I'm guessing the NBA will announce the results of their vote from the Board of Governors meeting at about 5:38 pm on Friday, just so it gets buried in the weekend's other news, because it is painfully obvious to me that they are going to pass the motion.
Considering that only 16 of the 30 owners are required for approval, it would be extremely unlikely that a majority of 30 extremely wealthy people would find it in their hearts to side with fans over other extremely wealthy people.
In other news, Mayor Nickels and Gov. Gregoire sent out competing press releases to the NBA yesterday, Nickels refusing to sign the governor's missive because it failed to pledge any money towards the KeyArena renovation.
Stay tuned, as always, because you never know when the city is going to release more Clay Bennett emails.
Wednesday, April 16
Tuesday, April 15
The Bell is Ringing
Each man's death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.
—John Donne
Perhaps you are asking yourself, why is this site referencing a devotion written by a 16th century metaphysical poet? Have Sonic fans completely abandoned all hope of retaining their team and turned to meditation? Can we now expect essays on the proper use of crystals?
I’ll tell you why: Because what is happening to the Sonics in Seattle is happening – on another level – to all NBA teams in all NBA cities.
In New Orleans, where a city bludgeoned by unspeakable tragedy is paying $7.5 million a season in taxpayer money to keep the Hornets from fleeing. You read that right. The Hornets, a team owned by a man, George Shinn, whose net worth of $100 million neglects to include his $275 million basketball team, receives nearly $8 million every year from the people of New Orleans.
While David Stern was painting elementary schools during all-star weekend festivities to show how much he cared about New Orleans, one of his bosses, Shinn, was milking those same children’s families for enough money to easily build a hundred new houses in the hurricane-ravaged city. In addition, the Hornets train in a “practice facility” in the midst of an $8.5 million renovation – none of which came from Shinn’s pockets. Further, that facility has been called a “temporary solution” by the Hornets, and they are clamoring for a better (read, more expensive) practice facility, so that they may better entice free agents to relocate to the Crescent City.
It is happening in San Antonio, where the model of success for the NBA, the Spurs, turns around and asks the city for more concessions and more money, less than five years after receiving a brand-new building, the same building they received because the brand-new building they received in 1993, the Alamodome, was obsolete within a decade.
It is happening in Brooklyn, where the subsidy figure for the Nets’ Atlantic Yards project has now reached the $2 billion mark, and shows no sign of stopping.
All of this has been occurring while America is in on the verge of entering (if it has not already entered) a tremendous recession, one which will negatively impact: 1) the financial wherewithal of the 30 owners of NBA teams and 2) the fans who spend their disposable income on those teams.
And yet, we continue to fork more money over, gladly building new arenas in places such as Orlando, a city which received a new team and a new arena fewer than 20 years ago, a “new arena” which apparently is now obsolete, like so many other edifices the NBA has left in its wake, even though the money to pay for the new arena is apparently already in question.
My point in all this rambling, you ask? This: That NBA fandom has an opportunity to finally punch back after being knocked around by the moneyed elite who have been bullying us for the past 25 years. Unlike all previous encounters between the league and its fans, it is the fans with the upper hand in this situation. The Sonics’ owners and David Stern have seen a local story grow into a national one, and they are faced with the chilling prospect of entering into a court battle this June, one which will undoubtedly reveal skeletons in closets Stern & Co. do not wish you to see. Further, the owners of the Sonics are unquestionably concerned about losing the case and facing an additional two money-losing seasons in Seattle.
Those are the facts at hand, and those are the facts NBA fans need to keep telling themselves as the weeks unfold. Do not listen to the experts on television, who have studied this issue about as much as they’ve studied British naval history, tell you that the Sonics are as good as gone – they are not. When you see a story about the Sonics on espn.com or si.com or wherever you get your news, click on it. The mere fact of clicking on a story tells the keepers of the information that their audience is interested and just keeping this story at the fingertips of the national sports scene is essential at this point.
A solid opportunity to reach the commissioner will present itself Wednesday morning when Stern appears on the Mike & Mike show. While he will do his best to avoid making any comments, flooding the hosts’ email with questions about this situation is a solid idea. You can reach their email via this link. Take five minutes of your day and send a question for Stern to them.
In the end, David Stern and Clay Bennett share one goal: Making this story disappear. You, as readers, as bloggers, as whomever, have an opportunity to thwart that goal. Talk about it on your local radio call-in shows, write about it on your websites, read about it on the web, just keep it on the front burner.
As the marvelous Tim Keown pointed out in a recent ESPN column, “Someone has to have the worst arena in the NBA.” If the Sonics are successful in getting a new or refurbished arena in the next few years, it is inevitable that another city and another team will go through this dance.
Don’t say you weren’t warned.
—John Donne
Perhaps you are asking yourself, why is this site referencing a devotion written by a 16th century metaphysical poet? Have Sonic fans completely abandoned all hope of retaining their team and turned to meditation? Can we now expect essays on the proper use of crystals?
I’ll tell you why: Because what is happening to the Sonics in Seattle is happening – on another level – to all NBA teams in all NBA cities.
