Same Ol' Song and Dance

Sonic To-Do List

-Commit twice as many turnovers as opponent (check)
-Take lead and blow it (check)
-Allow anonymous bench player to score in double figures (check)
-Mutter vague musings about "putting it all together" after the game (check)

Yep, it was another Sonic loss last night. You'd think that with so many of these this year, it would get easier, but, sadly, it does not.

On a bright note, Mickael Gelabale finished in double figures yet again (12 points), and Luke Ridnour contributed 15 assists.

Slim Pickings for PJ

PJ Carlesimo is going to have to be creative when he looks at the bench tonight in Golden State.

Donyell Marshall: Out with the flu
Chris Wilcox: Making the trip, but doubtful to play
Earl Watson: Out with the flu
Damien Wilkins: Getting MRI on wrist

Which means the Sonics have gone from having three point guards to one, with Mickael Gelabale slated to back up Luke Ridnour. The third-string point guard is expected to be ... I don't know, Derrick McKey? Percy Allen at the Times has the full recap of the sketchy, 9-man lineup available to PJ tonight.

Speaking of Gelly, both Allen and Gary Washburn at the PI, as well as Eric Williams at the TNT, have pieces proclaiming his goodness. Here's what I noticed about Mickael in Sunday's game against the Lakers:

-Still not strong enough to guard guys in the post; Kobe Bryant backed him down like he was being guarded by, well, me.

-Always under control, which is great considering his lack of NBA experience.

-Jumps through the roof.

If Gelabale can continue to improve his defense, he's a wonderful bench player in the league, the exact type of player all championship teams have - the Bruce Bowen, Antonio Daniels, Michael Cooper-type who can guard three positions, hit the shot when necessary, play the point if you want. Any team would love to have a guy like that, and Gelabale is capable of doing it.

Washburn also brings up an interesting story regarding the ongoing case between the city and the team. As per Washburn, Judge Marsha Peachman, who will be presiding over the June trial, has ruled "the Sonics owners must give Seattle's lawyers copies of e-mails sent from or to its eight board members that could potentially be relevant to the case. " The team has 14 days to turn over the emails.

Ford Center Making Alternative Plans

This is not much of a story, and too many will read too much into it, but it is, well, interesting.

As reported by the Daily Oklahoman, the Ford Center in Oklahoma City has gone ahead and started scheduling dates for the fall with the assumption that the Sonics will not be residing there.

Now, as the people who run the building are quick to point out, this is being done solely because the Center does not want to be left with nothing at their facility should the city of Seattle win its lawsuit against the team. However, this quote from the owner of the local hockey team was surprising for its candor:

"I don't know how the NBA process works,” said Brad Lund of Express Sports, which owns the Blazers, "but I was surprised that we weren't given two different sets of dates. I thought they'd at least hold some in case (the Sonics come).”

Again, it's very easy to read something into this, but the fact that the city to which Clay Bennett has pledged his heart and his team (ouch, that's hard to write) holds some doubt as to whether Clay & The Gang will be able to prevail in their soon-approaching court case is comforting, no doubt, to most Sonic fans.