Bob the (re)Builder, Can He Fix It?

The Seattle Supersonics announced today that Bob Hill will be returning as head coach next season.

So, do you think Bob's late-season magic can carry over to next year, or do you think they should've held out for Larry "Emergency Room" Brown? Let the ranting begin!

No Quarter

At supersonicsoul, we're all about righting wrongs. You could say it's our Mission Statement. Our Paradigm. Our Core Value. We could say that, except none of us work in an office, and the guy at the corner store looked at me kind of funny when I asked him what his Mission Statement was, so I'm kind of fuzzy on the concept now.

In any event, last night on Fox 13 (I think their Mission Statement is "Our Anchors Are the Most Likely to Appear in Soft-Core Porn Within 7 Years"), they ran a piece on the new State of Washington quarter, and how this pressing bit of business is currently being studied by the Washington State Quarter Commission (Mission Statement: "Wasting Your Tax Dollars in an Efficient Manner").

Well, the designs they came up with are so lame I almost thought a Canadian team designed them. Seriously, a fish? Was lumberjack already taken? How about a bag of granola? Why don't we just put a latte and confirm all the dumb stereotypes the rest of the country already has about Washington?

Well, as per our Mission Statement, I'm righting the wrongs. Shown below are my 2 nominations for the new state quarter. They may be poorly done, but that's not my Mission Statement, so I don't really care.

Bruce Bowen: Moral Crusader

"There are a lot of people in the league who have lost a lot of respect for him. People are starting to see he's not so clean."
-Bruce Bowen, on Ray Allen

Um, yeah, okay, Bruce. I shouldn't slag Bowen too much, in that he came clean and owned up to his responsibility in the Spurs' loss to the Sonics on March 26th, when he and Allen got into a tussle and Bowen kicked Sugar Ray in the back. Bowen's kick prompted a technical and - later, thanks to a phone call from Allen to Stu Jackson - a $10,000 fine. Still, for Bruce Bowen to comment on another player's lack of cleanliness is somewhat silly.

Whatever the case, tonight's game should be more than the typical season-ending fare one would expect from a team out of the playoffs. The Sonics are ... well, they're not exactly on fire, but with four consecutive wins, they're at least moving from the "Low" part of the burner to around 5 or 6. The Spurs, meanwhile, are questing for playoff positioning, so the game means a huge amount to S.A.

Oh, and did I mention that Bob Hill still doesn't mail Gregg Popovich a Christmas card? Should be some kind of fun in the Alamo tonight. Top matchups:

1. Allen vs Bowen (natch)
2. Wilcox vs Duncan
3. Hill vs Pop
4. Frodo vs the Wee Frenchman
5. The Rim vs Brent Barry (sorry, couldn't help myself)

Luke and Earl

There was considerable talk around the time of the Earl Watson trade that this move was going to spur Luke Ridnour to greater heights; that the reason he wasn’t playing to the level people expected this season was because he lacked adequate motivation, unlike the past two seasons when Antonio Daniels was there to spur him on.

Well, has adding Watson made a difference? Let’s take a look.

For simplicity’s sake, I’ve marked the cutoff point as March 1st, even though Watson’s first game in a Sonic jersey came on February 28th. Actually, I did this because I’m too lazy to add up all of Ridnour’s stats from the beginning of the year through February 20th; it’s just too darn hard. It’s a lot easier just to take his numbers on a monthly basis.

Anyway, it’s a relatively small sample size (18 games) to look at, but the numbers do show some intriguing insights.

1. Luke Ridnour is having a terrible April. If you include the March 31 game against the Lakers when he went 0-for-8, Frodo has shot 15-for-43 in his last five games, which isn’t great even for 3-point range, let alone inside the arc. While his assist figures are still admirable, he’s been turning the ball over way more often this month than normal.
2. Overall, Watson’s arrival has put of an offensive push into Luke’s game, specifically the passing game. After averaging between 8.9 and 9.7 assist per 48 minutes for the first four months, Ridnour jumped out to 11.3 assists per 48 in March, without a corresponding increase in turnovers. That’s a great sign.
3. His three-point shooting is as inconsistent as ever. Here are Luke’s numbers per month from 3-point land, percentage-wise: 23, 31, 33, 16, 41, 14. That’s borderline Jason Kidd circa 1995. As a reference, here’s Earl Watson’s numbers this season: 33, 43, 39, 40, 39, 53. Much better, obviously.
4. Luke’s steals and points per 48 minutes are essentially unchanged.