In New Orleans, where a city bludgeoned by unspeakable tragedy is paying $7.5 million a season in taxpayer money to keep the Hornets from fleeing. You read that right. The Hornets, a team owned by a man, George Shinn, whose net worth of $100 million neglects to include his $275 million basketball team, receives nearly $8 million every year from the people of New Orleans.
While David Stern was painting elementary schools during all-star weekend festivities to show how much he cared about New Orleans, one of his bosses, Shinn, was milking those same children’s families for enough money to easily build a hundred new houses in the hurricane-ravaged city. In addition, the Hornets train in a “practice facility” in the midst of an $8.5 million renovation – none of which came from Shinn’s pockets. Further, that facility has been called a “temporary solution” by the Hornets, and they are clamoring for a better (read, more expensive) practice facility, so that they may better entice free agents to relocate to the Crescent City.
It is happening in San Antonio, where the model of success for the NBA, the Spurs, turns around and asks the city for more concessions and more money, less than five years after receiving a brand-new building, the same building they received because the brand-new building they received in 1993, the Alamodome, was obsolete within a decade.
It is happening in Brooklyn, where the subsidy figure for the Nets’ Atlantic Yards project has now reached the $2 billion mark, and shows no sign of stopping.
All of this has been occurring while America is in on the verge of entering (if it has not already entered) a tremendous recession, one which will negatively impact: 1) the financial wherewithal of the 30 owners of NBA teams and 2) the fans who spend their disposable income on those teams.
And yet, we continue to fork more money over, gladly building new arenas in places such as Orlando, a city which received a new team and a new arena fewer than 20 years ago, a “new arena” which apparently is now obsolete, like so many other edifices the NBA has left in its wake, even though the money to pay for the new arena is apparently already in question.
My point in all this rambling, you ask? This: That NBA fandom has an opportunity to finally punch back after being knocked around by the moneyed elite who have been bullying us for the past 25 years. Unlike all previous encounters between the league and its fans, it is the fans with the upper hand in this situation. The Sonics’ owners and David Stern have seen a local story grow into a national one, and they are faced with the chilling prospect of entering into a court battle this June, one which will undoubtedly reveal skeletons in closets Stern & Co. do not wish you to see. Further, the owners of the Sonics are unquestionably concerned about losing the case and facing an additional two money-losing seasons in Seattle.
Those are the facts at hand, and those are the facts NBA fans need to keep telling themselves as the weeks unfold. Do not listen to the experts on television, who have studied this issue about as much as they’ve studied British naval history, tell you that the Sonics are as good as gone – they are not. When you see a story about the Sonics on espn.com or si.com or wherever you get your news, click on it. The mere fact of clicking on a story tells the keepers of the information that their audience is interested and just keeping this story at the fingertips of the national sports scene is essential at this point.
A solid opportunity to reach the commissioner will present itself Wednesday morning when Stern appears on the Mike & Mike show. While he will do his best to avoid making any comments, flooding the hosts’ email with questions about this situation is a solid idea. You can reach their email via this link. Take five minutes of your day and send a question for Stern to them.
In the end, David Stern and Clay Bennett share one goal: Making this story disappear. You, as readers, as bloggers, as whomever, have an opportunity to thwart that goal. Talk about it on your local radio call-in shows, write about it on your websites, read about it on the web, just keep it on the front burner.
As the marvelous Tim Keown pointed out in a recent ESPN column, “Someone has to have the worst arena in the NBA.” If the Sonics are successful in getting a new or refurbished arena in the next few years, it is inevitable that another city and another team will go through this dance.
Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Will Starbucks save the Sonics?
We at Supersonicsoul have bashed former Sonics owner Howard Schultz in the past, but if this story turns out to be true, I am going to buy Starbucks every day for the rest of my life:SEATTLE -- Former Sonics owner Howard Schultz plans to sue to get the team back.
The lawyer for Howard Schutlz, Richard Yarmuth, says he plans to sue Clay Bennett's Professional Basketball Club in the next two weeks to prevent him from moving the NBA franchise to Oklahoma City.
Yarmuth says Bennett failed to make a good-faith effort to fulfill a promise made at the time of the 2006 sale to keep the basketball team in Seattle.
Bennett had one year to try to put together a deal for a new arena. Those plans failed to get support from the city and the state.
Recently disclosed e-mail between Bennett and other owners showed they were talking about moving the team to Oklahoma City all along.
NBA owners meet Friday to vote on the proposal to move the team
From the Seattle P.I.
Monday, April 14
Kings for a Day
While the Dalai Lama peddled his magic elsewhere in the city, while the Mariners saw this year's supposed savior, Erik Bedard, miss yet another start, while the entire northwest was walking around mumbling to each other about how beautiful Saturday was, the Sonics put on a show that trumped it all.
Gary Payton, Fred Brown, Avery Johnson ... there was plenty of past glory floating around KeyArena, and for one night, at least, it was a good night to be a Sonic fan. Buoyed by the enthusiasm from the fans, the players got into the act and somehow managed to knock off one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks, and give 16,000+ Sonic fans reason to cheer in a season that has been beyond ugly.
