Sonics club Cavs, 105-97

Vlad-DUNK!

The Supes overcame the absence of Rashard Lewis to beat Cleveland 105-97 last night at the Key.

Before the season, this match-up looked like it was going to be a real crapfest: the worst of the east vs. the worst of the west. Instead, it was the first place Sonics (!) taking on the first place Cavs (!!) in a battle of two of the best teams in the NBA.

Seattle was led by Ray Allen's 27 points while Vladidunk Radmanovic (whom I stupidly cut from my fantasy team) had 23 points (5-7 from behind the arc) and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Paging Dr. Lewis

Quote of the Year nomination from Rashard Lewis:

"Before this I always thought tendinitis was a (lame) injury,” Lewis said. “It just sounds like a (lame) injury, doesn’t it? Tendinitis.”

Anybody else wondering what Lewis said in place of "lame?"

Fortson still thinks Warriors are rotten.

With the Sonics set to face the Golden State Warriors for the first time this season, Danny Fortson still has bad memories of the city by the bay.

"They let me sit there and rot," he told the San Francisco Chronicle yesterday.

Read more here.

Also, do you ever notice how we never write about the games we lose?

5 Things

5 Things to like about last night's win over the Clippers:

1. Luke Ridnour's beautiful up-and-under move to the hoop, that may not have resulted in two points, but nevertheless was probably the prettiest move of the night.

2. Danny Fortson drawing a foul while setting a pick, something I don't I've seen a Sonics player do in quite a while.

3. The play in the third quarter wherein Allen fed Lewis in the low post, Lewis swung it out to Ridnour, who sent it to Collison (?) who fed Radmanovic in the corner for a three. I half-expected the Sonic dance team to set a pick they got so many people involved.

4. Jerome James garnering two blocks in one Clipper possession in the first quarter.

5. The Sonics picking up for their fallen comrade, Lewis. How many teams in this league can play well with their 2nd-leading scorer rendered ineffective?

U-N-I-T-Y spells Unity!

Jerome James: MVP?

Danny O'Neil uncovers the secret origin of the Sonics' postgame huddle in today's P.I.:

It's not hard to find the guy who shepherded the Sonics into that first postgame huddle.

He's the tallest player on the team. The one with his jersey number, 13, etched into the 20-inch silver rims of his H2.

Last season, Jerome James was the guy benched for a game for falling asleep in a team's film study. This season, he is the guy who gathered everyone together Nov. 5 after playing one of his most energetic games of the season.

He had leaped over the Sonics' bench chasing a loose ball out of bounds. Later, he took off on a dead sprint to block Kenny Anderson's layin attempt. That James was called for goaltending didn't matter. The effort did. Afterward, he stood on the floor and waved his teammates together in what might have turned out to be his best move of the season.

Read the rest here.

Nothing but Net

You know, before the season started, I was relishing the Sonics trading Ray Allen for anything more than a bucket of paint. But with his stellar play this season, I've changed my tune, which makes this story all the more troubling.
From The Detroit News:

"You kind of hope Seattle General Manager Rick Sund isn't repeating his own history here. He famously low-balled Allan Houston during contract talks with the Pistons back in 1996, which led to Houston leaving for New York. Now he is apparently low-balling Ray Allen. The most the Sonics could offer Allen is a seven-year deal worth $95 million, and he's not even asking for all of that. The bid the Sonics have on the table is about $75 million, which is insulting to Allen and his agent, Lon Babby. Sund and Babby met in Washington last week, and nothing apparently came of it. It would behoove the Sonics to get a deal done soon. If they feel they are at an impasse, they have only until Feb. 24 to trade him. Otherwise, they could lose him without compensation this summer. "When February comes, if I haven't signed a deal, I know the speculation will be out there," Allen said. "Who wants me? Where I might end up going. All that stuff. That's just part of the business." "

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According to this site, Steve Nash is 7th-best PG in the league. Funny, you'd expect a league MVP candidate to at least finish in the top 5.

Sonics Beat the Heat (Part II)

5 Things I really liked about last night's game:

1. Fortson standing up to Shaq
2. Collison's beautiful backdoor pass to AD for a nifty layup
3. Ridnour turning on the ABA feel when the Sonics needed it
4. The look on Eddie Jones' face in the 4th quarter when the Sonics began to take control
5. Radman, Radman, Radman

Game Night # 31: Washington Bullets Wizards

Who wears short shorts?

It's nostalgia time, baby!