But back to the point of the story: Has Watson’s presence made any difference in Ridnour’s game? The honest answer: No, at least beyond a decrease in minutes. Obviously, it will take more than 18 games to tell us the impact the one point guard has on the other, but from this vantage point it is clear that Watson is outperforming Ridnour, and that Watson’s arrival has not coincided with an improvement in Frodo’s game.

Whether Ridnour will continue to improve on his own just from maturity is unknown, and of that his detractors should take heed. However, it seems to be clear that adding Watson to the equation is not making difference.

Weekend Update

3
That's the Magic Number
Yes it is
It's the magic number

Ah, nothing like three Sonic wins in a row to conjur up images of De La Soul and brighter times. Courtesy of the Portland Trail Blazers (thanks, Nate!), Seattle grabbed their third consecutive win last night as Ray Allen caught fire, Chris Wilcox continued his improbable Karl Malone impersonation, and Earl Watson continued to be everything the Sonics could have hoped for as Seattle rolled to a 121-108 win on Friday night.

Kudos to Nick Collison for picking up the slack in suspended Rashard Lewis' absence, as the young Jayhawk posted 13 points and 6 boards in his first game back, and also posted the highest +/- on the team with +14 in only 20-odd minutes. With Johan Petro sidelined as well, Collison was at center quite a bit, and made the most of it, as he always seems to do. As much as Collison can be maligned for the faults in his game, the man is a dependable player who - while he gets in foul trouble way too quickly - is tough on defense, knows how to rebound, and can handle the rock.

Can the Sonics make it four straight? Well, they'll have to knock off the Suns on Sunday to do it, but there's always hope.

Frenchman

With this season drawing to a close and the playoffs merely a dream, I’m sure everyone is looking forward to next season. In amongst the draft hype of who the Sonics will pick this spring, you’ve got to wonder about the current roster, as well as people like Mickael Gelabale.

I know what you’re thinking: What’s a Mickael Gelabale? Well, he’s a 6’8” SG/SF with a massive wingspan who can hit jump shots, play tough defense, and handle the ball on occasion. He’s also a possibility for the Sonics’ roster next season after being drafted in the 2nd round last spring.

Currently, Gelabale is playing for Real Madrid in the European League, where he averaged 8 ppg in about 23 minutes during the regular season. Of note, he shot close to 50% from the field, including nearly 40% from 3 point range and 77% from the FT line. (Coincidentally, one of his teammates at RM is former Sonic tryout and ex-Duck Alex Scales).

Gelabale played solid minutes during the regular season, posting double-digits in scoring seven times, but has yet to reach double figures in the post-season, which is going on as I write this. In all honesty, his stats regressed from the previous year with Real Madrid, but it seems to be more of a fewer minutes situation than anything else.

Gelabale is like a combination of Damien Wilkins and Desmond Mason if you ask me. He can block a few shots, hit the occasional 3, hit his free throws, and play good perimeter defense. He’s hit a high percentage of his shots in the Euro league, but I’m curious if that’s because he’s able to get separation from people over there – something he would have more difficulty doing in the NBA. It’s worth noting that one of his teammates at RM is Louis Bullock (former Michigan star), who regularly scores 20+ points in the Euro League (just to give some frame of reference to Gelabale’s stats).

In reading about Gelabale, one nice thing about him that emerges is that he’s not the kind of player who forces a shot, something which would work to his advantage in Seattle. He’s never going to be option #1 or even #2 on offense as a Sonic, so if he can lay back and wait for his shot he can be effective, sort of the way Damien was last year in the playoffs. As someone who can slash to the hoop, hit 18-foot jumpers, or come off screens, Gelabale can score in the NBA. Whether he can hit the NBA 3 is yet to be seen. As a bonus, he has played the point on occasion for Real Madrid, and showed the ability to handle the ball with decent ability.

FOR SALE - One Team, Slightly Used

The Sonics issued a press release Wednesday announcing that they are entertaining offers from prospective buyers.

In an even juicier bit, Schultz & Co. had to eat crow regarding Howie's ultimatum of "build it or we'll leave," issued on February 1st. According to the statement yesterday, "This ownership group has no interest in owning professional basketball franchises outside the state of Washington." Ah, yes, the sweet smell of failure.

