Finally, the Sonics grabbed a win. I never thought I’d be happy with a 1-8 record, but, well, when the alternative is 0-9, I suppose happy is the way to be.
Unfortunately, it appears Luke Ridnour is out for two to four weeks. In a way, it helps Carlesimo by reducing his options at the point, but the way Earl Watson has shot the ball this year, it really reduces his options to one (Delonte West). Luckily, West offset Watson last night in Miami (Watson: -1, West: +9; seriously, how bad do you have to play to finish at -1 as the starting point guard when your team wins by 9?).
In any event, it’ll be Watson and West for the next month or so, and Gary Washburn muses in the PI that it’s possible the Sonics will look to add a temporary body while Ridnour recovers.
“Paging Mateen Cleaves, Mateen Cleaves please answer the white courtesy phone ...”
But before we get to fat and happy with last night’s win, remember that:
- The Sonics were outscored 54-43 in the second half
- The Sonics had 16 turnovers and 14 fouls in the second half
Those are discouraging signs, and, maybe I’m crazy, but it seems to be that the only reason the Sonics didn’t blow a lead as they had so many times this season was twofold:
1. The lead was too big
2. The Heat are just too lousy
Whatever the case, the credit for last night’s win has to go to Chris Wilcox, who finished at +24 on the night. and Nick Collison, who scored five of Seattle’s 11 in an 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter, throwing in four rebounds and an assist for good measure.
(And kudos to Percy Allen for getting Chris Wilcox to comment on the mystery of being left off the all-star ballot. Somebody at the NBA office has some explaining to do why Wilcox is off and people like Wally Szczerbiak, Luis Scola, and Luke Walton are in).
Thursday, November 15
Wednesday, November 14
Clash of the Not So Titans
Tonight's affair in Miami is sure to be one of the ugliest in recent memories. Two teams, one win between them, it's not exactly something that NBA TV is cuing up to record for posterity.
In Miami's lone win, they only managed to score 75 in a 3-point "win" over the hapless Knicks. In that game, the Heat shot 28% from beyond the arc, 55% from the line, and yet still came out of NYC with a victory. It will take that same kind of effort for Miami to knock off the even more hapless Sonics.
How bad are these two teams? So bad that the networks will have to run a parental advisory graphic before the game starts so that young children won't mistakenly view it. So bad that neither team is likely to crack 100 points, this despite the fact the Sonics' defense is indefensible.
Stop me, I'm starting to sound like Steve Kelley.
Really. I am.
In happier news, JA Adande of espn.com has a nice read about why the NBA should consider moving the Hornets to OKC and leave the Sonics the hell alone. It's walking on thin ice to suggest that sort of thing because of Katrina, but his argument has merit.
Pick for tonight: Heat 89-Sonics 83. Eyes gauged from Coral Gables to Puyallup.
In Miami's lone win, they only managed to score 75 in a 3-point "win" over the hapless Knicks. In that game, the Heat shot 28% from beyond the arc, 55% from the line, and yet still came out of NYC with a victory. It will take that same kind of effort for Miami to knock off the even more hapless Sonics.
How bad are these two teams? So bad that the networks will have to run a parental advisory graphic before the game starts so that young children won't mistakenly view it. So bad that neither team is likely to crack 100 points, this despite the fact the Sonics' defense is indefensible.
Stop me, I'm starting to sound like Steve Kelley.
Really. I am.
In happier news, JA Adande of espn.com has a nice read about why the NBA should consider moving the Hornets to OKC and leave the Sonics the hell alone. It's walking on thin ice to suggest that sort of thing because of Katrina, but his argument has merit.
Pick for tonight: Heat 89-Sonics 83. Eyes gauged from Coral Gables to Puyallup.
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