't in line to have any draft picks, likely eliminating what could be an awkward situation. If Coby, not listed among ESPN.com's top 100 prospects, goes undrafted, Karl understands he might have some apprehension coming to Nuggets camp.

"Deep down inside, he wants to think he earned it," said Karl, who believes his son can play in the NBA and wouldn't consider an invitation a token one.

Auerbach liked Dantley

Adrian Dantley had a supporter in Red Auerbach.

The legendary Boston coach and executive died in October. For years, Auerbach joined several close friends for lunch every Tuesday at a Chinese restaurant in his hometown of Washington.

Seems Auerbach never understood why Dantley, a two-time NBA scoring champion who now is a Nuggets assistant, wasn't in the Hall of Fame.

"Red used to say he was the most qualified person who wasn't in the Hall," said Morgan Wootten, Dantley's coach at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md., who was a Tuesday lunch guest.

Dantley, though, soon could join Auerbach in Springfield, Mass. He's a finalist for the fifth time, and many believe his name finally will be called when the Class of 2007 is announced April 2.

Surprising runs

• Since the NBA went to eight playoff seeds in each conference in 1983-84, five teams seeded sixth or lower have won at least two playoff series.

Year Team Record Seed Playoff run

1983-84 Phoenix 41-41 6 Lost in West final

1986-87 Seattle 39-43 7 Lost in West final

1988-89 Chicago 47-35 6 Lost in East final

1994-95 Houston 47-35 6 Won NBA title

1998-99 New York 27-23* 8 Lost in NBA Finals*Season Shortened Because Of Lockout

tomassonc@RockyMountainNews.com

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