With a balanced scoring attack which saw five players in double-figures behind him, Earl Watson led the Sonics with 21 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds, and Nick Collison contributed yet another double-double in a 99-95 victory.
But the game was about far more than the final score. Was it the final home game in Seattle basketball history? At the moment, I'm conflicted about the future. A part of me believes that the evil forces at work in the NBA will have their way and we may have seen the end of pro basketball at KeyArena last night.
But a larger part of me is optimistic, and believes that Clay Bennett has done enough damage to his reputation to ensure that the league will force him either to sell and/or accept another team in exchange.
Only time will tell, of course. Looking at the situation now, though, where do you stand? Was this the last game for the Seattle Sonics?
Friday, April 11
Kevin Calabro: World's Greatest Human
It's no secret that we at Supersonicsoul are huge Kevin Calabro fans, but this announcement makes me fall in love with KC all over again:If the Sonics move to Oklahoma City next season, then longtime play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro will be calling his final game tonight.I'm old enough to remember Bob Blackburn, and how everyone thought no one would ever be able to replace the original voice of the Sonics. Then, along came KC. It was probably like being a Pat Boone fan in the 50's, and then you discovered Little Richard. Calabro was funny, intelligent and hip--not things you'd normally associate with sportscasters in the mid 1980's. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of basketball, but never let it get in the way of entertaining his listeners. When Kemp and Payton arrived in the 90's, KC was the perfect voice for the high-flying Supersonics.
"I agonized over this for a few days, whether or not to say anything, but the fans have been so great to me and my family over 21 years and just to suddenly not show up for the final game on Sunday and disappear from the scene didn't seem quite right," Calabro said during a telephone interview from San Antonio. "That's not the way I wanted to go out."
Read the rest in the Seattle Times.
I know for a fact, Calabro had opportunities to make more money elsewhere, but his loyalty to his family, the community and the Sonics kept him here when most people would have left. It's too bad Howard Schultz didn't share these traits.
Game Night: Spurs
The Sonics trudge towards the finish line with the third-to-last game of the season tonight in San Antonio.
Shockingly, the Sonics have not played badly against the Spurs, splitting the season series thus far. But with San Antonio eager to move up the playoff ladder, I'm not expecting much from tonight's affair.
In addition to the usual fanfare before the game, tonight's contest will re-unite PJ Carlesimo and Sam Presti with their S.A. roots, as both will receive championship rings before the game. You'll forgive PJ if he casts more than a few wistful glances at the Spurs' bench during the course of the game.
However, considering how poorly the Spurs have shot the ball in their recent outings, the Sonics have a small chance, if not to win, then at least to cover the spread. San Antonio is favored by 16 points, and when you see that they've averaged a mere 71 points a game over their past three games, well, it figures to be a low-scoring contest, right?
Yes, except that prior to those three games, the Spurs posted 116 points against the Warriors and 109 against the Rockets. With only Robert Horry and Brent Barry sidelined with injuries, as opposed to the Sonics' ongoing reenactment of M*A*S*H, the Spurs should roll quite easily over the weak Sonics. Final score: Spurs 92-Sonics 75.
Shockingly, the Sonics have not played badly against the Spurs, splitting the season series thus far. But with San Antonio eager to move up the playoff ladder, I'm not expecting much from tonight's affair.
In addition to the usual fanfare before the game, tonight's contest will re-unite PJ Carlesimo and Sam Presti with their S.A. roots, as both will receive championship rings before the game. You'll forgive PJ if he casts more than a few wistful glances at the Spurs' bench during the course of the game.
However, considering how poorly the Spurs have shot the ball in their recent outings, the Sonics have a small chance, if not to win, then at least to cover the spread. San Antonio is favored by 16 points, and when you see that they've averaged a mere 71 points a game over their past three games, well, it figures to be a low-scoring contest, right?
Yes, except that prior to those three games, the Spurs posted 116 points against the Warriors and 109 against the Rockets. With only Robert Horry and Brent Barry sidelined with injuries, as opposed to the Sonics' ongoing reenactment of M*A*S*H, the Spurs should roll quite easily over the weak Sonics. Final score: Spurs 92-Sonics 75.
Looking Forward
So where do the Sonics go from here?
After Thursday’s shocking revelation (well, not so shocking really) that Clay Bennett and his partners were sending titillating e-mails to one another regarding relocating the team to Oklahoma City while denying it to everyone – including Bennett’s evil overlord, Commissioner David Stern.
Gov. Gregoire stuck her finger in the air yesterday, saw the wind was blowing in a new direction, and, being a wise politician, firmly planted herself on the anti-Bennett side. While KING-5 failed to show it on their evening news, the Governor also decried the Holocaust, rainy days, and mosquitoes.
The NBA is in full no comment mode, hiding behind the usual screen of “no comments on ongoing litigation” nonsense you usually hear from people who are forced to talk about items of which they do not wish. You’ll note, of course, that David Stern had no trouble discussing the Seattle situation – at length – plenty of times in the past, including the suit between the city and the Sonics, when it suited his interests. As they say, though, silence can be deafening, and Stern’s quietness in this instance speaks volumes about how bitter he must be.
Being shown to be a sucker in the national press can do that to a guy, you know.
