Sonics Beat

Opposing View: 2/24 vs. L.A. Lakers

2008-02-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, we turn to Kurt Helin from Forum Blue and Gold, the outstanding Lakers blog. Here's Kurt's preview of tonight's matchup. The Lakers.com BasketBlog also has a look at the Sonics.

How much of the credit does Pau Gasol deserve for the Lakers going 8-1 since he entered the lineup?
He gets a lot, although the change he brought to this team was mental as much as physical. After Andrew Bynum went down with a knee injury, the Lakers struggled (especially on defense) and the team went into a bit of a malaise. From the day the trade was announced, even before Gasol stepped on the court, the Lakers have been playing with a renewed energy. Now they are starting to show the confidence of a contender.

On the court, Gasol’s game blends perfectly with what the Lakers want to do. In it’s pure form, the triangle offense likes a post player to be productive in both the low and high post. (Shaq, back in his prime, passed well enough from the high post to be useful that far from the hoop.) Gasol fits so well because he has a variety of post moves, can shoot it consistently out to 18 feet, can put the ball on the floor and is a very good passer from the post. With him on the court you see a Laker offense really clicking because everyone keeps moving and spreading the floor — if you’re the guy with the best shot he gets you the ball. That type of play is infectious, and right now the Lakers are passing very well.

Have you noticed any effect of Kobe Bryant's torn ligament in his pinky finger?
Not much. The first couple of games it clearly bothered him, but after longtime Laker trainer Gary Vitti came up with a specific tape job that keeps the finger in a better position Kobe seems to be Kobe. He is still driving to the lane like always. His outside shooting, particularly from 3, seems less consistent (shooting just 30% from three in the last 10 games) but he continues to be efficient in the offense -- the other night against the Suns he was 16 of 25 from the field. The other thing you may notice, he’ll take fewer shots. Last night against the Clippers he had 11 shots. That however is more a function of how the Lakers are playing unselfishly on offense than it is the finger.

When you compare the Lakers with Gasol to the Lakers with Bynum before his injury, how are they similar or different?
There are a few key differences. First, the Lakers have not been as good defensively (giving up two more points per 100 possessions in the last 10 games than they do for the season, from stats prior to the Clipper game last night). Bynum had become a very good defender in the paint, blocking and altering shots, then grabbing the rebound. He really protected the rim. Gasol is a nice defender in the paint, smart and solid, but he doesn’t bring the intimidation Bynum did. However, the defense issues haven’t hurt them because the offense has been so much better.

The other thing of note is the pace is slower, but the team is more efficient in the half-court offense now. With Bynum protecting the paint, the Lakers perimeter defenders took more chances, and Bynum’s rebounding and outlets helped fuel some speed. That led to easy baskets. Plus, a favorite play of those Lakers was to have Bynum trailing the play setting a drag pick (a pick and roll early in the clock, before the defense is set) on which everyone would rotate to Kobe and Bynum would roll hard to the basket and get a lot of lobs and dunks.

With Gasol the Lakers are going at about three fewer possessions per game, but they are much more efficient in the half-court offense. Gasol has a much more rounded game and can score away from the basket. The Lakers are cutting without the ball, guys like Derek Fisher and former Sonics forward Vladimir Radmanovic are spreading the floor and getting more open looks because of the extra pass. Also, Lamar Odom is much more comfortable in the role of third option, without the pressure of having to score much, and the result is he is become far more aggressive when he gets a matchup he likes. Odom is averaging 15 points and 12 boards a game in the last 10.

After losing to the Suns in the playoffs the last two years, is it meaningful that the Lakers won this year's season series 3-1?
It’s not just that they beat them, but how. In the first few meetings, the Suns had no real answer for Andrew Bynum’s offense, they had nobody large enough to to contain him on the block. The Suns countered by getting Shaq — but in doing so they gave up their best perimeter defender. So when the Lakers played them this week (on the second game of a back-to-back for LA) the Lakers took advantage out on the wings. Plus, Gasol pulled Shaq out 18 feet from the basket, then shot over him and drove around him. And, at the end of that game, the Lakers went with a smaller lineup (Kobe playing the three) and beat the Suns that way.

The Suns are a very good team, you never know what will happen in the playoffs, but I think the Lakers don’t fear the Suns this year. Really, because of the versatility of the roster, I don’t think they fear the matchups with anyone in the West.

What don't we know but should about the Lakers?
I think the one thing not many people see — because of the amazing record since Pau arrived — is that the defense really has not been as good. Nobody is in panic mode, because Bynum will be back next month and that will help considerably. But it is going on right now.

One other thing — the Lakers have played the toughest part of their schedule. While there are no easy games in a very deep Western Conference, the Lakers have played their season series against the Suns, Celtics, Pistons and most of their games against the other top teams in the West. While the Lakers still have to blend Bynum back into what they do, it will be easier to do it against more teams likely headed to the lottery than what their competition at the top of the West have left.

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/24 vs. L.A. Lakers

2008-02-23T20:02:00.000-08:00

After holding opponents to sub-40% shooting just nine times all of 2006-07, the Sonics have done so 14 times this year, including four of the last six games and both matchups against Portland.

The Sonics are 9-5 when holding opponents below 40% shooting.

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/22 vs. Portland

2008-02-22T16:06:00.000-08:00

Last night's Portland victory over the Sonics moved the Blazers to within two wins of evening the all-time series. The Sonics and Blazers have played 190 times in the regular season over the last 38 years, with the Sonics winning 96 and Portland 94.

Shootaround Notes

2008-02-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

PORTLAND - Made the drive down I-5 this morning and got to the Rose Garden just in time to catch Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo after the team's shootaround. Johan Petro will replace Kurt Thomas in the starting lineup after yesterday's trade.

Also, good news on Kevin Durant, who went through shootaround and looks to be feeling better. He should be a go for tonight's game.

Opposing View: 2/21 at Portland

2008-02-21T11:21:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, we hear from Blazers.com's Casey Holdahl, whom I've been reading on three different sites for years now. Check out Casey's Center Court blog, Mike Barrett's world-famous blog and Blazers.com's preview of tonight's game. After you've finished that, Blazers Edge is one of the net's finest team blogs and don't forget to stop by the Behind the Beat blog by Oregonian beat writers Jason Quick and Joe Freeman.

How exciting was Brandon Roy's All-Star performance for Blazers fans?
I think the stellar performance that Brandon Roy had in the All-Star game was just icing on the cake. Being a first-timer, we all kind of expected that Brandon would get a few token minutes here and there, so it was a real pleasant surprise to see Roy get as much run as he did. And for Brandon to make as much of a mark as he did in those minutes was about as gratifying as anything a Portland player has done in recent memory.

When Brandon was announced as an All-Star reserve, it seemed like a weight had been lifted off the city. Roy making the All-Star game was validation and recognition of the turnaround that we’ve been fostering here in Portland. I think Blazer fans tend to feel a little slighted by the media, probably due to being up here in the Northwest and in a smaller market, so to get that respect on a national stage was eminently gratifying.

How, if at all did the winning streak change expectations in Portland?
The streak was a bit of a dual-edged sword. It was obviously a great thing for the team and the fans, but in a way, it might have given the Blazer faithful a false sense of what to expect from the team this season. Winning 13 games in a row is impressive no matter how you slice it, but it’s still just a little more than a fifteenth of the entire season.

As far as expectations go, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that a lot of fans assumed we’d be playoff bound after the streak ended. As the season wears on though, I think people here in Portland are seeing that a lot can happen, both good and bad, throughout the course of 82 games. Are fans still excited about the possibility of making the playoffs? Absolutely, but they’re also patient and smart enough to realize that it’s not the end of the world if the youngest team in the NBA doesn’t make the postseason.

What's been the most surprising aspect of this season?
There have been quite a few surprises this year. I don’t think anyone was sure how the team would respond to losing their leading scorer and rebounder, so the fact that the Blazers are a better team this season is in and of itself at least a little surprising.

I also think people assumed that Brandon Roy might have had a bit of a sophomore slump, especially considering that he’s the focus of every opposing team’s gameplan, but the exact opposite has happened. At the start of the season I think even the most hardcore fans would have told you that Brandon is a great player, but maybe not of superstar caliber. Now I don’t think anyone doubts that Roy has the makings of a Hall of Fame career.

And I can’t talk about surprises without mentioning the play of Travis Outlaw. He showed flashes of what he could do at the end of last season, but he’s really come on strong this year. His maturation from this time last year has been the biggest surprise for me. I think he’s a legit contender for Sixth Man and Most Improved.

How has James Jones' injury affected the Blazers?
It’s impossible to overstate how important James Jones is to this team. There are a fair amount of people who would argue that James’ return to the lineup at about the 17-game mark is what really spurred the winning streak. His outside shooting and ability to spread the floor in the second unit give the Blazers an entirely different look. But James might most be missed for his calming presence on the floor and on the bench. He just doesn’t get rattled. Up by 20 or down by 20, James Jones is the exact same presence on the court.

The thing about James Jones that people might not realize is that he’s an incredibly smart guy both on and off the court. He understands the game and everything that comes with it as well as anyone I’ve ever met. It’s like he’s got a sixth-sense for hoops.

What don't we know but should about the Blazers?
The “Jail Blazers” days are over. This franchise is dead serious about winning the right way; anything less is simply unacceptable. I can’t imagine there’s another team, and I’m talking about everyone from the basketball side to marketing to ticket sales to broadcast to community relations, that is more focused on winning a championship with good people than we are.

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/21 at Portland

2008-02-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

Today's surprising stat is actually a graph. I wanted to look at Portland's record relative to .500 over the course of the season. Check it out.

The 13-game winning streak stands out, obviously. After the end of their streak, the Blazers split games for a period of a couple of weeks before the team's current five-game losing streak.

Opposing View: 2/19 vs. Memphis

2008-02-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, Chris Herrington, who writes the Beyond the Arc blog as part of his coverage for the Memphis Flyer. Also check out Graham Kendrick's preview of tonight's game for Grizzlies.com.

Is it safe to say that, post-Pau Gasol trade, this is a new Grizzlies era headlined by Rudy Gay and Mike Conley, Jr.?
I’d say so. Clearly, Rudy Gay is the focal point right now. He’s a 21-year-old, second-year player who is averaging 20 points a game, shooting well from the floor and the three-point line, and shows signs of developing into a disruptive force defensively. He’s on the all-star track. (You could argue that he’s the best 21-and-under player in the league right now, though Durant, Oden, Bynum probably have more upside.) It’ll be interesting to see what Gay does in the second half as the clear-cut first option: Can he push that scoring average closer to 25 points per game? Can he be that kind of scorer heading into next season?

Conley’s only played 23 games so far because of injuries and a decision to break him in slowly, but he’s acquitted himself very well for a 20-year-old rookie point guard. He hasn’t done anything to shake the faith that he can be an All-Star level point in a few years, though there is some concern about his durability. (He’s got a pretty slight frame.)

Add those two to whomever the team drafts with what is likely to be a Top 5 pick in this summer’s rookie draft and you’ve got the young core this team will probably be built around.

With the deadline coming up on Thursday, do you see Memphis making another move?
Anyone, aside from general manager Chris Wallace, who claims to know what the Grizzlies are going to do before this week’s trade deadline is not to be trusted. Wallace has developed a reputation for candor this season, especially in the wake of the Gasol trade, but that’s only after moves have been made. Word of the Gasol trade didn’t leak out until the day it happened and people I talk to around the team say there’s no real scuttle about potential deals.