Ironically, with the Blazers also up for sale, the two teams will now compete for buyers, meaning the "woe is me" campaigns will have to be curtailed, inasmuch as no buyer wants to hear the lousy deal he's getting. It's expected the Sonics could fetch anywhere from $300 to $400 million on the open market, which would help defray the "losses" Schultz' group has incurred.

Stay tuned.

Danny Fortson: Cyborg Smasher, Part 2

Click thumbnail to view complete image.

At last! The thrilling conclusion to Danny Fortson: Cyborg Smasher Issue #1.

WARNING: Viewer discretion advised for filthy sailor talk and partial nudity (!)

Previous installments: Part 1 / Cover

Petro's Nose Surgery; Sikma Next?

First Robert Swift, now Johan Petro. As hard as it is to believe, both of Seattle's young centers have broken their noses this season, with Petro in line for surgery. Swift, a veteran of the process, told the Seattle Times that "[the doctors] will pop the bone back into place and he'll wear a mask for the rest of the season." Swift refused to comment on rumors that he paid Joel Pryzbilla $20 to break the nose. "That's just a bunch of internet gossip," Swift said. However, when you include Collison's broken nose last spring, you start thinking that something's up.

Whatever the case, Bob Hill may want to wear blinders when he watches the action in the middle tonight. With Petro out, Mikki Moore and Swift are the only guys left to "defend" Yao Ming. Luckily, T-Mac is out, although as Rashard Lewis is out as well, it's pretty much a wash. The Sonics are looking for revenge after getting hammered in Houston a week ago, and, hey, Rick Brunson's back in town! And Kevin Calabro will call another Sonic game! Who needs the playoffs with this intrigue!

Har-Har! Sonics knock Nate, Blazers

Some people might call the Sonics 122-83 blow-out win over the Portland Trailblazers an empty, meaningless game. Those people are retards.

After sticking it to the man (Nate) on Sunday, the Sonics improved to 9-7 since the trade deadline. The Blazers, meanwhile, have gone 2-15 during that time. Sure, the Blazers might have stolen our coach and sewn up the #1 pick in the lottery, but at least, for the moment, we can savor a rare rout of our most hated rival.

Now, bring on the next episode of Danny Fortson: Cyborg Hunter!

Hall Call

Once again, the Hall has no love for A-Train.

On Monday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will announce the latest inductees into its hallowed halls. Here's the shortlist of people from which the Hall will be choosing:

Players: Charles Barkley, Adrian Dantley, Joe Dumars, John Isaacs, Ralph Sampson, Chet Walker, Dominique Wilkins.

Coaches: Geno Auriemma, Van Chancellor, Pedro Ferrandiz, Sandro Gamba, Dave Gavitt, Gene Keady, Don Nelson.

Others: Ben Kerner, Dick Vitale.

First off, as I've written before, Artis Gilmore has gotten the shaft, but that's for another day. The pressing question is: Who would you pick?

Put me down for Barkley, AD, and Dominique. I honestly don't know enough about Big-10 basketball to determine if Keady is worthy, although a college coach who never won a national title seems to be an odd consideration. Heck, Frank Furtado was a trainer for 5,000 years, does that mean he gets a nomination as well?

I could be convinced about Dumars as well. A great player, a great GM, put it together and he's a worthy candidate. Plus, he's like a rich man's Nate McMillan, so he's got that going for him. Likewise, Walker was a consistently very good player, making a half-dozen all-star teams. Still, his numbers are on the fringe, and I doubt he gets in unless the voters are just tired of writing 'no' next to his name.

Sonics Get Rocked

Man, if we ever wanted to know what would happen if Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis were out for an extended period, we sure as hell found out last night. The Rockets tuned Seattle 115-87 in a game that wasn't even that close as Allen had arguably his worst game ever as a Sonic (1-for-10!) and Lewis sat out with a bum ankle.

Strange State # 1: Rick Brunson outscored Luke Ridnour.

Strange Stat # 2: Richie Frahm outscored Ray Allen. Of course, Mike Wilks outscored Ray as well, so I think you can feel what was happening in Houston last night.

That said, the Sonics have got to start stepping up their front-court defense. In the past four games, they've allowed Carmelo Anthony (31 points), Tim Duncan (28), Pau Gasol (44), and Yao Ming (29) to go off. Paging Nick Collison ... Nick Collison to the front court, please.