But back to the main point, what happens next? A multitude of options await, but here is one hypothetical scenario:
1. Prior to the Board of Governors meeting on April 17 and 18, Bennett and Stern meet to discuss the situation. A humbled Bennett is forced to kneel before his master.
2. The BOG postpones any decision on the relocation until after the court case is decided or a concurrent settlement is reached.
3. Prior to the case, Bennett reaches out to the city again with a new offer, considerably north of the $26.5 million he previously offered. The city tells him to go e-mail himself.
4. As the court case nears, Gov. Gregoire comes up with a letter pledging support for the missing $75 million in funding for the KeyArena renovation. No special session is called, but the letter is provided to the city, which in turn talks to the Group of Four who have offered to purchase the team.
5. Stern sits Bennett down, tells him he must sell, with the promise of the Memphis Grizzlies or New Orleans Hornets in the future for Oklahoma City.
6. Bennett and the Group of Four enter into negotiations to sell the team. After prolonged debate, Bennett sells the team and hightails it back to Oklahoma City, no longer the savior he once made himself out to be. His wife reduces his allowance and Clay is forced to deliver newspapers on weekends to make up the difference.
And, somewhere, Howard Schultz breathes a great, big sigh of relief.
After Thursday’s shocking revelation (well, not so shocking really) that Clay Bennett and his partners were sending titillating e-mails to one another regarding relocating the team to Oklahoma City while denying it to everyone – including Bennett’s evil overlord, Commissioner David Stern.
Gov. Gregoire stuck her finger in the air yesterday, saw the wind was blowing in a new direction, and, being a wise politician, firmly planted herself on the anti-Bennett side. While KING-5 failed to show it on their evening news, the Governor also decried the Holocaust, rainy days, and mosquitoes.
The NBA is in full no comment mode, hiding behind the usual screen of “no comments on ongoing litigation” nonsense you usually hear from people who are forced to talk about items of which they do not wish. You’ll note, of course, that David Stern had no trouble discussing the Seattle situation – at length – plenty of times in the past, including the suit between the city and the Sonics, when it suited his interests. As they say, though, silence can be deafening, and Stern’s quietness in this instance speaks volumes about how bitter he must be.
Being shown to be a sucker in the national press can do that to a guy, you know.
But back to the main point, what happens next? A multitude of options await, but here is one hypothetical scenario:
1. Prior to the Board of Governors meeting on April 17 and 18, Bennett and Stern meet to discuss the situation. A humbled Bennett is forced to kneel before his master.
2. The BOG postpones any decision on the relocation until after the court case is decided or a concurrent settlement is reached.
3. Prior to the case, Bennett reaches out to the city again with a new offer, considerably north of the $26.5 million he previously offered. The city tells him to go e-mail himself.
4. As the court case nears, Gov. Gregoire comes up with a letter pledging support for the missing $75 million in funding for the KeyArena renovation. No special session is called, but the letter is provided to the city, which in turn talks to the Group of Four who have offered to purchase the team.
5. Stern sits Bennett down, tells him he must sell, with the promise of the Memphis Grizzlies or New Orleans Hornets in the future for Oklahoma City.
6. Bennett and the Group of Four enter into negotiations to sell the team. After prolonged debate, Bennett sells the team and hightails it back to Oklahoma City, no longer the savior he once made himself out to be. His wife reduces his allowance and Clay is forced to deliver newspapers on weekends to make up the difference.
And, somewhere, Howard Schultz breathes a great, big sigh of relief.
Thursday, April 10
Curiouser and Curiouser
Two weeks ago, the Sonics demoted Mo Sene to Idaho, with PJ Carlesimo telling us pinheaded Sonic fans that the reasoning was to get a better read on the alleged “skills” of Francisco Elson and Donyell Marshall.
At the time, I went off and wrote a (in retrospect) overly critical piece about how ridiculous it was to deny time to someone who has a possible future with the franchise so that you can evaluate 30+-year-old players who have already clearly established what their skills are, when clearly those skills are speaking Dutch (Elson) and braiding hair (Marshall).
What happened in the meantime? Well, Mo Sene got hurt playing in Idaho, with an injury that will possibly cost him the opportunity to play in the summer league a couple of months for now.
Oh, and Donyell Marshall, the guy Carlesimo said he “needed to evaluate” in the final weeks of the season? Here are his minute totals per game for the past five games:
0, 10, 7, 0, 0
Marshall is suffering from “right knee soreness,” causing him to miss the past couple of games, but is that really a surprise? And what about the games before that, including the double-overtime game when he played all of seven minutes?
But wait, it gets worse. Apparently, when Francisco Elson was dealt from San Antonio to Seattle in the Kurt Thomas trade, he was told that he would not get much playing time, in that the Sonics were looking to develop their own youngsters (this info thieved from Eric Williams at the TNT). And after getting the start over Johan Petro last night (in the Sonics 103-80 loss to Houston; there’s your game re-cap, folks), this is what Elson told Williams, in regard to receiving the starting nod:
“There’s four games left. I don’t understand it. I mean I didn’t expect [to get regular playing time], but why would you want to do it now? It ain’t like we’re going anywhere.”