That said, it’s clear that Mike Miller, Kyle Lowry, and Hakim Warrick (and possibly Javaris Crittenton) are potentially available.

Miller was made available to Houston in the trade that netted Rudy Gay (the Rockets chose to take Shane Battier instead – oops!) and also was being discussed with the Bobcats last summer (with the Bobcats acquiring Jason Richardson instead). His potential availability is nothing new.

As for Lowry, Chris Wallace has already stated his intention to trade one of the team’s three young point guards before next season. Conley isn’t going anywhere, but there’s plenty of reason to suspect Lowry is going to be the odd man out, now or this summer.

Warrick has played well since the Gasol trade, but no one thinks he’s the long-term answer as a starting power forward.

My best guess: That there’s reluctance to trade Miller and risk further alienating a dwindling fan base that didn’t understand the Gasol trade. If a team (like the Heat) were willing to take Brian Cardinal’s contract as well in return for expiring contracts, then I think Miller will be dealt. Barring that, my hunch is the team waits until this summer to make a move with Miller. If I’m wrong, then I suspect Cleveland is the team that would end up with Miller if Wallace decides to pull the trigger now and can’t move Cardinal.

I think Lowry is a better bet to be dealt this week, probably in exchange for a first-round pick in this summer’s draft. Denver and Phoenix are teams I’d think most likely to make that deal.

Personally, I’d like to see the team stand pat this week and use those assets in potential sign-and-trade deals this summer to try and pry away a restricted free agent or two.

How will the situation at point guard eventually shake out?
Barring something unexpected, Conley is the point guard, now and in the future. Assuming Lowry is dealt, the hope would be that Crittenton can emerge as a combo guard off the bench, backing up Conley and sometimes playing alongside him.

What has Darko Milicic given the Grizzlies this season?
Darko has been erratic, plagued by thumb, knee, and ankle injuries, but probably a little underrated. He’s been a very effective post defender and has played some of the league’s best centers — Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, Marcus Camby — to draws.

Darko’s shown some positive signs since the Gasol trade. In his last five games without Gasol in which he’s gotten 30+ minutes (5 of the past 7 games), Darko’s averaged 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

He gets flack for not living up to his pre-draft hype, but Darko is still only 22, is a legit center, and has the chance to be a quality rebounder and defensive anchor. Optimistic Grizzlies fans would point to the slow development of players such as Tyson Chandler and Chris Kaman and assert that Darko still has a chance to develop into a center of that caliber.

What don't we know but should about the Grizzlies?
After playing fewer than 20 minutes for three consecutive games, Kyle Lowry played 40 against Philadelphia prior to the All-Star break. Many assumed he was being showcased for a possible trade. If that’s the case again tonight, he should get plenty of minutes to match up with the player Grizzlies fans most often compare him to: Former Griz and current Sonic Earl Watson. Both are physical, attacking point guards with shaky jumpers and limited playmaking ability. Early on, Lowry was thought to be the evolutionary version of Watson, but this season fans are starting to wonder if he’ll really be any better in the long term. That limited upside is one of the reasons Lowry is the most likely of the team’s three point guards to be dealt.

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/19 vs. Memphis

2008-02-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

In their first game after the 2007 All-Star break, the Sonics hosted the Memphis Grizzlies and defeated them 121-105.

All-Star Live Blog

2008-02-17T17:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to New Orleans Arena, the site of the 57th Annual NBA All-Star Game. We're closing in on tip-off and excitement is building in the arenas as the best basketball players in the world prepare to show off their skills.

I hope the blog has managed to convey this throughout the week, but being at the All-Star Game as a member of the media can be surreal. As I walked to go to media dining before the game, I passed about half of the Western Conference All-Star team in the hall. I arrived here about an hour and a half ago and took some time to sit in the lower media section to get a different view of the arena, all prepared for the game but with almost no one but media inside. You really get a sense of the magnitude of this event from that perspective. On hte other end of hte court, the West All-Stars were taking a team photo and preparing for the introduction of the lineups later tonight. I'll be sharing thoughts and observations throughout the game, so stay with us.

Tip-Off: After the introduction of the lineups (to New Orleans' famous jazz music, allowing Rasheed Wallace and LeBron James in particular to get their groove on) and stirring renditions of the Canadian and U.S. National Anthems, we're about ready to go. Hornets Chris Paul and David West will take the microphone to thank fans here and watching worldwide for their support of the city of New Orleans. By the way, while we think of this event as being attended by corporate types and not locals, Paul and the other Hornets have gotten huge cheers every time they've been announced throughout the weekend.

Here's what the court looks like from my perch above the 300 level:

10:53 1st: When the players stripped off their warmups, it was my first good look at the All-Star uniforms ... and they are definitely different. The West's unis are white in the front and gold in the back, while the East has blue on the front and silver on the back. When players are turned at different angles, it basically looks like there are four different teams out on the court.

5:32 1st: All East in the early going, racing out to an 18-10 lead. The All-Star Game isn't about defense, naturally, but the lack of it from the West was particularly egregious in the first few minutes. LeBron James took advantage to fly out of nowhere for an impressive alley-oop finish.

Kobe Bryant's night is probably done after less than three minutes of action as the league and the Lakers don't want to risk further injury to his injured pinky finger.

2:10 1st: Between three games (Rookie Challenge, D-League All-Star and All-Star) and All-Star Saturday Night, I've seen plenty of NBA timeout entertainment, some of it imported from various NBA teams as well as the Hornets own entertainment. The most pleasant surprise by far has been the "Used-to-Bees," a senior dance team for the Hornets that shows dancing is hardly just for the young. They performed during the last time and delighted the crowd by performing the Soulja Boy dance.

End 1st: The East holds a 34-28 lead with one period of play in the books. No individual player really stood out during the first quarter; Chris Bosh led all scorers with eight points. Yet to get in the game: Brandon Roy and Carlos Boozer for the West, Joe Johnson and Ray Allen for the East. Looks like all four will get in to start the second. Roy and Allen will match up with each other.

8:52 2nd: Brandon Roy has come in and made an immediate impact on this game, scoring six points and grabbing two rebounds. No nerves whatsoever in his All-Star debut, and Roy is showing that he belongs on this stage. Roy had a great up-and-under move after driving baseline. The East still leads, however, 46-39.

By the way, Allen is 1-of-2 from three-point range in his first three minutes of action, which reminds me that Allen has gone back and forth with Kobe Bryant for the most threes in All-Star action ... but leads in attempts by a mile. He's getting it up when he gets in the game.

5:08 2nd: It's the Dwight Howard and LeBron James show here at the New Orleans Arena. It started when Jason Kidd lobbed for James, who unselfishly left it up for Howard to finish, as Marvelous Marv Albert might say, with authority. James returned the favor on the next play, tossing it up to James for the finish. Then james found Howard again moments later. They've got 12 points apiece and Howard has added seven assists and six boards as he goes for the vaunted All-Star triple-double. The East leads it by nine, 62-53.

Halftime: At the midway point, the East still has a nine-point advantage, 74-65. Hre's hoping the West can stage a mini-rally and make this a close game going to the fourth quarter. Brandon Roy played the entire second quarter and leads the West with 11 points, adding five rebounds.

An unorthodox highlight: Rasheed Wallace hitting a left-handed three-pointer. Wallace, who always shoots left-handed before games (at least in Seattle), took two lefty triples and made the second one. Luke Ridnour is a tremendous left-handed shooter, I can tell you from watching Sonics practices. That might be an interesting All-Star event: the off-hand shootout.

12:00 3rd: After a terrific halftime show hosted by Harry Connick, Jr. that featured some of the best jazz musicians the city of New Orleans has to offer, we're ready to get underway with the second half. Steve Nash will start for the East in place of Kobe Bryant.

4:34 3rd: The East has opened up a lead as large as I believe 16 points in this third quarter, though a little West surge the last couple of minutes has it back down to 11 and kept hopes of a competitive fourth quarter alive. The difference might simply be that LeBron James is on the bench, because he has dominated this game when he has been in. James has 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and has reduced everyone else on the court to supporting roles. He's well on track for MVP (joining the one he has from 2006 in Houston) if the East hangs on.

Houston's Yao Ming is looking to hit a three-pointer tonight. He's attempted two, missing them both and drawing all air on the second. In his career, Yao is 1-of-9 from downtown.

End 3rd: It's a 13-point margin as we go to the final period of play and the hope remains the West will make a legit run at this coming out of the break.

The NBA has highlighted local basketball legends, including Louisiana natives Bob Love, Karl Malone, Bob Petit and Willis Reed (who works for the Hornets). During a third-quarter timeout, the family of late New Orleans Jazz star Pete Maravich was introduced. The other local hero to draw a big hand? Former Saints QB Archie Manning.

8:43 4th: Don't look now, but we've got us a ballgame. The West has pulled to within five, 108-103, and Chris Paul is leading the comeback. The hometown point guard just hit a floater in the paint, giving him 11 points and a game-best 10 assists. If the West comes back to win, it will be hard to deny Paul MVP honors.

Amare Stoudemire added to the evening's highlight dunks by driving and dunking over, I think, Dwight Howard. I couldn't quite tell watching the replay if it was Stoudemire or Chris Bosh. (Update: It was indeed Howard.) Either way, very impressive.

5:34 4th: What you ask for with an All-Star Game is some great individual plays, some phenomenal dunks and legitimate basketball with a great deal of intensity over the last five minutes. It looks like we're going to get all of that tonight. The West has taken a 114-112 lead, outscoring the East 21-6 in the period. Chris Paul missed a layup that would have torn the roof off this arena. On the court for the East for this run: Paul, Brandon Roy, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan (he replaced Carlos Boozer early in the run) and Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire had another powerful dunk finish. The East will counter with Jason Kidd, Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James (who just threw up an airball from about 27 feet) and Dwight Howard.

1:49 4th: The last three buckets for the East: Ray Allen three; Ray Allen three; Ray Allen three. The last bucket gave the East a 125-122 lead. Allen had been having an unremarkable game before the final couple of minutes, but now he's got 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting (5-of-8 from three) and has put himself firmly into the MVP discussion. Of course, with 1:49 left on the clock, there's still plenty of time for the West, which had surged ahead 122-119 on a Brandon Roy layup in transition before Allen's threes.

By the way, Roy, in his second year, is on the court to finish this game with Steve Nash and Allen Iverson, amongst others, on the bench. Wow?

Final: The East wins this one, . Chris Paul tied it at 125 with a three and had a chance to be a hero in front of his home crowd, but - in a turn of events so stunning it can barely be imagined - Paul was called for an offensive foul setting a screen. By that point, the intensity had picked up - some East fans to our right were even chanting "DE-FENSE!" LeBron James had just given the East the lead with a powerful driving dunk, and Dwyane Wade followed the offensive foul with a layup plus the foul. Even though he missed the free throw, the West never got back in it. A Brandon Roy three gave him 19 points for the evening and brought the West within three, but Ray Allen hit the first free throw and Dwight Howard grabbed the rebound on his miss and that was that.

James is your MVP, finishing with 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Allen scored 14 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter, nine of them on threes. On the West side, Paul had 16 points and 14 assists and his fellow first-time All-Star Roy finished with 18 points and nine boards and acquitted himself quite nicely indeed.

I'll fight the crowd to listen to the postgame interviews and then wrap it up from New Orleans Arena.

Wrapup: Truly, I think this night had everything you could ask for as an NBA fan - though I must admit I was rooting for a West victory; conference pride runs deep. We had the NBA's best players showing off what makes them special, we had a number of memorable highlights and ultimately we had a terrific finish that was as good as it gets short of a last-second shot.

