In a strange convergence of sorts, perhaps the NBA schedule had history and poetic justice in mind for what might be the death march for the Seattle SuperSonics franchise.

As the final three weeks ticked down of the worst season in the 41-year history of the franchise (19-62 going into Wednesday's merciful regular season finale at Golden State), there was plenty of sentiment and tradition on display. All that Sunday night's 99-95 win over the Dallas Mavericks lacked was Elton John stopping by KeyArena on the way back from his concert at Washington State University to play "Funeral For a Friend" after the final buzzer.

A near sellout crowd watched what could have been the final NBA game ever in KeyArena, with plenty of people involved in the storied Sonics past on hand, although the key proponents of moving the team to Oklahoma City - owner Clay Bennett, NBA commissioner David Stern and the man who sold them down the river to Bennett, Howard Schultz - were nowhere to be found.

Even at 19, the Sonics one bright spot for the season, Kevin Durant, bemoaned the prospects, hopeful that perhaps winning the rookie of the year would be more than just the final honor for this franchise in Seattle. It would leave something for the history of the franchise and the city, something that has meant a lot to him as a rookie and a fan of the NBA growing up.

"I'd be upset about leaving Seattle, but we can't do anything about it," Durant said. "We've got to play regardless, so today, if they say we're going to Oklahoma, I guess we've got to pack up and go. I always knew what the Sonics were about. Every team I've played for I know what happened before - that kind of paved the way for guys like me to come through. Seattle is a legendary city (in the NBA) and a great city to play in, and it would be tough to leave here. If I bring back rookie of the year, that would mean a lot for our team more than myself. To bring that back would be a ray of light for the Seattle SuperSonics."

A quartet of fans decked out in striped prison garb bearing the letter, "OKC, Bennett, Stern and $chultz" was making a lot of noise in one section. The biggest cheer until the Sonics closed out the game with a 10-0 run came when future Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton was recognized midway through the second quarter with a standing ovation.

And when the clock ticked down the final seconds of the game, the scoreboard flashed the face of legendary gunner Fred Brown seated courtside - he of the recent press conference recently presenting a pie-in-the-sky $1 billion complex around a basketball/hockey arena on Puget Sound without a site or money - which is the glaring problem from Stern's perspective.

Over the last three weeks, the Sonics' wins over the Trail Blazers, Nuggets and the Mavericks have come loaded with incredulous Seattle supporters on the other side.

The Blazers are coached by the man dubbed "Mr. Sonic," Nate McMillan, who spent the first 19 years of his 22-year NBA career as a player and coach of the Sonics. The success of the Sonics averaging nearly 60 wins during a six-year span in the 1990s was built around Payton, Shawn Kemp and coached by Nuggets coach George Karl. And on this particular Sunday, there stood coach Avery Johnson, who entered the NBA in 1988 as an undrafted free agent rookie signed by the Sonics. He hasn't left the NBA since, playing 16 years and spending the past three-plus as a coach, becoming the fastest head coach in league history to win 150 games.

"This is really pretty emotional for me knowing that maybe if it had not been for Seattle maybe I wouldn't be here doing this interview because I had a chance to enter the NBA here 20 years ago," Johnson said. "And to see and hear all the things going on with the team about possibly moving doesn't really sit well with me. They have been here for (41) years, obviously had a championship here. I would sure hope that one way or another, that an NBA team one way or another would always have a home here."

Ironically, because Bennett has so stripped the team of Sonics lore, it has been the opponents better suited to be involved in the history. Karl wore his beloved hand-painted "Space Needle" tie while his Nuggets lost last week in overtime. McMillan went off on a tangent discussing all the reasons why the Sonics shouldn't leave, while lamenting the business aspect of the game.

"It's just hard to believe that you just drop a franchise and move it," McMillan said. "And (especially) one that's had as much success as Seattle has had. Since I've been involved in the NBA, and even when I started watching basketball as a young person, the SuperSonics were part of the NBA. So all my life they've been a part of the league. And now, all of a sudden, talking about this organization moving? It's still hard for me to believe that it's going to happen, even though it really sounds like it."

He knows this is all about money and power. So does Payton, who unofficially retired after last season with the Miami Heat. He came to the game Sunday to show support, and said he was willing to share his financial resources and contacts should somebody ask.

"I can't even imagine myself if they wanted to retire my jersey for me to even try to go to Oklahoma City," said Payton, franchise's all-time leader in points, assists and steals in his 12-plus seasons in Seattle. "That ain't where I played basketball at. That ain't where I made my name at. I made my name here. I had great fan support to become the kind of basketball player I was. I can't imagine that and I'm not really thinking about that. After 41 years, it's told me a lot. We've got to think about coming up with a solution to keep the team here and I'm down for whatever to help make that happen."

On and on they went Sunday night. Former Sonics player and coach Paul Westphal, shaking his head in disbelief before the game ... "What a great city Seattle is. I can't imagine the NBA without Seattle ... it is ridiculous. I can understand any owner has to maximize his profit potential in order to compete I'm sure there is a legitimate argument. But as far as the aesthetics of KeyArena for a basketball game, it's a great place and the basketball fans here are unbelievable. It just seems that a city of this caliber with the financial possibilities there are that something should be worked out."

Mavs assistant coaches Brad Davis and Mario Elie remember playing basketball here for other teams, so much of it because the fans and the building were always so raucous.  "I vividly remember the wars coming in here in the playoffs with both the Rockets and Warriors. All I can remember is when Shawn Kemp dunked - you heard thunder for the "Reign Man" in KeyArena. It isn't like there hasn't been great support for this team all the years I've been in the NBA. It's just sad."

But the man who may have some say in the matter before it's all over is Mark Cuban, the always vocal owner of the Mavericks who went on record Sunday saying he will vote against the move when the NBA Board of Governors convene at the end of this coming week. He talked about how the NBA often does things just to be doing them, chastising the obviously mistaken move of the Grizzlies from Vancouver to Memphis as a perfect example while allowing for the simple fact that since it is Bennett's team, he has the right to try. He also knows the impact having a man like Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who made a pitch to help renovate KeyArena and buy the team from Bennett, would have on the NBA Board of Governors

"I'll do what I can to help keep it here... it's not over until it's over, so we'll see," Cuban said. "I just finally saw some numbers and I'll vote against it for sure. I just think it's about Seattle vs. Oklahoma for the NBA, and I don't think there's any question after seeing the numbers that it's Seattle. The only certainty that I have is (the team should be) in Seattle. Would I like to see Steve Ballmer involved in the NBA? Absolutely, positively ... he's crazier than I am, and smarter than I am and he's got more money than I do and those are all great things for the NBA.

"There's an equity value of (41) years from a team that you can't quantify when you discuss a move that has real economic value. When we look at relocation - as best as I can tell - we ask, 'Is (Oklahoma City) capable as opposed to the best choice?' I'm standing up and saying I don't think it's the best choice. I'm saddened. I'm not perplexed because I've been in the NBA eight years now and ... welcome to the NBA. That's why I get in so much trouble because we just do things just to do them sometimes. To me my job as an NBA partner and a member of the Board of Governors is to give feedback on what I think is the best for the NBA. To me what's best for the NBA looking from every variable is to keep the team in Seattle."