I’ve been watching the NBA for 25 years now, and that must be the first time I’ve ever read a player complaining about getting a starting spot. How dumb is this coaching staff, when even their own players think they don’t know what they’re doing?
Honestly, I don’t think Carlesimo is trying to tank the season, and I don’t the think the players are giving any less effort than they were earlier in the year. But this whole idea of giving time to people like Elson and Marshall at the expense of Petro and Sene is just baffling.
At this point, I give up. If anyone can shed light on why the Sonics would go down this road, I’m all ears, because I’m just about done trying to figure out PJ Carlesimo and Sam Presti.
"I am a man possessed!"
Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive
—Sir Walter Scott
The Seattle Times is on top of the story, with Jim Brunner explaining how Clay Bennett, Aubrey McClendon, and Tom Ward were excitedly discussing moving the Seattle Sonics to Oklahoma City last April, six months before the October 30 deadline they had given Seattle for coming up with a new arena.
There is plenty to read in the emails (here and here), but I believe everyone would agree the most telling is a missive from Bennett dated April 17, 2007. Bennett was responding to another email from Tom Ward (you remember Ward, the guy who thought the best way to use $1 million was to spend it fighting gay marriage), wherein Ward asked if there was any way possible to relocate the team prior to the 2007 season. Sayeth Bennett:
"I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started."
Remember that phrase "do everything we can," because it gets repeated in an email to David Stern, with a slightly different connotation. Bennett's email to Stern came in August, fresh on the heels of the McClendon gaff about the new ownership group always intending to move the team to Oklahoma City. Sayeth Bennett to Stern:
"The deal for me has NEVER changed; we will do all we can in the one year time frame ... to affect the development of a successor venue to KeyArena."
In addition to lying to Seattle, Bennett lied to Stern, telling him that the ownership group had NEVER discussed moving the team to Oklahoma City, when in fact they did just that in the emails from April of that year, four months prior to Bennett telling Stern they never discussed it.
It makes you wonder, if Stern fined McClendon $250,00 for the quote in the Oklahoma City Record, what sort of fine will he impose upon Bennett for his misleading remarks?
But back to the "all we can" remarks. Remember those coaches that told you in high school that giving 100% isn't enough, that you must give 110%? I always wondered how it was physically possible to give more than all you could, it just seemed idiotic to me.
But I stand corrected, because while Clay Bennett was giving "all he could" to keeping the Sonics in Seattle, he was also doing everything he could to move the team to Oklahoma City.
For two years now, we've been searching for a proper nickname for Clay. There's been Clay-Clay, Gay-Clay, Okie, and so on. None have fit properly, but that changed today. From henceforth, only one nickname will fit for Clay Bennett:
Clay "110%" Bennett.
When first we practice to deceive
—Sir Walter Scott
The Seattle Times is on top of the story, with Jim Brunner explaining how Clay Bennett, Aubrey McClendon, and Tom Ward were excitedly discussing moving the Seattle Sonics to Oklahoma City last April, six months before the October 30 deadline they had given Seattle for coming up with a new arena.
There is plenty to read in the emails (here and here), but I believe everyone would agree the most telling is a missive from Bennett dated April 17, 2007. Bennett was responding to another email from Tom Ward (you remember Ward, the guy who thought the best way to use $1 million was to spend it fighting gay marriage), wherein Ward asked if there was any way possible to relocate the team prior to the 2007 season. Sayeth Bennett:
"I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started."
Remember that phrase "do everything we can," because it gets repeated in an email to David Stern, with a slightly different connotation. Bennett's email to Stern came in August, fresh on the heels of the McClendon gaff about the new ownership group always intending to move the team to Oklahoma City. Sayeth Bennett to Stern:
"The deal for me has NEVER changed; we will do all we can in the one year time frame ... to affect the development of a successor venue to KeyArena."
In addition to lying to Seattle, Bennett lied to Stern, telling him that the ownership group had NEVER discussed moving the team to Oklahoma City, when in fact they did just that in the emails from April of that year, four months prior to Bennett telling Stern they never discussed it.
It makes you wonder, if Stern fined McClendon $250,00 for the quote in the Oklahoma City Record, what sort of fine will he impose upon Bennett for his misleading remarks?
But back to the "all we can" remarks. Remember those coaches that told you in high school that giving 100% isn't enough, that you must give 110%? I always wondered how it was physically possible to give more than all you could, it just seemed idiotic to me.
But I stand corrected, because while Clay Bennett was giving "all he could" to keeping the Sonics in Seattle, he was also doing everything he could to move the team to Oklahoma City.
For two years now, we've been searching for a proper nickname for Clay. There's been Clay-Clay, Gay-Clay, Okie, and so on. None have fit properly, but that changed today. From henceforth, only one nickname will fit for Clay Bennett:
Clay "110%" Bennett.
Wednesday, April 9
Free Drinks at the Ocean Club
Last night we took a trip down memory lane to revisit the classic Mavs-Sonics series from 1987, back when 120-115 scores were commonplace events in the NBA.
