Sunday, January 22

Are you kidding me?!

Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen, right, shoots over Phoenix Suns guard Leandro Barbosa, left, of Brazil, in the first quarter of NBA action Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006, in Phoenix. Allen was the game's high-scorer with 42 points as the Supersonics defeated the Suns 152-149 in triple overtime.<br />(AP Photo/Paul Connors)It figures.

On a night when everyone was watching the Seahawks seal a Superbowl berth or Kobe going off for 81 (!), the Sonics and Suns played the most exciting game in the NBA in years.
PHOENIX (AP) -- It was an unofficial turn-back-the-clock night in Phoenix, to the days when everybody in the NBA loved to run and shoot, and nobody played much defense.

Ray Allen made a 30-footer at the second-overtime buzzer to break the NBA record for most combined 3-pointers in a game, giving the Seattle SuperSonics a 152-149 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night in the league's highest-scoring game in 11 years.

"When I was open, I just knew it was time to make a shot," Allen said.

The teams combined for 32 3-pointers, breaking the mark of 31 set by Toronto and Philadelphia on March 13, 2005. The 301 points were the most in a game since Dallas beat Houston 156-147 in two overtimes on April 11, 1995, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Read the rest here.

Thursday, January 19

Karma for Seattle?

You can rev up all the lame jokes about the Sonics and Earl Watson, because according to the NY Post, Chucky Atkins is headed for Memphis, which means they (Memphis) are out of the "Earl Sweepstakes," such as it was, which means the Sonics could be Watson's next destination.

Does it really make any difference, though? Well, according to 82games.com, it might. Watson is the top-ranked Denver player in +/-, and, unlike Frodo, he can play a lick of defense. While Watson's and Ridnour's PERs are remarkably similar on offense, when they grab their shorts and assume the position on defense, dissimilar results emerge. Ridnour allows an eFG of 56%, while Watson's is a paltry 41%, a massive difference.

Now, I'm not saying Earl Watson is going to take us to the promised land, but he would be a heck of a step in the right direction. For his salary info, you can click here. Most trade scenarios involve combinations of Mr. Glass, the Potato, and Flip Murray being dealt to Denver, with some including 3-way deals involving the T-Wolves, who apparently covet Evans and Murray.

Tuesday, January 17

Sorry


This is what it has come to, Sonic fans. From Warriors coach Mike Montgomery, after yesterday's game between Golden State and Seattle:

"This is one we had to have. (The players) knew that. I knew that."

That sound you hear is the remainder of the air being let out of last year's balloons. Somebody notify the autorities, because we have now become the team that mediocre teams expect to beat. The team that if the Warriors had not beaten, Monty would have had to explain why. The team that was getting 9 points against the flippin' Golden State Warriors.

Folks, it just doesn't get much worse than this. Unless Ray Allen was resting in a hyperbaric chamber filled with Michael Jordan's mojo while enduring his 3-game suspension, we have no chance at even being on the "bubble" for the playoffs, let alone making them.