The Sonics duel with their victims in the 78-79 Championship Series. Of course, as bad as Sonic fans feel about the length of time between championships, Bullet/Wiz fans have to feel even worse. Christ, has this team won a playoff game in the interim, let alone a series? The Wiz organization has been so inept, fans have filed a suit in family court for lack of support.

Good Sign: When Gilbert Arenas is a key to your team's success, you know something has gone painfully awry.

Bad Sign: Reggie Evans is out with the flu (part II)

Vegas line: Sonics by 2
Prediction: Sonics 96 - Wizards 90
Record Against the Spread: 11-6

George!

It appears George Karl, every Sonic fan's favorite coach, is a leading candidate for the Nuggets' job. Karl's ties to Denver owner Stan Kroenke are cited as the prime reason.

Seeems to me this is a perfect situation for Karl. He'll be taking over a team that is already playoff-ready, is set with quality players at nearly every position except SG, and is primed to explode.

Game Night # 30

The Sonics could catch a break tonight, as the Magic have stumbled to only 2 wins in their last 10 games heading into their matchup tonight.

Grant Hill, everyone's feel-good story of the season, is beginning to tail off, but the biggest difference for Orlando appears to be on the defensive end, where the Magic are allowing 106 ppg over their past 10 outings. And it's not like the Magic are playing champions, either. The past 4 losses have come against the Knicks, Bucks, Bulls and Raptors.

The Magic are definitely deep, though, with six guys capable of scoring in double figures. But here's a weird one for you - Stevie Franchise has made 2 3's in the past 10 games.

Good Sign: Magic in a tailspin, the Sonics looking for a clean sweep on their road trip.

Bad Sign: Reggie Evans is out with the flu.

Notes: Francis' 3-point decline is an odd one. After attempting at least 250 in every season of his career, he's on pace to take 140 this year ... The Magic's most effective 5-man unit is Francis-Hill-Turkoglu-Howard-Cato ... Cato was activated from the DL a few days ago ... The Magic like to put it up quickly, as 45% of their shots come within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock; the Sonics take 34% of their shots in that same time frame ... Both teams are averaging more than 100 ppg ... The Magic are last in the league in points allowed.

Trivia: Who is Orlando's all-time leader in coaching wins?

Vegas line: Sonics by 3
Prediction: Sonics 108 - Magic 98
Record Against the Spread: 11-5

Murray Moving?

Looks like Flip Murray may be on the move ...

From ESPN Insider:

"Murray, the SuperSonics' darling last season when his high-scoring ways helped compensate for an injury to Ray Allen, might be trade bait.The Detroit News reports the SuperSonics are thinking of trading "Flip", who might be anxious about getting playing time.

The third-year pro can become a free agent this summer, and the Pistons were fond of him coming out of Shaw University, a Division II school in North Carolina.But Murray's not a defensive ace, which would make minutes hard to come by in the Pistons' rotation.

The Nuggets also reportedly were interested in Murray, though the team denied that rumor.

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I'd have to think that these are only rumors with little basis in fact. I'll say it again: Murray is incredibly cheap insurance for Allen and it just doesn't make sense for the Sonics to deal him unless they can get something useful in return.

Around the Net

This stuff is all meaningless rumors and speculation, but, hey, isn’t that what the internet is all about?

A website that tracks the upcoming NBA draft has the Sonics selecting UW’s Nate Robinson with the 29th pick in the draft ... In between checking on his 6,700 business endeavors, Magic Johnson found time to check out the Sonics/Heat the other night. Apparently, Ridnour is the sole reason for Seattle’s success this season. Anyone else wondering if the fact Magic played PG has any influence on his opinion? ... Reggie Evans is out with stomach flu for a couple of nights. That sound you just heard was Nick Collison’s agent dialling Nate MacMillan. ... Radman has a backhanded swipe at GP’s leadership skills in relation to Allen’s same in the Washington Times. Wonder if Radman thought Ray-Ray was such a great leader last season, when the Sonics had to watch the playoffs on TV? Funny, it seemed like GP was a good enough leader to take the Sonics to the Finals; it’s just too bad everyone in the organization seems to have forgotten that. And I’m guessing that all this warm and cuddly crap regarding Ray’s contract wouldn’t be so warm or cuddly if the Sonics were 6-23 instead of 23-6 ... Allen has moved up to 5th in the Roland Rankings, trailing only Bryant, Nowitzki, Kirilenko, and Marbury.