It’s only fitting, then, that we recall the great Sonics-Rockets series which that Mavs series preceeded. After taking the first two games of the series, the Sonics split the next two to make the series 3-2 Seattle, setting up the classic Game 6 finale on a Thursday night in Seattle.
“[Game 6] has to be our best game,” Tom Chambers said after the Sonics lost Game 5 in Houston. ''Because we'd have no chance if we have to come back here for a game seven.”
The subplot for Chambers’ comments was obvious to someone following the series back then, but not to people reading the boxscores now. In addition to the fact the Sonics would be on the road for a game seven, they would also be carrying the baggage provided by Dale Ellis and Kevin Williams, who had mixed it up with off-duty Houston police officers at a local nightclub on a Sunday night following Seattle’s game one win in Texas.
After spending the night in jail, Ellis and Williams returned to the court for game two. Williams was the main cause of the problem (according to bar patrons, he refused to leave his area) but it was Ellis who endured the taunts, including one sign with “Free Drinks at the Ocean Club” written on it. The greatest shooter in Seattle history managed to keep it together enough to continue his torrid outside shooting that had begun in the Dallas series a week earlier (and, yes, I see you raising your hand over there, Ray Allen, but, no, Dale was better) .
With the series on the line, then, game six promised to be a classic, and it was. [Side note: Paul will fondly recall, as I do, that we were let out of band practice early that night so that we could take in the game on television. Back then, teachers had their priorities right.] The magnificent trio of Chambers, Ellis, and Xavier McDaniel put 97 points on the board, but it would take double overtime for the Sonics to overcome Hakeem Olajuwon’s 49 points (!), 25 rebounds (!!), and six blocked shots.
There will be little if any of that excitement tonight, though, and what little excitement to be found will be coming solely from the Rockets, who are in the midst of a dogfight for playoff seeding. Gametime for the matchup is 5:30 Seattle time.
Last Friday, the Sonics dropped a miserable game 79-66 to the Rockets, one of their worst offensive showings in an offensive season. Houston is desperate to gain an edge in the playoff matchups to come, as well as to get their ship a little bit more aligned properly. The line started with the Rockets as 17-point favorites, but that has dropped to 15.
Considering how well the Sonics have played in the past two games, I’d be inclined to take Seattle and the points. But when you factor in this being the second in a back-to-back, well, I think the smart wager is to take the Rockets and give up 15. Final score: Houston 99-Seattle 81.
It’s only fitting, then, that we recall the great Sonics-Rockets series which that Mavs series preceeded. After taking the first two games of the series, the Sonics split the next two to make the series 3-2 Seattle, setting up the classic Game 6 finale on a Thursday night in Seattle.
“[Game 6] has to be our best game,” Tom Chambers said after the Sonics lost Game 5 in Houston. ''Because we'd have no chance if we have to come back here for a game seven.”
The subplot for Chambers’ comments was obvious to someone following the series back then, but not to people reading the boxscores now. In addition to the fact the Sonics would be on the road for a game seven, they would also be carrying the baggage provided by Dale Ellis and Kevin Williams, who had mixed it up with off-duty Houston police officers at a local nightclub on a Sunday night following Seattle’s game one win in Texas.
After spending the night in jail, Ellis and Williams returned to the court for game two. Williams was the main cause of the problem (according to bar patrons, he refused to leave his area) but it was Ellis who endured the taunts, including one sign with “Free Drinks at the Ocean Club” written on it. The greatest shooter in Seattle history managed to keep it together enough to continue his torrid outside shooting that had begun in the Dallas series a week earlier (and, yes, I see you raising your hand over there, Ray Allen, but, no, Dale was better) .
With the series on the line, then, game six promised to be a classic, and it was. [Side note: Paul will fondly recall, as I do, that we were let out of band practice early that night so that we could take in the game on television. Back then, teachers had their priorities right.] The magnificent trio of Chambers, Ellis, and Xavier McDaniel put 97 points on the board, but it would take double overtime for the Sonics to overcome Hakeem Olajuwon’s 49 points (!), 25 rebounds (!!), and six blocked shots.
There will be little if any of that excitement tonight, though, and what little excitement to be found will be coming solely from the Rockets, who are in the midst of a dogfight for playoff seeding. Gametime for the matchup is 5:30 Seattle time.
Last Friday, the Sonics dropped a miserable game 79-66 to the Rockets, one of their worst offensive showings in an offensive season. Houston is desperate to gain an edge in the playoff matchups to come, as well as to get their ship a little bit more aligned properly. The line started with the Rockets as 17-point favorites, but that has dropped to 15.
Considering how well the Sonics have played in the past two games, I’d be inclined to take Seattle and the points. But when you factor in this being the second in a back-to-back, well, I think the smart wager is to take the Rockets and give up 15. Final score: Houston 99-Seattle 81.
Durant In the Clutch
Anyone who witnessed Kevin Durant’s fantastic performance against the Nuggets last weekend has to be rejoicing at how the young man came through in an ultimate NBA clutch situation, and not just once, but twice.
That showing is backed up by a recent stat revelation from 82games.com, which, as always, has provided basketball junkies with a treasure trove of statistical goodness. One recent article listed the “clutch” stats of all NBA players, sorted by various categories (clutch being defined by 82games as “4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points”).
