Thursday, December 09, 2004
GAME 19: SUPERSONICS 102, SPURS 96
SuperSonics 102, Spurs 96
Kevin Calabro said on many an occasion that this was a good/fantastic game. I know it was a good road win and everything, but I found the fact that the Sonics came two points away from completely blowing a 20-point lead quite infuriating. Still, the fact that this team of Sonics kept their cool and eventually put the clamps down on the San Antonio comeback -- in an arena where the Spurs had won 21 straight, no less -- is yet another testament to this team's resilience.
I caught the very end of the first quarter on TV and saw the rest of the game. The Sonics played a near-flawless first half of basketball. They put 60 points up on the Spurs, on the road, in the first half. That's amazing considering the Spurs typically don't let opposing teams score 90 points over the course of an entire game.
Then the Spurs ratcheted up the defense once they got out of the locker room at half. It was furious. The Sonics suddenly were turning the ball over left and right, which probably was the main thing that irritated me.
What kept the Sonics in the game? Well, they were held without a field goal for the longest time in the third quarter (8:54 to 0:33, 8:22 without a FG according to game log). They only hit three baskets in the third quarter, for a total of seven points. They scored nine points in that quarter at the free-throw line. That's what didn't work.
What did work toward the end of the third quarter was Luke Ridnour being able to find Danny Fortson down low, who would put the ball up and get hacked, sending him to the line. Fortson was perfect in 10 attempts from the line, where he scored a majority of his 14 points.
What worked in the fourth quarter? The Spurs finally made a couple of turnovers here and there, some forced and some unforced. Ray Allen made the clutch three from the left side after the Spurs had drawn to within two points, and he banked another three from straight away off the glass and in. If two clutch shots wasn't enough, Antonio Daniels' three with 1:11 left in the game was the dagger that sealed the game. It was pretty much a foul-fest after that, and the Sonics are going to win a foul-fest nine times out of ten thanks to their free-throw shooting skills.
As I'd suggested 24 hours earlier, last night was a good night for Ray Allen to find his jumper again.
PEEK AT THE BOXSCORE
starters: Ray Allen 29 pts/4 reb/3 ast (9-19 FG, 5-9 3pt, 6-6 free throws), Rashard Lewis 16 pts/5 reb/2 stl/2 blk
bench: Antonio Daniels 14 pts/4 ast/3 reb/2 stl, Danny Fortson 14 pts/6 reb (10-10 free throws), Nick Collison 8 pts/3 reb, Vlad Radmanovic 5 pts/7 reb
team: shot 47.1% from field compared to Spurs' 41.2%, outrebounded Spurs 38-37, bench outscored Spurs 41-19
Kevin Calabro said on many an occasion that this was a good/fantastic game. I know it was a good road win and everything, but I found the fact that the Sonics came two points away from completely blowing a 20-point lead quite infuriating. Still, the fact that this team of Sonics kept their cool and eventually put the clamps down on the San Antonio comeback -- in an arena where the Spurs had won 21 straight, no less -- is yet another testament to this team's resilience.
I caught the very end of the first quarter on TV and saw the rest of the game. The Sonics played a near-flawless first half of basketball. They put 60 points up on the Spurs, on the road, in the first half. That's amazing considering the Spurs typically don't let opposing teams score 90 points over the course of an entire game.
Then the Spurs ratcheted up the defense once they got out of the locker room at half. It was furious. The Sonics suddenly were turning the ball over left and right, which probably was the main thing that irritated me.
What kept the Sonics in the game? Well, they were held without a field goal for the longest time in the third quarter (8:54 to 0:33, 8:22 without a FG according to game log). They only hit three baskets in the third quarter, for a total of seven points. They scored nine points in that quarter at the free-throw line. That's what didn't work.
What did work toward the end of the third quarter was Luke Ridnour being able to find Danny Fortson down low, who would put the ball up and get hacked, sending him to the line. Fortson was perfect in 10 attempts from the line, where he scored a majority of his 14 points.
What worked in the fourth quarter? The Spurs finally made a couple of turnovers here and there, some forced and some unforced. Ray Allen made the clutch three from the left side after the Spurs had drawn to within two points, and he banked another three from straight away off the glass and in. If two clutch shots wasn't enough, Antonio Daniels' three with 1:11 left in the game was the dagger that sealed the game. It was pretty much a foul-fest after that, and the Sonics are going to win a foul-fest nine times out of ten thanks to their free-throw shooting skills.
As I'd suggested 24 hours earlier, last night was a good night for Ray Allen to find his jumper again.
PEEK AT THE BOXSCORE
starters: Ray Allen 29 pts/4 reb/3 ast (9-19 FG, 5-9 3pt, 6-6 free throws), Rashard Lewis 16 pts/5 reb/2 stl/2 blk
bench: Antonio Daniels 14 pts/4 ast/3 reb/2 stl, Danny Fortson 14 pts/6 reb (10-10 free throws), Nick Collison 8 pts/3 reb, Vlad Radmanovic 5 pts/7 reb
team: shot 47.1% from field compared to Spurs' 41.2%, outrebounded Spurs 38-37, bench outscored Spurs 41-19
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