To be able to experience that from in the arena ... well, that's just incredible. To be able to talk to the players afterwards is even more amazing.

Here's Brandon Roy. He said he was nervous before hitting his first shot and getting going:

NBA Jam Session

2008-02-17T15:54:00.001-08:00

With no media events scheduled for Sunday, I used the afternoon to see more of New Orleans (at least by day) and make sure I gave the beignets a try at Cafe Du Monde.

I did make a quick stop at the NBA Jam Session and realized I haven't blogged yet about that experience. The jam Session is fan central during All-Star Weekend and a dream spot for fans, especially younger ones. They have the opportunity to get autographs, participate in various clinics, test their skills, play video games, trade cards and so much more.

Here's what it looks like at the T-Mobile booth, giving a sense of the crowd.

Jam Session is getting a boost from some of my Sonics co-workers. Todd Albright, Gabriella Buono and John Leach from our Events & Entertainment department have been working the Jam Session throughout All-Star Weekend, playing a key role in the events taking place at Center Court, including the All-Star and Rookie/Sophomore practices and yesterday's D-League All-Star Game.

Live Blogging All-Star Saturday Night

2008-02-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

It's All-Star Saturday Night and I'm back high above the court at New Orleans Arena for all the pageantry of this evening, highlighted by the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout and the Sprite Slam Dunk.

With all the traffic in New Orleans, thank goodness there are special lanes set aside for the media buses that ferry us back and forth the mile or so between the arena and the downtown hotels. I'm also thankful most everything else is within walking distance of the hotel - I'm getting my exercise this weekend for sure. As for the buses, they feature an interesting cross-section of the international media that makes up a good portion of the press contingent at the All-Star Game, some local beat writers and the national folks. There are also about a half-dozen of us from the various team sites here in town and it's been fun to meet guys I have e-mailed with for the Opposing View in the past.

We walked off the bus about quarter of six, earlier than yesterday (the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam got underway an hour later than tonight's events), allowing me to see the New Orleans Arena in the light of days. The outside is sort of a light teal - I've never seen anything like that with an arena. Incidentally, and I hate to make you jealous, but the weather today was gorgeous - about 70 degrees and sunny. I can't tell you how nice it is to walk around without a coat for the first time since probably September.

Note: Wireless issues kept me from blogging live until the Sprite Slam Dunk. Here's a recap of the evening.

Haier Shooting Stars: The first contest of the evening is also the most interesting in terms of the various competitors. To refresh your memory, one current NBA player, one legend and one WNBA player representing an organization/city join together to make shots from various locations as quickly as possible.

You have all sorts of player combinations. The San Antonio team had two seven-footers (Tim Duncan and David Robinson) and Becky Hammon, who goes all of about 5-6. Fortunately, no team was loaded with all shooters. Alas, skill is often secondary in this competition to luck on the three-point shot. That proved out in the finals, as the Chicago team (B.J. Armstrong, Chris Duhon and Candice Dupree) did fine through the early spots but needed 16 shots from halfcourt to just two from the victorious San Antonio squad.

Robinson, despite showing some rust on his first shot (which took him seven tries), looks like he could suit up today if need be.

Playstation Skills Challenge: This competition has drawn some great fields in recent years, and this group was no exception - three great point guards in Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Deron Williams and the two-time defending champ Dwyane Wade. It came down to Paul and Williams in a fitting final round between two players from the 2005 NBA Draft who are often pitted against each other by the media. Williams was basically perfect in setting a record with a time of 25.5 seconds. Paul wasn't bad with a score of 31.2, but the hometown favorite was denied.

"He told me to go slow and he was going to go fast and he was going to win," Williams said afterwards. His response? "I can't do that."

Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout: This year's shootout got off to a slow start with subpar performances from Steve Nash (9) and Richard Hamilton (14). I'm not sure Hamilton was helped by practicing 15-footers in the warmup period instead of threes. He lost two shots for having his foot on the line.

Things got more exciting when hometown favorite Peja Stojakovic came up. Stojakovic needed a score of at least 14 to stay alive for the finals and didn't look likely to get there after missing seven of his first 10 shots. He heated up, however, and the crowd got louder with each make as Stojakovic hit seven of his last nine shots to score 15. The joy was short-lived, however, as Jason Kapono put up an effortless 20 to eliminate Stojakovic and move to the finals with Daniel Gibson and Dirk Nowitzki.

I'm sitting next to Damien Pierce of Rockets.com and Micah Hart of Hawks.com (beaming from his team's deal for Mike Bibby earlier today), both of them Texas alumni rooting for ex-Longhorn Gibson. After a score of 17, Gibson was alive, and he finished ahead of Nowitzki (14). But the night belonged to defending champ Kapono, who dazzled the crowd by making 20 of his 25 shots, including all five money balls. That gave him a score of 25, tying Craig Hodges' record from way back in 1986. He is a machine. Simply, Jason Kapono was born for the Shootout.

Sprite Slam Dunk: One round of dunks is in the books and already we've been dazzled. Dwight Howard's dunk off the back of the backboard, going from one side to the other to finish, was truly something we've never seen before. If he had pulled it off on his first try, we might have all gone home. Even on try number two, it was still an obvious 50.

Gerald Green also got creative, blowing out a candle on a cupcake placed on the rim by teammate Rashad McCants while in midair. Love the idea. Jamario Moon's 180 dunk was more conventional but equally impressive, and he's tied with Green at 46 behind Howard. Rudy Gay (37) lags behind after a relatively pedestrian dunk (which still is incredibly amazing, but we're speaking relatively here).

... The finals are set: It will be Green, the defending champ, against my pick going in, Howard. Howard earned another 50 and brought down the house by donning a cape, taking off his jersey to reveal a Superman t-shirt and throwing in - not really dunking, exactly - a dunk after taking off just inside the free-throw line. 7-footers are not supposed to be able to do that. Nobody is supposed to be able to do that!

Green's second dunk, a windmill off a McCants feed at the rim, advanced by one point over Moon. Moon hurt himself by putting the tape down at 17 feet, where he was reportedly able to dunk from, and then jumping inside the charity stripe. His dunk, a lefty finish from way out off of a bounce from the busy Jason Kapono, was still impressive but expectations built up because of the tape. If Moon had pulled off the dunk from 17 feet, it would have been the greatest dunk ever seen.

Remember that you the fans will decide tonight's winner via text message or NBA.com. Here's the explanation so you can cast your vote! I just can't wait to see what Howard has in store after his two efforts in the first round.

... After one dunk in the second round, the night remains Dwight Howard's. Green pulled off a very difficult dunk, going between his legs off a bounce from McCants, but it paled in comparison to Howard volleyballing the ball off the backboard with his left hand and dunking it with his right while on the other side of the rim. Are you kidding me?

... The dunking is in the books. Unfortunately, Dwight Howard's final dunk might have been his least impressive. It was a creative idea - placing the ball on a mini-basket (Magic-branded, natch) and then windmill dunking, but just didn't play out as well as the other dunks. Gerald Green's final attempt also fell flat. As Dr. J points out, what he did - dunking in his green-stockinged feet - is very difficult, but it doesn't make a great visual. The crowd definitely favored Howard and I'm going to NBA.com to cast my vote for Dwight. Make yours count!

... It's official. Dwight Howard earned 78% of the votes cast by fans to win the Sprite Slam Dunk. While I enjoyed Nate Robinson's win two years ago as a proud Husky, I think this was the best Slam Dunk competition in years. I love the way the NBA used the Internet to build hype and interest. It really helped out my enjoyment. While I always enjoy watching All-Star Saturday Night on TV, being here in the arena and feeling the response of the crowd made this really special. It was a blast.

Update: Here's Dwight Howard's post-victory press conference:

Saturday Afternoon at All-Star

2008-02-16T17:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday's schedule didn't seem as jam-packed as Friday, when the Rookies (and Sopohomores) practiced and played, but lo and behold I've kept busy. It's 7:30 p.m. local time and the All-Star Saturday Night festivities are underway, but this is my first chance to blog.

The day started with All-Star pratices at the Jam Session at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. I took in the tail end of the East session, which by that point mostly consisted of half-court shooting. Joe Johnson ended a cold stretch by knocking one down from halfcourt.

At precisely noon, the media stormed onto the floor and took it over for a half-hour's worth of interviews. I wandered around a little bit, getting a feel for the craziness. I took some video of Seattle native Brandon Roy:

The level of craziness doesn't match Super Bowl media day, but there was a Canadian TV reporter walking around wearing a purple blazers, white leather shoes, beads and sunglasses.

Yesterday, I asked Roy about being the first player from this generation of Seattle NBA players to make the All-Star Game.

"I think it means a lot," he said. "We've come so far in such a short time. Now we've got our first All-Star."

Roy said he was still hearing from other Seattle products and his former UWA teammates.

"They almost couldn't believe it," said Roy. "Coach (Lorenzo) Romar called me, all the players I played with.

"They said, 'You're an All-Star - do you know what that means?' I still don't fully understand."

After breaking for lunch (I highly recommend the Shrimp Po'Boy), it was back to the Convention Center for the D-League All-Star Game. I wanted to see Randy Livingston, Cory Violette and Lance Allred from the Idaho Stampede, the Sonics D-League affiliate. On top of that, Idaho Head Coach Bryan Gates, who worked with the Sonics coaching staff during summer league last year, was coaching the "Red" team in the game.

Alas, the Red squad struggled, shooting just 39.6% from the field as the Blue team pulled away late in the first half and won 117-99. Jeremy Richardson of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (who has spent time with two NBA teams this season) was named MVP after scoring a game-high 22 points.

It wasn't a big night for the Stampede trio. Livingston handed out seven assists and had five steals, but shot 1-for-8 from the field. Violette grabbed 10 boards and was one of two players with double-figures rebounds, but shot 4-of-13. Allred had the best game of the group with 16 points and eight rebounds, but even he shot less than 50% (6-for-14) from the field.

"It's not really my kind of platform," said Allred afterwards. "I need structure and development." The same could probably be said of Livingston and Violette, which makes them valuable to the disciplined Stampede but less so in an All-Star environment.

Still, Allred had fun, terming the experience "rewarding yourself."

There were some other Sonics ties in the All-Star Game. Jelani McCoy spent three years in Seattle and is now an All-Star for the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Livingston has had two stints with the Sonics. Eddie Gill is a former Sonics camp invitee and Kaniel Dickens (who had two highlight dunks late in the game) and Keith Langford both have played for the Sonics in summer leagues past.

The other guy I really wanted to see was Rod Benson, blogger extraordinaire. And I can't wait to see how Benson explains blowing a dunk on a breakaway when he was all alone.

The scene around here continues to be crazy. Where else but the NBA Jam Session would you see 7-7 former Wizards center Gheorge Muresan and 7-6 Yao Ming on the same court at the same time?

T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam Live Blog

2008-02-15T17:54:00.000-08:00

Pregame: Welcome to New Orleans Arenas, where All-Star Weekend tips off in full force tonight with the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. This is the big event for the Sonics, with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green teaming up for the Rookie squad.

In addition to having the best of the NBA's young talent on the floor tonight, we've got young fans in the crowd. By successfully completing reading and attendance requirements, more than 5,000 “T-Mobile Huddle-Up All-Stars,” grades 6-8 from participating school districts in New Orleans are watching the game from the best seats in the house in the lower bowl of the New Orleans Arena. Our applause and cheering tonight will have a distinctly higher pitch than normal.