Before we get into the details, let me offer an interesting piece of information gleaned from the tables: Kevin Durant has played more “clutch” minutes this season than, among others, Chris Paul, Manu Ginobili, Chauncey Billups, and Carlos Boozer. For a player on a team enduring a season-long slump, that’s a bit surprising, no? Obviously, players on great teams don’t play close games very often, but the flip side of that same coin is players on lousy teams don’t play nail-biters very often, either. It’s not a hugely important statistic, but reassuring for those of us hoping to see KD develop his skills in the ultimate crucible of NBA development – crunch time.
But back to the numbers. The following is a list of the top 10 players in points per 48 minutes of crunch time:
LeBron James
Kobe Bryant
Dirk Nowitzki
Manu Ginobili
Michael Redd
Ben Gordon
Chris Paul
Stephen Jackson
Steve Nash
and
Kevin Durant
You read that right, Kevin Durant is among the 10 best in the NBA at getting his in the final minutes of close games – better than Baron Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Dwyane Wade, or Amare Stoudemire.
As you can no doubt figure out, there are other factors at play here. For one, most great NBA players have someone else who can take the burden off their shoulders, as evidenced by Golden State’s duo of Jackson and Davis (not to mention Monta Ellis, etc, etc). Durant, however, has no supporting cast, and the Sonics’ dearth of 3-point shooters means Durant is often confronted by double teams, regardless of where he sets up on the floor.
A closer look at the numbers reveals some other tidbits as well. For example, Durant’s scores come with an assist 59% of the time, a rather high number, especially when compared to Bryant and James (23%), Redd (30%), or Nowitzki (46%), indicating KD is less capable of finding his own shot than those players. Bear in mind, though, that Durant is still barely out of high school and doesn’t have the strength of those players, nor the respect from the officials that enables him to drive the lane with the confidence of a man who knows he’ll be getting a foul call when contact is made.
This is further evidenced by his relatively low number of shot attempts. Durant’s average of 23 attempts per 48 minutes isn’t even in the top 20, illustrating the Sonics need to: 1) get him some help and 2) get him a point guard who doesn’t think he’s the best option on offense. (On the shot attempt note, here’s an easy bar bet to win – Which five players take the most shots in clutch situations? The first four are easy, LBJ, Kobe, Dirk and D-Wade. The fifth? Jamaal Tinsley. Proving, if nothing else, than while Mr. Tinsley has plenty of other problems, self-esteem is not among them.)
Also interesting to note is Durant’s below-average number of 3-point attempts per 48 minutes, relative to the other players in the top 10, as well as his astounding success rate from long-range (66%!). True, it’s a small sample size, but welcome nonetheless (in fact, Durant’s remarkable accuracy rate from deep is the best in the entire league outside of Milwaukee’s Charlie Bell, who has taken much fewer shots).
Best of all is the young man’s success at the free throw line. There is no greater test of clutch ability than success at the charity stripe in the dying moments of close games (see Tigers, Memphis). Of players who have average 10 or more FTA per 48 minutes in these situations, only seven have a better accuracy rate than Durant, among them the most renowned clutch players in the game (Ginobili, Rip Hamilton, Billups). Vince Carter also checks in ahead of KD’s FT mark, but we’ll ignore that comparison for the time being.
What does it all mean, then? Naturally, extrapolating one small part of one season’s statistics into a career is a foolhardy mission, and I won’t begin to suggest that Kevin Durant is the second coming of Robert Horry, but I believe it’s fair to say that Durant, while mired on a miserable team in a miserable situation, has proven himself capable of succeeding in clutch situation this season.
Will Seattle fans be able to witness the fruit from this tree in the playoffs, the ultimate clutch situation? Too soon to tell, but let’s hope that last Sunday’s coming out party proves to be a portent for many more clutch three-pointers to come for Kevin Durant in a Seattle jersey – ones that are made in May and June.
That showing is backed up by a recent stat revelation from 82games.com, which, as always, has provided basketball junkies with a treasure trove of statistical goodness. One recent article listed the “clutch” stats of all NBA players, sorted by various categories (clutch being defined by 82games as “4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points”).
Before we get into the details, let me offer an interesting piece of information gleaned from the tables: Kevin Durant has played more “clutch” minutes this season than, among others, Chris Paul, Manu Ginobili, Chauncey Billups, and Carlos Boozer. For a player on a team enduring a season-long slump, that’s a bit surprising, no? Obviously, players on great teams don’t play close games very often, but the flip side of that same coin is players on lousy teams don’t play nail-biters very often, either. It’s not a hugely important statistic, but reassuring for those of us hoping to see KD develop his skills in the ultimate crucible of NBA development – crunch time.
But back to the numbers. The following is a list of the top 10 players in points per 48 minutes of crunch time:
LeBron James
Kobe Bryant
Dirk Nowitzki
Manu Ginobili
Michael Redd
Ben Gordon
Chris Paul
Stephen Jackson
Steve Nash
and
Kevin Durant
You read that right, Kevin Durant is among the 10 best in the NBA at getting his in the final minutes of close games – better than Baron Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Dwyane Wade, or Amare Stoudemire.
