Friday, January 02, 2004
SUPERSONICS 111, LAKERS 109
This was the best basketball game I've seen in a long time. There was a chance the weather was going to be crappy Saturday when I drive back over the pass to Ellensburg, and I might have left today. There's no KONG-6 in Ellensburg, and I'm glad I stayed.
Gary Payton returned to Seattle on this night, and was showered with a seemingly endless standing ovation from the sellout crowd (numerical memory: 17,072) after being introduced over the PA. I don't think Shawn Kemp got that big of an ovation when he returned to the Key, and if he did, then it looks like my mind might be having some selective memory. It should be noted that Kobe Bryant was the next player introduced after Payton, and he was lustily booed.
What a game this was. The Sonics had a few leads in the neighborhood of six points and thereabouts, but the Lakers were just being themselves, and battling back.
This was a great win for the Sonics even with Shaq getting pulled in the second quarter with a strained calf. The Sonics eventually figured out that they could take advantage of the lack of Lakers' inside presence, and started going to the rack more often.
David Locke of KJR pointed out that during Payton's last year with the Sonics, he was averaging about four points in the 4th quarter of every game. Ray Allen tonight was nuts in that particular department. David Locke (I'm listening to his postgame) says Allen (it's only five games, I know) is averaging about 10 points per 4th quarter since coming back.
The Lakers cut into the Sonics' lead in the 4th quarter with a 9-0 run. Around this stretch of the 4th quarter, the Sonics had a dry spell of 2:58. How they got away with that, I'll never know. The final minute of the game was amazing. Ray Allen busted a three-ball with 36.4 seconds remaining to break the tie and put the Sonics up 109-106. The crowd went nuts and Allen waved his arms emphatically. The ball was brought down and Ray Allen was all over Kobe Bryant defensively in front of the Sonic bench. Bryant hit a three and the crowd was hushed. With 22.8 seconds left, the Sonics ran a pick-and-roll and Allen knifed his way through three Laker defenders and laid in the winning basket with 5.8 ticks left. I forgot the sequence of the last Laker possession, but I'm pretty sure Kobe missed a three-point attempt.
It was amazing how these two teams matched each other shot for shot tonight. Payton had a hell of a third quarter, but we were all witness to what an amazing athlete Kobe Bryant (legal ramifications against him aside) is. David Locke tells me there were 19 lead changes and 25 ties in the game tonight. This wasn't one of those boring-as-hell 74-73 games, no sir. This was back-and-forth, well-matched, great-shooting basketball.
To the stat sheet... Kobe Bryant had 32 pts, 6 assists, and 6 boards. Payton had 24 pts, 5 dimes, and 5 boards. For the Sonics, Ray Allen had 35 pts and 9 boards. Rashard Lewis had 20 pts, 9 boards, and an assist. Their third-leading scorer tonight: Vitaly Potapenko. He played physically very well when Shaq was in, and when Shaq was out, he nailed a good share of jumpers. Vitaly had 13 pts on 6-of-8 shooting (we'll let that one rebound slide). Vlad Radmanovic had 12 pts, 7 boards, and 2 assists. Vlad was also crazy, going 0-for-6 from downtown. Come on. Brent Barry had an unsung double-double tonight, with 12 points and 11 assists. Even Ron Murray (wicked dunk) and Richie Frahm (key three early in the 4th) got into the act.
Great win for the Sonics. The Key was electric for the first time in quite a while, and I think the Sonics are 4-1 with Ray Allen. David Locke has likened tonight's game as somewhat of a passing of the torch in Seattle from Gary Payton to Ray Allen. Ray Allen was simply nuts tonight. There's no other way to say it.
The Sonics go to Sacramento for a Sunday night game.
Gary Payton returned to Seattle on this night, and was showered with a seemingly endless standing ovation from the sellout crowd (numerical memory: 17,072) after being introduced over the PA. I don't think Shawn Kemp got that big of an ovation when he returned to the Key, and if he did, then it looks like my mind might be having some selective memory. It should be noted that Kobe Bryant was the next player introduced after Payton, and he was lustily booed.
What a game this was. The Sonics had a few leads in the neighborhood of six points and thereabouts, but the Lakers were just being themselves, and battling back.
This was a great win for the Sonics even with Shaq getting pulled in the second quarter with a strained calf. The Sonics eventually figured out that they could take advantage of the lack of Lakers' inside presence, and started going to the rack more often.
David Locke of KJR pointed out that during Payton's last year with the Sonics, he was averaging about four points in the 4th quarter of every game. Ray Allen tonight was nuts in that particular department. David Locke (I'm listening to his postgame) says Allen (it's only five games, I know) is averaging about 10 points per 4th quarter since coming back.
The Lakers cut into the Sonics' lead in the 4th quarter with a 9-0 run. Around this stretch of the 4th quarter, the Sonics had a dry spell of 2:58. How they got away with that, I'll never know. The final minute of the game was amazing. Ray Allen busted a three-ball with 36.4 seconds remaining to break the tie and put the Sonics up 109-106. The crowd went nuts and Allen waved his arms emphatically. The ball was brought down and Ray Allen was all over Kobe Bryant defensively in front of the Sonic bench. Bryant hit a three and the crowd was hushed. With 22.8 seconds left, the Sonics ran a pick-and-roll and Allen knifed his way through three Laker defenders and laid in the winning basket with 5.8 ticks left. I forgot the sequence of the last Laker possession, but I'm pretty sure Kobe missed a three-point attempt.
It was amazing how these two teams matched each other shot for shot tonight. Payton had a hell of a third quarter, but we were all witness to what an amazing athlete Kobe Bryant (legal ramifications against him aside) is. David Locke tells me there were 19 lead changes and 25 ties in the game tonight. This wasn't one of those boring-as-hell 74-73 games, no sir. This was back-and-forth, well-matched, great-shooting basketball.
To the stat sheet... Kobe Bryant had 32 pts, 6 assists, and 6 boards. Payton had 24 pts, 5 dimes, and 5 boards. For the Sonics, Ray Allen had 35 pts and 9 boards. Rashard Lewis had 20 pts, 9 boards, and an assist. Their third-leading scorer tonight: Vitaly Potapenko. He played physically very well when Shaq was in, and when Shaq was out, he nailed a good share of jumpers. Vitaly had 13 pts on 6-of-8 shooting (we'll let that one rebound slide). Vlad Radmanovic had 12 pts, 7 boards, and 2 assists. Vlad was also crazy, going 0-for-6 from downtown. Come on. Brent Barry had an unsung double-double tonight, with 12 points and 11 assists. Even Ron Murray (wicked dunk) and Richie Frahm (key three early in the 4th) got into the act.
Great win for the Sonics. The Key was electric for the first time in quite a while, and I think the Sonics are 4-1 with Ray Allen. David Locke has likened tonight's game as somewhat of a passing of the torch in Seattle from Gary Payton to Ray Allen. Ray Allen was simply nuts tonight. There's no other way to say it.
The Sonics go to Sacramento for a Sunday night game.
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