I am not quite so close. In fact, I can't remember being this far away at an NBA game since watching the Sonics play Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the Kingdome back in the late 1980s. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. It's All-Star Weekend and I have a seat - that's more than enough.

I'll have updates focusing on the two Sonics rookies throughout the game, so keep checking back with Sonics Beat.

Tipoff: Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks introduced his rookie teammates, and both Durant and Green will start for the Rookies with Horford, Mike Conley and Luis Scola. Brandon Roy is matched up with Durant and I suspect those two are going to get awful sick of each other soon. The Sonics and Blazers play a home-and-home set next Thursday and Friday (get your tickets now for Portland's first visit of the season on Friday), so they'll match up three times in eight days.

14:27 1st Half: First, let me address that odd number up there, 14:27. We play two 20-minute halves in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam as opposed to the standard four 12-minute quarters. It's like throwing back to college for these young players.

Chris Paul is being interviewed on the arenavision during this timeout and the fans here love their All-Star point guard.

The rookies are hanging in there, with the game tied at 15 pending Rudy Gay free throws. Kevin Durant leads all rookies with seven points and has grabbed three rebounds, while Jeff Green has two points and two boards thus far.

9:52 1st Half: You know it's All-Star Weekend when ... Daniel Gibson hits a three-pointer and high fives teammate LeBron James, sitting courtside ... no fewer than five NBA mascots are dunking during a timeout ... multiple passes have sailed over the intended receiver's hands and into the first row.

Kevin Durant is the lone rookie to go the distance so far and has done a nice job creating opints for hismelf and looks for his teammates. He and Brandon Roy have a nice little duel going at both ends. Obviously, this game is about offense and highlights, but so far it has been recognizable as a regular basketball game and it should stay that way as long as it is close (currently Sophomores 29, Rookies 26).

4:43 1st Half: The Sophomores have pulled out to a 45-40 lead almost solely on the hot shooting of Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson. Gibson hit five of his first six three-point attempts, accounting for all 15 of his points (a game high), before finally missing a moment ago. The Rookies have actually been playing pretty well, but they're trading twos for threes right now.

Halftime: The Sophs pulled away late in the first half and, despite Kevin Durant finishing an alley-oop from Mike Conley just before the buzzer, they lead the Rookies 66-52 at the midway point. Here's hoping the Rookies put together a comebakc, not so much because I'm pulling for Durant and Jeff Green as because this game is so much more entertaining when it is competitive.

Durant leads all rookies with 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting and has added five boards. Green has had a rougher go, scoring two points on 1-of-5 shooting with three rebounds.

Now, the players have cleared the court and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks has taken center stage for a halftime performance.

15:45 2nd Half: For the first time tonight, a coach has called a timeout. It's Rookies head man Darrell Walker who's forced to take time with the Sophomores pulling out to a 19-point edge early in the second half. I forgot to mention the incredible statistic that the Sophomores had only two turnovers in the entire first half. They've gotten a little sloppier since then, but they also hold an 11-0 advantage in three-pointers; the Rookies have attempted only one triple.

That has something to do with the way the two rosters are constructed. The Rookies have only one true piont guard (Juan Carlos Navarro) and primarily swingmen and big guys. The Sophomores are guard-heavy, with only three bigs on the roster and two true point guards along with two others who can play the position. So it's no surprise threes and turnovers have favored the second-year pros.

7:40 2nd Half: Wow, that was a long stretch between timeouts. Jeff Green got a transition dunk courtesy Kevin Durant after a Durant steal, and that seems to have helped him get going. Green hit the first three of the night for the Rookies and now has nine points and five boards. Durant, with 23 points and eight rebounds, now leads the Rookies in both categories.

4:01 2nd Half: The Rookies have been trading baskets the last few minutes and have been unable to make a dent in the Sophomores' 20-point lead. With just a tick over four minutes left to play, it's 116-96 Sophomores. With the outcome no longer in question, I'm heading down to the media level to conduct postgame interviews with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. I'll have a wrap-up post after that concludes.

Final: The Sophomores take this one going away, 136-109. There's no shame in losing for the Rookies, as this is the sixth straight T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam that has gone to the more experienced Sophomores. Daniel Gibson won MVP honors on the strength of his 11 three-pointers. No typo there - 11. All 20 of his attempts came from behind the three-point line and he shot 55% on them. Not bad when they count for three points. Gibson made more threes than the entire Rookie team took (nine).

As for your Sonics, they acquitted themselves nicely in defeat. Kevin Durant led the rookies with 23 points, shot 10-of-19 from the field, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out four assists. Jeff Green actually ended up playing the most minutes of any player (34:24) and scored nine points, adding five rebounds.

That wraps up All-Star Weekend for Durant and Green, at least on the court. After enjoying their last evening in New Orleans, both are due out tomorrow morning. Durant will be going to Austin and then on to see his former Texas Longhorns teammates play at Baylor. Green is headed home to Washington, D.C. and looking forward to seeing his niece.

Don't think SUPERSONICS.COM is finished, however. I'll be here through the weekend and while the coverage won't be as intense as today's, I'll still follow the action of All-Star Saturday Night and Sunday's main event. There's a Seattle tie remaining as Portland guard Brandon Roy makes his All-Star debut. So keep checking out Sonics Beat throughout the weekend.

Green T-Mobile Event

2008-02-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

Sonics rookie Jeff Green's busy Friday morning continued when he joined three of his fellow rookies - Memphis' Mike Conley, Atlanta's Al Horford and Houston's Luis Scola - to star in a T-Mobile event at Center Court at the NBA's Jam Session. About 30 lucky fans were divided into four teams, one for each player, and competed to make 10 shots from the elbow and then the wing.

Despite the best efforts of the rookies, I'm afraid there wasn't a lot of NBA talent on display. Green was rooting hard for his team to connect for the first time, and it finally happened at the end of this clip.

Everyone had a lot of fun, and the event really wasn't quite as much about the competition as it was the chance for the fans to meet the players. Afterwards, Green posed for photos.

Rookies Practice

2008-02-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

After finishing up with their NBA Cares project, the Rookie Team headed to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to practice for tonight's T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. When I arrived, the Sophomores were just finishing up on the court. Boston Assistant Coach Tom Thibodeau, who will coach the Sophomores, put in some plays.

At 10:30, it was time for the media to rush on to the court for a half-hour of interviews. The Rookies and Sophomores don't draw quite as much attention as the All-Stars, so there was a chance to get one-on-ones with most players. The international media contingent, however, was most definitely out in full force (I rode over to the Convention Center with two French journalists). Kevin Durant did a brief segment live on NBA TV.

Here's some video of Durant and Jeff Green meeting the press (the audio is a little weak, so tune up your volume).

As for practice, there wasn't much of that for the rookies, coached by New Orleans Assistant Coach (and one-time Kevin Calabro partner) Darrell Walker. They split into two teams for some shooting drills and that was about that. So Thibodaeu, from the Jeff Van Gundy school of heavy preparation, seems to be taking a different approach from Walker.

Make no mistake, though, these guys are here to have fun but they do want to win.

"Hopefully we can pull out a win," said Green. "The rookies haven't been winning as of late, the past five years, so hopefully we can come in and get a victory."

This weekend is also about fun, and while both Sonics rookies have jam-packed schedules while in New Orleans, they've enjoyed the experience. Durant and Rudy Gay played pool against Chris Tucker (apparently not very good) and Green has enjoyed meeting some of the All-Stars, including Caron Butler, and hanging out with his fellow rookies.

Listen to audio from Durant and Green. Interesting note: When I asked about which rookies they were excited to play with, both Durant and Green cited Sprite Slam Dunk participant Jamario Moon of the Toronto Raptors. They'll be looking to get Moon some lobs at the rim.

Durant and Green Participate in Day of Service

2008-02-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

Today is the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service in New Orleans, and the red t-shirts worn by volunteers are omnipresent. Players are taking part as well, and Sonics rookies Kevin Durant and Jeff Green are no exceptions.

This morning, Durant and Green joined their teammates on the Rookie Team in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam to help Hands-On New Orleans put together school supply kits and mailboxes for local families in need. Durant and Green were primarily assigned to mailbox duty, drilling holes. It was Green's first time using an electric drill, but he still claimed to have superior technique to Durant - these guys compete at everything.

Check out some videos. Here is Green, a "pro," working the drill.

And Durant:

The both of them working together:

"It means a lot to me to come back and help," said Durant. "This city has been through a lot. A lot of people think it's just basketball, but here in the NBA we care about trying to rebuild this city. I think they're doing a great job of doing that and everybody's helping out very well."

All-Star Memories

2008-02-14T23:07:00.000-08:00

With Kevin Durant and Jeff Green due to make some All-Star memories this weekend, I took the time to ask them before they left about their favorite memories of watching All-Star Weekend in the past.

Green had a hard time picking a favorite memory.

"I guess watching (Michael) Jordan in his last All-Star Game (in 2003) or when Tracy McGrady threw it off the glass," he said. "There's a lot of highlights that happen throughout every All-Star year - I can't just name one."

As far as All-Star Saturday Night, he remembered a local favorite.

"Watching Nate Robinson dunk was kinda interesting," said Green. "I've never seen a guy his height get up the way he does. That's probably one that sticks out in my mind."

Durant remembered back to 2001, when the All-Star Game came to his native Washington, D.C.

"I think my favorite of all time is when they played in D.C. and Stephon Marbury hit the game-winner when he was with the Nets," Durant said. "I went to the Jam Session as a little kid. I was in seventh grade. I remember back then it was phenomenal. I had the best time of my life. I remember I was in the car going home, listening to the All-Star Game. Stephon Marbury hit the shot at the buzzer and my brother and I just went crazy. It felt like it was a championship game. It's something that stuck out with me and I'll always remember the rest of my life."

So what would the 12-year-old Kevin Durant have said if you would have told him that, years later, he would be part of the festivities of All-Star Weekend?

"If you told me back then I would be in the Rookie Game or I would be in the NBA, I would have looked at you like you were crazy," he said. "It's all a blessing. It's something that I've worked for and I've got to continue to work. Hopefully someday I'll be an All-Star; I've got to continue to work."

Hello From New Orleans

2008-02-14T22:43:00.000-08:00

Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images

NEW ORLEANS - The Sonics Beat blog comes to you live from the Big Easy, the site of the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. We'll be on the scene all weekend long with complete coverage of Kevin Durant and Jeff Green playing in tomorrow's T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam and all the other action we've come to associate with All-Star Weekend, culminating in the 57th Annual NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.

It's hard to forget that the All-Star Game is here. All of the downtown business and hotel district has been rebranded to celebrate All-Stars and the NBA. The sides of several buildings have been taken over by NBA-related billboards, and the player hotel is heavily decorated. Even the keycard for my hotel room features the All-Star logo.

The Louis Armstrong International Airport provided my first taste of the All-Star mania and I took a quick video of one banner. I'm going to embed it, but you probably shouldn't bother clicking. I'm mostly testing for when we get some useful video tomorrow.

I knew early in the trip there were going to be a lot of All-Star sightings. Lenny Wilkens was on my flight to Houston. Then, as I checked in to my hotel, Nets GM Kiki Vandeweghe was doing the same just to my left. (Shouldn't he be working on a trade?)

Anyways, Durant and Green have been here all day, running the gauntlet for NBA Entertainment, getting their photos taken, doing video and more. In the photo at top, Durant joined with LeBron James, Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks, Brandon Roy and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to help Nike reopen the New Orleans Parks and Recreation's St. Bernard Community Center.