As you can no doubt figure out, there are other factors at play here. For one, most great NBA players have someone else who can take the burden off their shoulders, as evidenced by Golden State’s duo of Jackson and Davis (not to mention Monta Ellis, etc, etc). Durant, however, has no supporting cast, and the Sonics’ dearth of 3-point shooters means Durant is often confronted by double teams, regardless of where he sets up on the floor.
A closer look at the numbers reveals some other tidbits as well. For example, Durant’s scores come with an assist 59% of the time, a rather high number, especially when compared to Bryant and James (23%), Redd (30%), or Nowitzki (46%), indicating KD is less capable of finding his own shot than those players. Bear in mind, though, that Durant is still barely out of high school and doesn’t have the strength of those players, nor the respect from the officials that enables him to drive the lane with the confidence of a man who knows he’ll be getting a foul call when contact is made.
This is further evidenced by his relatively low number of shot attempts. Durant’s average of 23 attempts per 48 minutes isn’t even in the top 20, illustrating the Sonics need to: 1) get him some help and 2) get him a point guard who doesn’t think he’s the best option on offense. (On the shot attempt note, here’s an easy bar bet to win – Which five players take the most shots in clutch situations? The first four are easy, LBJ, Kobe, Dirk and D-Wade. The fifth? Jamaal Tinsley. Proving, if nothing else, than while Mr. Tinsley has plenty of other problems, self-esteem is not among them.)
Also interesting to note is Durant’s below-average number of 3-point attempts per 48 minutes, relative to the other players in the top 10, as well as his astounding success rate from long-range (66%!). True, it’s a small sample size, but welcome nonetheless (in fact, Durant’s remarkable accuracy rate from deep is the best in the entire league outside of Milwaukee’s Charlie Bell, who has taken much fewer shots).
Best of all is the young man’s success at the free throw line. There is no greater test of clutch ability than success at the charity stripe in the dying moments of close games (see Tigers, Memphis). Of players who have average 10 or more FTA per 48 minutes in these situations, only seven have a better accuracy rate than Durant, among them the most renowned clutch players in the game (Ginobili, Rip Hamilton, Billups). Vince Carter also checks in ahead of KD’s FT mark, but we’ll ignore that comparison for the time being.
What does it all mean, then? Naturally, extrapolating one small part of one season’s statistics into a career is a foolhardy mission, and I won’t begin to suggest that Kevin Durant is the second coming of Robert Horry, but I believe it’s fair to say that Durant, while mired on a miserable team in a miserable situation, has proven himself capable of succeeding in clutch situation this season.
Will Seattle fans be able to witness the fruit from this tree in the playoffs, the ultimate clutch situation? Too soon to tell, but let’s hope that last Sunday’s coming out party proves to be a portent for many more clutch three-pointers to come for Kevin Durant in a Seattle jersey – ones that are made in May and June.
60 Not so Nifty
60 losses, that's what this season has come to. In more than 40 years of Sonic basketball, no team had cracked that plateau, but the Bennett Boys managed to carry it off thanks to a 99-83 defeat to Dallas in Texas last night.
The Sonics hung tough for a good portion of the game, but a late Dallas run in the fourth quarter keyed the loss. Jeff Green returned to earth after his phenomenal performance against the Nuggets, contributing only 11 points on 13 shots.
On the plus side, Seattle didn't fold as they have in so many games in the second half of the season. The Denver win - coupled with the tough loss to the Mavs - gives me hope that Durant, Green, et al still have some pride, a hope that had all but been extinguished with the dismal showings in the games prior to that. It's a optimistic sign for next season, assuming, well, you know how that sentence ends, right?
So, with the loss, there are four games remaining in the season. Three road games, one home game (this Sunday against Dallas) and the 2007-08 season will be complete. Will it also be the end of the Sonics' tenure in Seattle? Mark Cuban hopes not, but even he admits that the relocation vote will be overwhelming in favor of moving. So it comes down to the court case this June in Seattle, and whether Mayor Nickels will be able to resist the 30 pieces of silver offered to him by Clay Bennett after the decision is rendered.
Stay tuned.
The Sonics hung tough for a good portion of the game, but a late Dallas run in the fourth quarter keyed the loss. Jeff Green returned to earth after his phenomenal performance against the Nuggets, contributing only 11 points on 13 shots.
On the plus side, Seattle didn't fold as they have in so many games in the second half of the season. The Denver win - coupled with the tough loss to the Mavs - gives me hope that Durant, Green, et al still have some pride, a hope that had all but been extinguished with the dismal showings in the games prior to that. It's a optimistic sign for next season, assuming, well, you know how that sentence ends, right?
So, with the loss, there are four games remaining in the season. Three road games, one home game (this Sunday against Dallas) and the 2007-08 season will be complete. Will it also be the end of the Sonics' tenure in Seattle? Mark Cuban hopes not, but even he admits that the relocation vote will be overwhelming in favor of moving. So it comes down to the court case this June in Seattle, and whether Mayor Nickels will be able to resist the 30 pieces of silver offered to him by Clay Bennett after the decision is rendered.
Stay tuned.
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