Friday, December 31, 2004
GAME 28: SUPERSONICS 103, BOBCATS 97
SuperSonics 103, Bobcats 97
(content posted ~11:57p)
Well, I was dismayed when I saw the Sonics blow that 13-point lead and have to play from behind in the third quarter. They let the Bobcats have a little bit, and then they got a bit of confidence and got the lead. Luckily the Sonics are good and pulled it off.
I've heard people knock him for it before, but I saw for myself on a couple of occasions that...Ray Allen isn't the greatest defender. I actually saw Ray Allen on two or three occasions have his man raise up for a shot and Allen just let him have it, uncontested, no hands in the face of the shooter, nothing.
There were a couple of good dunks by Rashard, and it looks like he's shaken off that horrible night against Philadelphia on Tuesday. You know what? I love that 10-foot jump-hook he's developed, I really do.
Vlad Radmanovic was dialing it in from three late in the game, to the point where the crowd was groaning at times whenever he got the ball on the perimeter with nobody near him.
Brevin Knight finished with 15 assists for Charlotte, and could have had more if he didn't have foul trouble (and if he didn't foul out altogether). He was a solid point guard when he was at Stanford and has toiled around the NBA for a few years, but he didn't let Luke Ridnour have a lot tonight. Also for the Bobcats, Emeka Okafor was his usual self (crap, he's good), and he had one block where he just royally stuffed Radmanovic. Also, Primoz Brezec had 22 and 9 boards for Charlotte, and that's no small task with Fortson and Evans down low. Jahidi White is still Ja-Monstrous. Dude's huge.
You know who this team missed over the last week or two? Antonio Daniels. They didn't totally blow without him, but when he was gone it seemed like that different dimension off the bench at the point was missing.
PEEK AT THE BOXSCORE
starters
Rashard Lewis 27 pts/4 reb (12-22 FG, 3-6 3pt), Ray Allen 18 pts/4 ast/2 stl (6-16 FG, 3-8 3pt, 3-6 free throw), Luke Ridnour 6 pts/7 ast/4 turnovers, Reggie Evans 2 pts/10 reb
bench
Vlad Radmanovic 21 pts/7 reb/2 ast (8-12 FG, 5-7 3pt), Antonio Daniels 10 pts/7 ast (3-7 FG, 4-4 free throw), Nick Collison 10 pts/4 reb (4-9 FG), Danny Fortson 9 pts/8 reb/4 turnovers
Jerome James Watch
0 pts/0 reb/1 blk/2 turnovers/3 fouls (0-1 FG, 0 minutes)...in other words, a complete nonfactor
team
shot 48.8% from the field, shot 50% (11 of 22) from downtown, shot 14-for-18 from the line (77.8%), outrebounded Charlotte 38-37, bench outscored Charlotte's bench 50-27, bench outrebounded Charlotte's bench 21-10
Obviously, Lewis and Radmanovic was key. They had more players score double figures off the bench than they had doing so in the starting lineup.
And how about Nick Collison's line? Here's Collison's points-and-rebounds numbers for the last five games...
22 Dec vs. Denver -- 6 pts/8 reb, 20 minutes
27 Dec at Utah -- 6 pts/7 reb, 17 minutes
28 Dec vs. Philadelphia -- 5 pts/6 reb, 19 minutes
30 Dec at Atlanta -- 10 pts/11 reb, 22 minutes
31 Dec at Charlotte -- 10 pts/4 reb, 18 minutes
That's an average of 7.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in 19.2 minutes a game for Collison. Yeah, rookie!
Hey, the Sonics are 22-6 going into January. Amazing.
(content posted ~11:57p)
Well, I was dismayed when I saw the Sonics blow that 13-point lead and have to play from behind in the third quarter. They let the Bobcats have a little bit, and then they got a bit of confidence and got the lead. Luckily the Sonics are good and pulled it off.
I've heard people knock him for it before, but I saw for myself on a couple of occasions that...Ray Allen isn't the greatest defender. I actually saw Ray Allen on two or three occasions have his man raise up for a shot and Allen just let him have it, uncontested, no hands in the face of the shooter, nothing.
There were a couple of good dunks by Rashard, and it looks like he's shaken off that horrible night against Philadelphia on Tuesday. You know what? I love that 10-foot jump-hook he's developed, I really do.
Vlad Radmanovic was dialing it in from three late in the game, to the point where the crowd was groaning at times whenever he got the ball on the perimeter with nobody near him.
Brevin Knight finished with 15 assists for Charlotte, and could have had more if he didn't have foul trouble (and if he didn't foul out altogether). He was a solid point guard when he was at Stanford and has toiled around the NBA for a few years, but he didn't let Luke Ridnour have a lot tonight. Also for the Bobcats, Emeka Okafor was his usual self (crap, he's good), and he had one block where he just royally stuffed Radmanovic. Also, Primoz Brezec had 22 and 9 boards for Charlotte, and that's no small task with Fortson and Evans down low. Jahidi White is still Ja-Monstrous. Dude's huge.
You know who this team missed over the last week or two? Antonio Daniels. They didn't totally blow without him, but when he was gone it seemed like that different dimension off the bench at the point was missing.
PEEK AT THE BOXSCORE
starters
Rashard Lewis 27 pts/4 reb (12-22 FG, 3-6 3pt), Ray Allen 18 pts/4 ast/2 stl (6-16 FG, 3-8 3pt, 3-6 free throw), Luke Ridnour 6 pts/7 ast/4 turnovers, Reggie Evans 2 pts/10 reb
bench
Vlad Radmanovic 21 pts/7 reb/2 ast (8-12 FG, 5-7 3pt), Antonio Daniels 10 pts/7 ast (3-7 FG, 4-4 free throw), Nick Collison 10 pts/4 reb (4-9 FG), Danny Fortson 9 pts/8 reb/4 turnovers
Jerome James Watch
0 pts/0 reb/1 blk/2 turnovers/3 fouls (0-1 FG, 0 minutes)...in other words, a complete nonfactor
team
shot 48.8% from the field, shot 50% (11 of 22) from downtown, shot 14-for-18 from the line (77.8%), outrebounded Charlotte 38-37, bench outscored Charlotte's bench 50-27, bench outrebounded Charlotte's bench 21-10
Obviously, Lewis and Radmanovic was key. They had more players score double figures off the bench than they had doing so in the starting lineup.
And how about Nick Collison's line? Here's Collison's points-and-rebounds numbers for the last five games...
22 Dec vs. Denver -- 6 pts/8 reb, 20 minutes
27 Dec at Utah -- 6 pts/7 reb, 17 minutes
28 Dec vs. Philadelphia -- 5 pts/6 reb, 19 minutes
30 Dec at Atlanta -- 10 pts/11 reb, 22 minutes
31 Dec at Charlotte -- 10 pts/4 reb, 18 minutes
That's an average of 7.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in 19.2 minutes a game for Collison. Yeah, rookie!
Hey, the Sonics are 22-6 going into January. Amazing.
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