As you see at left, Green took time out from his busy day to sign an autograph for a young fan. (Photo credit: Ray Amati/NBAE/Getty Images)

Tomorrow will be busy for the Sonics rookies as well. After participating in the NBA Cares Day of Service in the morning, they'll have practice with the Rookie Team and then the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. on TNT. We'll be blogging all day long, so make sure to check out SUPERSONICS.COM for the latest from New Orleans.

Kia Surprising Stat - 2/13 vs. Utah

2008-02-13T10:05:00.000-08:00

Sonics guard Luke Ridnour continued his march up the list of all-time Sonics assist leaders Friday. With five assists, Ridnour passed Brent Barry (1,668) for eighth place in Sonics history. Ridnour now has 1,671 assists.

It will be a while before Ridnour makes any further progress, however. Slick Watts, who sits in seventh, is 603 assists ahead of Ridnour.

Gelabale Returns from Idaho

2008-02-12T19:41:00.001-08:00

Terrence Vaccaro/NBAE/Getty

The Sonics recalled Mickael Gelabale from the Idaho Stampede Tuesday and will have him available Wednesday, when they host the Utah Jazz in their pre-All-Star finale. The recall was on schedule, as the Sonics planned all along to have Gelabale play six games in Idaho and return before the D-League's All-Star break.

In six games, Gelabale averaged 17.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He shot an impressive 59.7% from the field and 7-of-20 (35.0%) from three-point range.

"Gelly was way more good than bad, just kind of stuck out - which he should, somebody who's better than the players in that league," said Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo. "That's good. He had a couple of games where he had a really good half and a fair half. You'd like to see him go down and put two halves together all six times, but particularly the first game that's probably hard to do. I think in general he went down and acquitted himself very well."

While the Sonics already have a crowded rotation, Carlesimo said the Sonics want to make sure they get Gelabale in the mix at some point during the second half of the season to get a better look at him at the NBA level.

Mouhamed Sene is also on his way back to Seattle, but just for the All-Star break. The Sonics are pleased with the progress Sene is making playing for the Stampede. Sene has averaged 11.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 18 games, shooting 55.3%.

As for the Stampede, the team saw its D-League-record 18-game winning streak snapped by Los Angeles on Saturday and then lost against Monday at Utah. Still, Idaho goes into the All-Star break as the league's top team by three games at 23-7. Stampede Head Coach Bryan Gates, who worked as an assistant for the Sonics during summer-league play, will coach in Saturday's D-League All-Star Game in New Orleans.

In other news from Sonics practice, Carlesimo indicated it was possible center Robert Swift might move into the rotation at some point after the All-Star break, which could be a natural break in the schedule.

"When we come back," said Carlesimo, "maybe start over and say we've got to make some changes."

Carlesimo was generally pleased with the way his team responded to comming back to practice this week after taking the weekend off.

"We actually had two pretty good practices considering the days off," he said. "It was a little slow starting, but I think today was good."

Sonics Back at Practice After Two-Day Break

2008-02-11T17:35:00.000-08:00

With a rare weekend off during the middle of the NBA season, the Sonics took both Saturday and Sunday off after playing in Phoenix on Friday. They still have two practices, today and tomorrow, before taking on the Utah Jazz Wednesday in their last game before the All-Star break.

Forward Chris Wilcox thought the break was helpful.

"Guys can get their legs back and we can work on some things in practice," he said.

Coming off the two days of rest, the Sonics had their largest practice contingent at The Furtado Center in some time. Guard Delonte West, whose knee was bothering him, was the only player unable to practice. That allowed Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo to run 5-on-5 scrimmages, a rarity at this point of the season.

How did the team look?

"Not bad, actually," said Carlesimo. "Not as bad as I would have thought. We didn't really get too much going other than some conditioning or some scrimmaging. It wasn't as ragged as you would sometimes expect after two days. I thought they were decent; I wouldn't say they were excellent, but they were better than I thought they might be."

The scrimmaging is particularly useful for center Robert Swift, who continues to work back into shape. Swift made his return to the court a week ago against Chicago, but did not see action in either of the last two Sonics games. Swift needs court time both for his conditioning and to get his game timing back, but that on-the-job training is tough to do during games.

"We got 18 minutes of clock time," Carlesimo said. "Robert may have played all of it; you'd have to ask (Assistant Coach) Ralph (Lewis). There were times it looked like he labored, but other times it looked like he was hanging in, doing a decent job."

Swift had one impressive sequence with the media watching where he blocked a shot on one end (possibly goaltending in the process, but showing the ability to get up either way) and then scored in the post with his left hand off the glass on the other end. Swift drew the foul and finished the three-point play.

The Sonics Front Office is Going to be Busy in June

2008-02-11T14:08:00.000-08:00

Over on TrueHoop, Henry Abbott had the folks in ESPN.com research put together what the draft order would be for the 2008 NBA Draft if today was the end of the season.

It's a useful reminder that the Sonics have been busy stockpiling draft picks. In addition to their own first- and second-round picks, the Sonics have added:

- Phoenix's first-round pick (28 if the season ended today) from the Kurt Thomas trade
- the better of Portland's or Boston's second-round picks (48) via last year's draft-night deal with Boston
- Denver's second-round pick (52) from the Earl Watson four-way deal in 2006
- the lesser of New Orleans' or Houston's second-round picks (57) from Houston via last year's deal that sent a second-round pick used on Carl Landry to the Rockets

In total, the Sonics will go into the draft with a league-high six picks, including three of the top 33.

Beyond 2008, the Sonics own New Jersey's 2009 second-round pick from the Mikki Moore trade and will also get Phoenix's first-rounder in 2010 to complete the Thomas deal.

Durant on Rome is Burning

2008-02-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

Sonics rookie Kevin Durant will be live on ESPN's Rome is Burning with Jim Rome today at 1:30 p.m. Tune in to see what Durant has to see about the upcoming All-Star Weekend and more!

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/8 vs. Phoenix

2008-02-07T22:29:00.000-08:00

The Sonics and the Suns were the only two teams to win the Pacific Division in a six-year stretch from 1992-93 through 1997-98. Phoenix won division titles in 1992-93 and 1994-95; the Sonics claimed the crown in 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98. The two years the Suns won the division, the Sonics finished second. Phoenix finished second behind the Sonics in 1993-94.

Opposing View - 2/6 vs. Sacramento

2008-02-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, we get two. Tom Ziller runs one of my daily NBA reads, SactownRoyalty.com, and Andrew Nicholson is the fine beat writer for Kings.com. Don't forget to check out the blog kept by Sam Amick, who covers the Kings for the Sacramento Bee.

Brad Miller has been on fire recently. What has been the key?
Ziller: Miller's been terrific all season, particularly the past few weeks. This string of big rebounding games has not, surprisingly, been a fluke - he got his 20/20 games against Emeka Okafor and Ben Wallace. He's been been working hard throughout the games, particularly in the fourth quarter, to establish position and go after caroms. It sounds simple ... but it's something Brad's lacked the the season-and-a-half. On offense, having Mike Bibby and Kevin Martin has clearly made a difference in terms of opening up the floor for him. When it was the Beno Udrih and John Salmons Show, Miller was much less involved. But he has a comfort zone with each of Martin and Bibby (separately and together as a trio) to make marvelous differences on offense.

Nicholson: Miller dedicated himself to eating healthy and a more stringent training regimen in the off-season, but he didn't stop there. Miller maintains a healthy diet, still works out daily and always hits the weight room on game days. When he was recently asked what else he has done besides 'eating better and working out?' Miller smiled and replied, 'You'd be surprised how much those things help.' The combination of the two has led to Miller playing with increased confidence. It's also helped that the Kings finally have a healthy starting five. I didn't want to regurgitate the story I just wrote on Miller this week, but for a more complete answer check out Miller's Seeing 20/20 on Kings.com.

True or false: Kevin Martin is the most underrated player in the NBA.
Ziller: I'll vote true every single time, even if it's false. Call me a homer. No, seriously: Objectively, Martin's got to be up there. He has the scoring credentials on a per-minute and per-game basis now to mentioned with the tip-top two-guards in the league, and he manages all those points with insane efficiency. He's threatening to go a third straight season with a True Shooting percentage over .600; the only guard whose done that in the last two decades is Reggie Miller. Martin's definitely the least well-known centerpiece in the league, I'll say that. His name is getting said more every day (typically the morning after he comes to your town), but few have a clue how good this kid is. (Oh, he just turned 25. He could score 30 a night within the next few years.)

Nicholson's Reply: True. Many basketball fans outside of the Sacramento region still don't know who the sharpshooting Kings guard is. But every scout and coaching staff around the league knows all about the Kings number 23. Had he not missed 17 games due to a strained right groin, Martin would very likely be in the Big Easy for the All-Star game. Despite that reality, Martin sees it as an opportunity to continue to study film, work on his game and grow as an all-around player. Or, as the reserved yet confident Martin has said, "I always want to develop and I don't even feel like I'm in my prime ... I feel like I'm getting there. I want to be a great player and that's what I'm going to work hard to do."

For the Kings to be threatening .500 despite the injuries they have suffered, what does that say about Reggie Theus' coaching job?
It says that Theus has been able to get the team to play hard and play together. More importantly, here is how Theus explained the team's success in spite of the adversity: "When I talk to guys about basketball, I think they read me, I think they understand," Theus said of motivating a blue-collar team. "We have a good communication line going and I think the trust is there for our staff. And they know for me, it's all about the game. But at the same time, it takes certain individuals to accept that. When these guys want to win, they want to listen. They want to do the right things. That's why we've been able to be successful. Everybody has done their part." For more on Theus' first-half of the season success in Sacramento please check out Theus Practicing What He Preaches on Kings.com.

Do you see the Kings making a move before the trade deadline?
Ziller: I think it's only a matter of time before Ron Artest gets moved. At this point, not even Reggie Theus would be discouraged by seeing Ron traded for spare parts (I think). The difference between Artest and John Salmons is evident, but Artest cannot be in the franchise's long-term plans and the swing position is the most well-stocked for the Kings. As for Mike Bibby ... that always seems to have more to do with the teams pursuing him than Geoff Petrie's own intentions. Which is to say I have no idea if he'll get traded. Watch for Mikki Moore and Miller as darkhorse trade candidates.

What don't we know but should about the Kings?
Ziller: The Kings are incredibly fun to watch, even (I'm told) for opposition fans. Martin is objective silk, Francisco Garcia would run through walls where none existed, Spencer Hawes is the second coming of Sam Perkins, Mikki has dunked on the capital city of every U.N.-recognized nation, Bibby can choreograph his 30-point explosions, and Miller/Salmons/Artest have hearts of lions. You saw about two minutes of it a few weeks ago; try to enjoy all 48 minutes of Sacramento's brand of barbarianism.

Nicholson: The Kings have one of the most talented benches in the league. A significant factor that made the Kings relatively successful in the wake of numerous injuries was the team's depth. John Salmons (15.1 points per game), Francisco Garcia (12.4 ppg) and Beno Udrih (12.6) could be starters for a number of NBA teams as they showed when the opportunity presented itself. Now they are the first three off the Kings bench. Following them are Seattle native Spencer Hawes, scoring combo guard Quincy Douby, athletic big man Justin Williams, defensive stopper (and a glue guy) Dahntay Jones and veteran Kenny Thomas.

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/6 at Sacramento

2008-02-05T22:08:00.001-08:00

With two 20-20 efforts in the last three games (22 points and 21 rebounds Jan. 30 vs. Charlotte; 22 points and 20 rebounds Feb. 2 vs. Chicago), Brad Miller has joined Chris Webber as the only players with multiple 20-20 games for the Kings since they moved to Sacramento.

Green Returns to Practice

2008-02-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

The Sonics had several players miss Tuesday's practice, but the big story was that rookie forward Jeff Green did participate. Green has missed the last two games with a sprained right ankle.

"Jeff practiced for the first time," said Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo. "He seemed alright. If he's good tomorrow, hopefully he'll be able to play also."

Guard Delonte West sat out with a left quad strain and Wally Szczerbiak was limited by his sprained left ankle (though Szczerbiak was able to play against Chicago Monday). Luke Ridnour (sprained right ankle) was also limited and Kurt Thomas sat out after suffering a scratched eye during Monday's game.

West's injury may be the most serious of the group.

Thomas declared his eye better. "I've just got to keep putting drops in there," he said. "I'll get it checked out tomorrow morning in Sacramento to make sure everything's fine, but it shouldn't be a problem."

- Szczerbiak and Ridnour regularly shoot free throws together at the end of practice at the basket nearest the media, and have a friendly competition going with regards to their shooting in practice and in games. Szczerbiak lamented missing two free throws against the Bulls in eight attempts. Szczerbiak is shooting 84.4% from the free-throw line, but Ridnour is making 90.5% of his attempts.

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/4 vs. Chicago

2008-02-03T22:44:00.000-08:00

With Jeff Green missing Saturday's win over New York with a sprained left ankle, no Sonics player has played in all 47 of the team's games this season. Green, Wally Szczerbiak and Damien Wilkins all played in the team's first 44 games, but Wilkins missed Tuesday's game and Szczerbiak missed Thursday's before Green's injury.

Green, Wilkins Kevin Durant and Earl Watson have missed one game apiece.

Opposing View - 2/2 vs. New York

2008-02-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, we get another NBA blog veteran in Mike Kurylo of KnickerBlogger.net. Also see NYKnicks.com's preview of tonight's game and the Posting and Toasting blog. And while we're talking KnickerBlogger, don't forget to check out their stats page daily for the latest advanced metrics.

The Knicks seemed to find a better rhythm in January. What was the difference?
One difference was an easier schedule. They beat the Nets, Heat, Wizards and Sixers in a six-game span. And throw in a "any-team-can-win-on-any-night" win against the Pistons, and they looked good for a stretch.

But the Knicks did improve slightly. They were competetive on a tough west coast trip against the Warriors, Lakers, and Jazz, albeit all losses. Part of the reason is Isiah giving more burn to defensive minded players. The Knicks have an surplus of scorers and a dearth of defenders. But recently Coach Thomas has given more playing time to Jared Jeffries, Fred Jones, and Mardy Collins. The NBA is about team balance, and these players have value on a defensively-starved team like New York.

Seattle native Nate Robinson is playing his best basketball. Besides playing time, what's behind the stretch?
He's maturing as a player. Nate was the MVP of the summer league, so the talent is there. With Marbury out, he's the main PG on the team, which is difference from his previous role. In the past Robinson was frequently the shooting guard on offense. These days Nate frequently runs the offense, and he's doing a good job balancing finding his own shot with distributing the ball to his teammates. Additionally this year, Nate also has become more mature mentally. He's less likely to let his emotions take over, which is a departure from the past.

If the Knicks need a bucket late in the game, who will they go to?
Most likely Jamal Crawford. Isiah Thomas doesn't keep Nate Robinson in the final minutes of a game for defensive purposes. Eddy Curry has largely been ineffective, because defenses are more frequently exploiting his weaknesses. They either double-team him to take advantage of his lack of passing, or they flop to draw a charge against him. The other person you might see take a late shot is Zach Randolph. Although billed as a power forward who likes to earn his keep in the paint, Randolph has fallen in love with his jump shot.

In 100 words or less, why should the Knicks free David Lee?
Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph play better with Lee than they do with each other. Lee has earned the nickname "Good Things" because that's what happens to the Knicks with him on the floor. He compliments his teammates better than either Curry or Randolph. He doesn't need the ball often, he doesn't turn it over, he passes well, and he's great in finishing around the hoop. The Knicks know what they have with Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph. It's time to find what they have with David Lee.

(88 words.)

What don't we know but should about the Knicks?
They're playing more zone lately. They're giving more minutes to defenders. They're turning the ball over less on offense. But they're still a bad team. You can attack them in the middle because they don't have a shot blocker in the front court. They are still one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

Kia Surprising Stat: 2/2 vs. New York

2008-02-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

The Knicks media notes report that Seattle natives and Knicks guards Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson are currently the NBA’s only set of teammates who also played together in high school. During Jamal’s senior year and Nate’s freshman year at Rainier Beach 1998-99, they were teammates. The last pair of players to play together on the same team in both high school and the NBA were Muggsy Bogues and David Wingate who played at Dunbar HS in Baltimore, Mary. and with the Charlotte Hornets from 1993-95.

Quiet Practice for Sonics

2008-02-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

With games every other day during this homestand and some players banged up, the Sonics have been somewhat limited in what they can do during recent practices. Today, we saw them dummy through some plays in preparison for New York's visit tomorrow before wrapping up the session.

Four players were sidelined for the Sonics:
- forward Nick Collison (right calf strain)
- forward Jeff Green (sprained left ankle)
- forward Wally Szczerbiak (sprained right ankle)
- center Kurt Thomas (left quad tendon strain)

All four players are considered game-time decisions against the Knicks.

Take a listen to what P.J. Carlesimo had to say after practice.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/31 vs. Cleveland

2008-01-31T09:57:00.001-08:00

Sonics point guard Luke Ridnour continues to move up the team's all-time assist leaderboard. On Tuesday, Ridnour handed out the 1,653rd assist of his Sonics career, moving him past Detlef Schrempf and all alone into eighth place in franchise history.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/29 vs. San Antonio

2008-01-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Sonics shot 52.6% from the field in their Nov. 25 with San Antonio, which was the first time in 2007-08 they had topped 50% shooting. The Sonics have shot at least 50% five times this season, going 3-2 (beating New York, Toronto and Minnesota and losing to the Spurs and Houston).

Opposing View - 1/27 vs. Sacramento

2008-01-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Tom Ziller runs one of my daily NBA reads, SactownRoyalty.com, and is the premier expert on the Kings. Don't forget to check out Kings.com and the blog kept by Sam Amick, the outstanding beat writer for the Sacramento Bee. To Tom's answers.

Given the team's injuries, how impressive is it that the Kings are still around .500?
The Kings' relative success has been great and unexpected. Particularly, when both Kevin Martin and Ron Artest were sidelined, no one expected the Kings to stay afloat... but they did. The injuries, if there's a silver lining, have gotten Beno Udrih to Sacramento and shown us how good John Salmons and Francisco Garcia can be, and have also allowed a showcase for Brad Miller's revived skill set.

How much of a revelation has John Salmons been this season?
Salmons went from 'mistake' to 'vital' real fast. His shooting has been the biggest shock, I'd say. He's also shown an ability to get to the rim regularly and finish well, but this is the first time in his career he's consistently knocked down a stepback mid-range shot or a catch-and-shoot three. If you told me three Kings would shoot 40% from three by midseason, I'd understand Martin and Garcia. I'd call you a liar if you mentioned Salmons.

How about Beno Udrih?
I'm still torn on Beno. He's been phenomenal (especially when you consider the woeful play before he came to town). But is he an above-average starting point guard in this league? If not, I wonder if his success might otherwise prevent the team from going out and getting a top-flight PG in the draft or free agency. But still, he's been great and has handled Mike Bibby's return well. He could use some more minutes, though.

Can the Kings be stout enough defensively to contend with this group of post players?
Inside defense has been the Kings overwhelming problem all season, and Nick Collison, Chris Wilcox and Kurt Thomas should have plenty of success. The flip, of course, comes with Sacramento's perimeter advantage. I'd predict Reggie Theus will go to his zone early and often, and dare the Sonics bigs to step out or the guards to shoot away (which Kevin Durant shouldn't have a problem doing).

What don't we know but should about the Kings?
Sonics fan know the game well, so they might know this, but: Brad Miller has had a sensational season. If you're expecting the slow, inactive, timid Miller of last season, think again. He still has defensive problems and he's not going to post anyone up frequently. But his shot has been smooth, his passing is coming back, he's rebounding as well as he has in four years, and he's rotating well enough on the pick-and-roll. You can't focus on the wings and ignore Miller, or he'll beat you.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/27 vs. Sacramento

2008-01-26T16:03:00.000-08:00

Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo and Sacramento's Reggie Theus are the only active NBA head coaches who went directly from the NCAA coaching ranks to their first NBA head-coaching job.

Opposing View - 1/25 vs. Atlanta

2008-01-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, Micah Hart of Hawks.com and the excellent Hawks BasketBlog talks about a possible playoff berth and more. Also see a nice feature on the current West Coast road trip. Sekou Smith of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution runs one of the best beat writer blogs in the league, so give it a look.

How important would it be for the Hawks to make the playoffs?
It'd be huge. You never want to be known as the franchise with the longest playoff drought, and after the Warriors made it last season that's exactly where we are. I think, even with the team's recent slide, they are in very good shape to make the postseason. The goal is to not only make the postseason, but try to avoid the #7 or #8 seed and a first-round match-up with the Celtics or Pistons. But I imagine we'll take what we can get.

What's been the difference for Bremerton native Marvin Williams in his third and best season?
His confidence. Marvin's always had the talent, but in the past he was reluctant to assert himself on the offensive end. This year he is looking for his shot more often, and his aggressiveness going to the basket has paid off as he gets to the free-throw line the second most on the team behind Josh Smith. Marvin has a bright, bright future in this league.

We've heard plenty about rookies here in Seattle. How is No. 3 pick Al Horford coming along?
Horford has been everything the team has asked for and more. He is a tenacious rebounder and an underrated scorer, and he definitely has the talent to be in the 20/10 range in his career. He doesn't get a ton of touches, but as he gets more comfortable with his repertoire of moves (he seems to get called for traveling once a game) he'll become a much bigger part of what the team does offensively. What impresses me the most about him is his basketball IQ. He rarely makes a bad decision, and he leads the break as well as (if not better than) any guard in the league. Much like Kevin Durant, he has the talent to play in several All-Star games in his career.

How much has Anthony Johnson's steady play at the point helped the Hawks?
AJ has been a revelation this season, and I'd say he's been every bit as important to the team's performance as anyone else on the roster. Pretty impressive for a guy who appeared to be the odd man out when the season began. The key to his play is his ability to avoid mistakes - currently he is fourth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.82, and while he isn't a big scorer he is enough of a threat to keep opposing teams honest. With injuries all around him at the point guard position, AJ has parlayed his minutes into some of the best basketball of his career.

What don't we know but should about the Hawks?
This team is talented enough to make some noise in the East, if they can ever put it all together. Even with the current losing skid, there is no doubt that given the right circumstances, they could pull off something similar to what the Warriors did last season in the West. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but confidence on a young team is a funny thing. Right now I don't think they believe they can go out and win every game they play, but if they could string together a few victories, anything is possible - just look what is happening in Portland. Maybe it won't happen this year, but if it does, just know that you heard it here first

Kia Surprising Stat - 1/25 vs. Atlanta

2008-01-24T22:29:00.000-08:00

Both the Sonics and Hawks saw their individual season high for scoring set in Seattle's 126-123 double-OT victory Nov. 16 at Philips Arena. Damien Wilkins scored 41 points to lead the Sonics, while Joe Johnson had 39 points for Atlanta.

Notebook: Carlesimo on Sene's Progress

2008-01-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

I didn't get to this last night, but Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo talked before the game with Houston about the progress of center Mouhamed Sene in the D-League with the Idaho Stampede.

"He's doing very, very well," said Carlesimo. "I talked to him when he was in Bakersfield or going to Bakersfield the other day. I think in the beginning he understood, but he probably didn't embrace it. I think being there now and getting the regular minutes, he really likes it. We've had a lot of guys on Sam (Presti)'s side go down - (Director of Pro Player Personnel) Billy Branch has been down, (Director of Basketball Technology) Paul (Rivers) has been down, (Assistant GM) Rich (Cho) has been down. I think we've got to get one of our guys (coaching staff) down right now (during the homestand) so we can see him."

Carlesimo said the Sonics have not discussed when to bring Sene back to the NBA.

"I think he's doing way more good there and it's doing way more good for him than it would be here," he said. I guess we've got to balance - we don't want him to forget everybody's name and stuff like that. It's really a good thing."

- Sonics center Robert Swift went through the entire practice with the team as he works his way back into action after lingering aftereffects of his ACL surgery sidelined him in mid-November. Swift has been doing some 1-on-0 drills, but this was the most extensively he has worked with the team since then. Swift went through the entire practice of just under an hour, including a shell drill and a live transition defense drill.

"He looked OK," said Carlesimo. "He showed a little bit of rust, but I think it's good news he didn't feel anything during it. It will also be interesting to see what he's like tomorrow and the next day."

The Sonics will continue to be cautious with Swift's rehabilitation as he progresses toward a return to game action.

- With the team healthy besides Swift, Carlesimo has had to make decisions on his rotation to leave it at a manageable number.

"I'm trying to play nine guys for the most part," he explained, "depending on foul trouble and depending on matchups."

At this point, Luke Ridnour has stepped into the role of backup point guard, with Wally Szczerbiak and Damien Wilkins coming off the bench on the wings and Chris Wilcox up front. However, that can be subject to change depending on matchups and foul trouble. Johan Petro played extended minutes in both matchups against Houston as Sonics big men got into foul trouble defending Yao Ming. Meanwhile, guard Delonte West matched up with Dallas' smaller backcourt on Saturday.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/23 vs. Houston

2008-01-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

The last time the Sonics played a home-and-home set was against the Los Angeles Clippers last February 28 and March 1. They lost at L.A. 96-91 before returning home to beat the Clippers 96-89.

Houston won Monday's first game of this home-and-home series 96-89.

(Moral of the story: Score 96 points and win!)

Carlesimo on KJR

2008-01-21T23:14:00.001-08:00

Tune in to hear Sonics Head Coach PJ Carlesimo talk about his team at the midway point of the season. Carlesimo will be on Mitch in the Morning on KJR 950 AM on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 8:15 a.m.

UPDATE: Listen to Carlesimo on with Mitch.

Opposing View: 1/21 at Houston

2008-01-21T01:12:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Damien Pierce, who does a great job of covering the team for Rockets.com, joins us today. In my preview, I touched on the key role played by Houston's draft picks, and that's the subject of Rockets.com's preview. Now, to the questions.

What does Tracy McGrady's return to the lineup mean to the team?
Obviously, it will probably take a few games for McGrady to regain his rhythm and get back in shape after a month-long layoff. But his presence alone certainly gives the Rockets a boost. He automatically commands attention on the perimeter, which should help open things up a little more for Yao Ming. That's really what the Rockets need from him. Over the past few games, the team has been trying to lean on Yao down the stretch, but they've had trouble getting the ball to him. With McGrady back, they'd have another option to finish games.

It doesn't seem like we've heard a lot about the Rockets defense, but statistically it's as good as any D save for Boston's. Does that fit what you're seeing from the defense?
The Rockets developed a reputation as one of the league's best defensive teams under Jeff Van Gundy. But since he's gone, I think the Rockets are getting less credit for their defensive effort. Obviously, the numbers suggest that's not fair. They have statistically remained one of the NBA's better defensive teams and have still won plenty of games this season relying on that. But with that said, I don't think they're perfect on defense. The Rockets have struggled with their transition defense in recent games. On Tuesday, they allowed Philadelphia to score 12 fast-break points in the fourth quarter. That's something that has to improve if the Rockets want to be considered one of the league's best.

Luis Scola has put together some big games but also seen his minutes fluctuate. Does he figure to play a bigger role for the Rockets as he adjusts to the NBA?
Luis Scola has had an up-and-down rookie campaign. He's shown flashes of what he could bring to the Rockets on a nightly basis, but like any rookie, he's spent much of his first season learning the NBA game. Scola is still figuring out how to play off Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming and is learning the rule differences between the NBA and international play. He has struggled at times to avoid foul trouble. But since he's a guy used to playing in offenses with a ton of movement, he's looked great whenever the Rockets are moving the ball. I suspect that he's going to become a greater asset as the season progresses.

What have you seen from Seattle native Aaron Brooks in January as he's seen increased minutes?
The kid can fly. Just ask Tracy McGrady. McGrady said about a week ago that he thought Brooks was the fastest player in the NBA. In any case, the Rockets first-round pick has made the most of his opportunity. He got a chance to play about three weeks ago because Rick Adelman was hoping the point guard would help Houston pick up the tempo and get easier baskets in transition. Brooks has done that and because of that, he's remained in the rotation. He's still got to improve his decision-making and the Rockets expect him to shoot a higher percentage. But his speed alone will keep him in the rotation.

What don't we know but should about the Rockets?
The Rockets have done a much better job of winning without Tracy McGrady. Before this season, the Rockets were 11-42 when they played without T-Mac over the past three seasons. So far, they're 7-7 without the star this season. How have they done it? Better offensive movement. In the past, the Rockets struggled to win without McGrady because so much of the offense depended on McGrady's ability to generate looks for everyone else. But since the team is beginning to get comfortable with Rick Adelman's high-motion scheme, the supporting cast is beginning to find scoring opportunities within the offense rather than through an individual.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/21 at Houston

2008-01-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

Rockets rookie Carl Landry had a streak of 11 consecutive field goals snapped Saturday against San Antonio. Landry had last missed on Dec. 9 against Toronto. In that game, Landry was 1-for-6 from the field against the Raptors; the rest of the season, he is 15-of-16 (93.8%).

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/19 at Dallas

2008-01-18T22:21:00.000-08:00

Sonics point guard Luke Ridnour has boosted his assist-to-turnover ratio recently. Through Dec. 19, Ridnour's assist-to-turnover ratio was just 1.61 (29 assists, 18 turnovers). Since then, however, Ridnour has handed out 27 assists against just five turnovers (5.4).

Durant Q&A

2008-01-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

While the Sonics were in New Orleans earlier this week, Hornets.com went 1-on-1 with Sonics rookie Kevin Durant. Check it out.

Hornets.com: Texas is currently ranked 19th in the country and the
college season is getting into conference play. Do you miss the excitement of the Big 12, March Madness, and college basketball in general?
Durant: You know, I more miss my teammates than anything else, man. That was a great experience for me and the atmosphere was just a great atmosphere to play in. But I just miss my teammates, just joking around with them and having fun with them every day.

Opposing View: 1/18 at Memphis

2008-01-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, we chat with Graham Kendrick of Grizzlies.com about a young Memphis squad. I also answered some questions for Graham about the Sonics.

3 Shades of Blue has done the best job blogging the Grizzlies on the Internets, including a recent theory that might explain the team's poor luck in close games this season. The Beale Street Blog provides another perspective on the Grizzlies. Also see Chris Herrington's Beyond the Arc Grizzlies blog.

Pau Gasol seems to have picked up his game lately. What's been the difference?
There’s a few factors that come into play here, beginning with health. Pau was dealing with nagging back and toe injuries through the first couple months of the season that really hampered him, but he’s shaken those off and appears to be healthy. But perhaps more than that is that he’s found his comfort zone in new head coach Marc Iavaroni’s system. Gasol mentioned just this week that he didn’t adapt to the new system as quickly as he would have liked, and the first couple of months of the season were spent trying to find his place in the offense. I also think he and Rudy Gay were trying to develop on-court chemistry in light of Gay’s explosion this season. That’s not to say there have been any issues between them, far from it. But Gasol and Gay had to figure out how to work off of each other, and they seem to be doing a much better job of that. For instance, they combined for 49 points and 21 rebounds in the team’s last game, an overtime loss to Cleveland on Tuesday. I think the numbers you see Gasol putting up this month are much more indicative of what he’ll do for the rest of the season than the numbers he put up in November and December.

Mike Conley has moved into the starting lineup in January. Are you seeing the flashes of brilliance and occasional rough patches from him to be expected of a point guard so obviously talented but also so inexperienced?
Right now the good is far outweighing the bad with Mike Conley. Perhaps one of the biggest compliments you can pay him right now is that you don’t even think about the fact he’s only 20 years old when you watch him play. When you consider that in the last four years he’s won three state titles in high school then went to the NCAA title game as a freshman starter, all of a sudden a midseason NBA game doesn’t seem so daunting. Mike’s biggest asset is his speed. He’s perfect for the up-tempo game Iavaroni has preached since his hiring, and he can get into the lane at will, where he’s adept at finishing. But on top of that, he plays in control, and has a knack for finding his teammates in the right spots at the right times. If there are any areas of concern, it’s that he’s still fairly slender, and bigger point guards can give him trouble. Furthermore, the knock on him coming out of college was a shaky shot, and while he’s been a solid shooter thus far, he needs to keep knocking them down to keep defenses from sagging and waiting for his dribble penetration. But all in all, he’s been as good as advertised.

When you look at the development of Rudy Gay between his first and second seasons, what stands out?
There’s a few things that stand out, most notably a much-improved three-point shot that’s added another dimension to his game. Gay is now hurting teams inside and out. In fact, our intrepid PR department tells me he’s the only player in the NBA who has both at least 50 three-pointers made and dunks. Along with his outside shot, another reason for his improvement is his decision-making. As a rookie last season, too often he was tentative. He’d get the ball, and would overthink everything, trying not to mess up rather than just do what came naturally to him. There was no flow to his game, it was paralysis by analysis. But this season, that’s gone. He’s much more decisive with the ball, but more importantly, that decisiveness usually produces positive results.

Who's the best shooter on the Grizzlies - Mike Miller or Juan Carlos Navarro?
That’s like asking who you prefer watching between Ichiro and Felix Hernandez, you can’t go wrong either way. Right now the edge goes to Mike Miller, who’s been consistently good all season and is making 42.9% of his three-point attempts. Navarro’s been a bit up and down this year, which is to be expected as an NBA rookie making the transition from the Spanish league, but when he’s locked in, he’s fun to watch. Despite being a little undersized for the two-guard spot at 6-3, Navarro doesn’t need much room to get his shot off because his release is so fast, and he doesn’t necessarily need to set his feet. He’s made lots of his threes on the run or off-balance, and sometimes you just have to shake your head at some of the shots he makes. Plus, and this has to count for something, his nickname of La Bomba (which is actually a reference to his patented running floater in the lane) has to be one of the best monikers in the league.

What don't we know but should about the Grizzlies?
What sticks out is an almost unbelievable record in games decided by three points or less: 1-9. It’s been amazing how this team just can’t catch a break in close games. Whether it’s been buzzer-beaters, poor execution or just bad luck, it seems like every time the Grizzlies are in a close game, something bad happens to them down the stretch. I suppose you can look at it two ways: a glass half-full person would say this is a young team hanging in and still learning how to close out games. A glass half-empty person would contend it’s a team that doesn’t know how to finish. As with most things in life, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. But sooner or later you have to think the team will start pulling those close one out.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/18 at Memphis

2008-01-18T09:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight's game will be, as noted by the Memphis Commercial Appeal, a celebration of rookies. Of the seven NBA rookies averaging at least 23.8 minutes per game, four will be on the court tonight: Sonics Kevin Durant (33.2 mpg, first) and Jeff Green (24.9 mpg, fifth) and Memphis' Mike Conley, Jr. (24.8 mpg, sixth) and Juan Carlos Navarro (23.8 mpg, seventh).

D-League Update: 1/17/08

2008-01-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

With your humble blogger back in Seattle, the D-League Showcase wrapped up this evening and the host Idaho Stampede closed things out with a 117-93 blowout victory over the "home" team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. That's the 11th straight win for the Stampede, who have not lost since the Sonics assigned center Mouhamed Sene to Idaho.

Sene played a big role in tonight's win. In 28 minutes of action, Sene made all six of his shot attempts, scoring 14 points. He grabbed 13 rebounds, blocked three shots and even picked up an assist and a steal before fouling out.

Here's what Matt Wurst had to say about Sene in the "Scouting the Showcase" blog on the D-League's Web site:

"One of the eight remaining NBA assignees, Sene is a second-year forward with the Sonics and one of the best raw athletes we have seen here in four days. He spent some time in the D-League last season, but has really improved since then. Very powerful around the rim, Sene also rebounds and blocks shots like an NBA player.

"After three quarters, he has 14 points and 13 rebounds and is a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor. I also think he just pulled a rebound off the top of the backboard. Not sure if he left change up there, though."

Thanks for the scouting report, Matt, though I think Todd Gallagher has some thoughts on making change off the backboard for you.

NBA Names Sonics Retailer of the Year

2008-01-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

NBA NAMES SONICS RETAILER OF THE YEAR
January 17, 2008

SEATTLE - The Seattle SuperSonics are the NBA’s Retailer of the Year for the 2006-07 season. The team was chosen for being a leader in NBA retail best practices such as personalized jersey kiosks , guest care, store layout and pricing.

The Sonics were also recognized for having strong merchandise per capita sales figures, NBA secret shopping scores, new promotions such as the Extreme Fan Makeover and Featured Items of the Week, selection of NBA-licensed products, merchandising in the arena and the store and an increase in visits.

“We are honored the NBA has selected the Seattle Sonics retail operation as the NBA's Retailer of the Year,” said John Croley, the Sonics & Storm Vice President of Facility Sales and Services. “Awards like this are not won without a lot of hard work and dedication from outstanding employees. I congratulate our Director of Merchandising, Jeremy Owen, for his management, oversight and leadership of our merchandising operation and his team of employees. Our goal in our retail operation is to serve our fans. Being recognized as the best in the league is an added bonus.”

NBA Retailer of the Year Award history:

2001-02 AEG – L.A. Clippers and L.A. Lakers
2002-03 Miami Heat
2003-04 Indiana Pacers
2004-05 Detroit Pistons
2005-06 Miami Heat
2006-07 Seattle Sonics

The Sonics have continued retail success this year, as earlier in the week the NBA announced Kevin Durant’s jersey is 11th on the Most Popular Jersey List.

Opposing View: 1/16 at New Orleans

2008-01-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com helped build this format with his own "Rival Reports," and I answered some questions for their site while Jim was kind enough to return the favor. Also see Hornets.com's preview and be sure to check out the fine Hornets 24/7 blog.

This game kicks off a five-game homestand for the Hornets. How important is this stretch in the battle for playoff position in the tight Western Conference?
It’s important for several reasons. On paper, this five-game stretch includes four opponents with losing records. Although the Hornets have done an excellent job overall of beating the teams they “should” beat this season, they’ve had a couple surprising stumbles at home. On Nov. 26, New Orleans lost to Minnesota here – still the Timberwolves only road win of the season. A week earlier, the Hornets lost to Indiana. The Pacers are definitely no pushover, but they’re below .500.

Secondly, New Orleans is only 10-7 at home and needs to play better here, regardless of the opponent. At 25-12 overall, the Hornets have exceeded just about all outside expectations, but they need to establish more of a homecourt advantage. As everyone knows, you can’t be very successful in the NBA if you can’t take care of business at home. This group has not been to the playoffs yet, but if they qualify in 2008, they’re going to need to be a better home team to have a chance to advance.

Lastly, this stretch could be a memorable one for Byron Scott, who will coach the All-Star team if the Hornets finish with the best record in the Western Conference at the Feb. 3 cut-off date. It looks like Chris Paul will be in that game; I’d love to see Scott join him, especially since NBA All-Star Weekend is being held here in New Orleans.

How much has it helped the Hornets to have the bench step up the last couple of games?
The starting five has played so well this season that it has compensated for a lot of inconsistency from the bench. But I think everyone realizes that the starters can’t be expected to carry the load and play 40-plus minutes all season, so any contribution from the reserves is encouraging. Bobby Jackson, a Sixth Man of the Year winner with Sacramento, has had a below-average season by his standards, but went 9-for-9 from the field (7-for-7 on treys) vs. Miami on ESPN last week. Jannero Pargo has also played better recently. Those guys, combined with recent returns from injury by Ryan Bowen (sprained knee) and Melvin Ely (fractured eye socket) have people optimistic that we’ll see noticeable improvements from the second unit soon.

Is buzz building in the Big Easy for next month's All-Star Game, especially with Chris Paul likely to make an appearance?
Our fans are excited about getting to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to host All-Star Weekend. It’s the first time the NBA’s midseason showcase event has been held in New Orleans, so I think a lot of people are looking forward to being the focus of the basketball world. From the team’s standpoint, the chance for there to be an international spotlight on the city of New Orleans for several days will be tremendous, as we continue to emphasize the need for people to contribute to the Gulf South region’s revitalization.

Has David West's play been overshadowed to some extent by the spotlight on Paul?
The short answer to that is “yes,” but I think West actually prefers it that way. Many have tried, but many have failed to get West to talk about himself and his individual success. He’s one of those players who is described as “underrated” so frequently by opposing team broadcasters that I can’t imagine he will remain that way much longer. The main thing that will make West more of a well-known name around the NBA is a playoff appearance. He has been in the postseason only once in his previous four years, but that was as a second-string rookie on a 2003-04 Hornets club filled with veterans. Other than avid NBA fans, there are a lot of people out there who haven’t had a chance to see West since his breakout 2005-06 season, when he was second in the Most Improved Player voting. In addition to a three-year absence from the playoffs, the Hornets haven’t been on national TV much during the regular season.

What don't we know about the Hornets but should?
I don’t know if you “should” know this, but Hornets veterans have come up with a very creative way to introduce the club’s two rookies to the NBA. Like many rooks, at the beginning of the season Julian Wright and Adam Haluska were assigned the important task of bringing donuts to practice. Unfortunately for Wright and Haluska, they were not carrying out this duty to the satisfaction of some of the older players – occasionally forgetting to bring the tasty baked goods – so punishment was in order. Earlier in the season, Wright and Haluska were carrying pink “My Little Princess” backpacks around with them on the road as part of their rookie initiation. After their donut-related slip-ups, however, you can now occasionally spot them in the New Orleans Arena pushing around pink strollers, with baby dolls in the seats. Haluska, who has been sidelined with a sprained ankle, was asked about his stroller during halftime of a recent game. The good-natured Haluska laughed about it, telling Hornets TV host Jordy Hultberg that “(Hornets veterans) even gave me a baby for the stroller!”

Just to clarify: Adam was talking about a doll, not a real infant.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/16 at New Orleans

2008-01-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

The Sonics have been getting effective rebounding from their big men recently. The Sonics PR Department notes either Nick Collison or Kurt Thomas has pulled down at least 10 rebounds in each of the last 11 games. In four of those games, they’ve both grabbed 10+ rebounds.

Live From Boise ...

2008-01-15T22:13:00.000-08:00

Hello from Boise, Idaho, where I spent the afternoon and evening at the D-League Showcase. All 14 D-League teams have come together here in Boise to play two games apiece starting Monday and ending Thursday. I popped my head back in Qwest Arena well after tonight's action was over and saw a neat sight - all 14 teams gathering on the court for a group picture.

I overheard another writer describe the Showcase as "summer league in the winter," and that's not a bad way to explain it - albeit without the allure of top draft picks and other young NBA players. (And without the warmth - it is cold here.) The arena is crawling with scouts and members of NBA front offices. Former Sonics Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff is here, and I swear I saw an incognito Gregg Popovich. I also spotted Sonics Director of Player Personnel Bill Branch.

Qwest Arena is a neat venue, and a unique one at that. There is no concourse per se; the walkway is inside the arena, so fans never are away from being able to see the action. There's just one row of courtside seats on each side of the court, and the rest of the space is taken up by tables surrounded by chairs where groups of fans can get together to chat and take in the game. The most unconventional feature is that the arena is built into the neighboring Grove Hotel. Some of the rooms open up into the arena, a la the Skydome in Toronto. How closely connected are the hotel and the arena? Well, I was able to make it from my seat on press row to my room and back in less than two minutes of game action.

There's a Sonics slant to the presentation of these games, with former co-worker Pat Walker producing the Showcase. Sonics basketballs are being used in some of the in-game contests, and the Dunking Ushers showed off for the crowd at halftime of tonight's final game.

The headline story in the Idaho Statesman today about the Showcase was titled "Everyone has a story," and plenty of those stories include, at least tangentally, the Sonics. There are names I recognize from ties to the Sonics, whether it was playing for a summer-league squad (Will Blalock, Tony Bobbitt, Elton Brown and Kaniel Dickens) or making an appearance in training camp (Eddie Gill, Darryl Watkins). Jelani McCoy is playing for the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Idaho's Randy Livingston has spent two stints in Seattle, including last April. Desmon Farmer also spent time with the Sonics last year. It's actually probably surprising there aren't more Seattle guys here, but Roosevelt High's Marcus Williams is playing for the Austin Toros.

The marquee game of the night was, naturally, the hometown Idaho Stampede facing the visiting Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Stampede got a scare in the end, but held on for a 93-89 victory, their 10th in a row. Idaho is 11-0 at Qwest Arena this season, and at 15-5 second in the D-League overall.

Sonics center Mouhamed Sene put together a strong performance off the bench for the Stampede, helping them take the lead in the second quarter and build it after halftime. In 21 minutes of play, Sene had 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked four shots. His size really changed the game.

Opposing View: 1/14 vs. L.A. Lakers

2008-01-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, Ty Nowell of Lakers.com talks about a Lakers team that has been rolling lately. I also answered a few questions on the Sonics for the excellent Lakers.com Basketblog. Don't forget to give a look to Lakers blog Forum Blue and Gold.

What's been the difference for the Lakers during this recent hot stretch?
The easiest answer is Andrew Bynum, but more than anything the Lakers have won 16 out of 19 by playing great team basketball. That might sound crazy to the casual NBA observer that has gotten used to a “Kobe and four other guys” style of play the past couple of years, but it’s true. Kobe still gets his, but if you look at the score sheet you’ll usually see four to six guys scoring double digits. Making the extra pass seems like a small thing, but has made a big difference for the Purple & Gold and shows a level of trust that wasn’t there last season.

The team concept has also carried over to the defensive end where the Lakers are currently 7th in defensive efficiency after finishing last season 21st. The combo of Derek Fisher & Jordan Farmar at point guard has solidified a position that has been an albatross for LA since (coincidently) Fish left. While neither is known as a great defender, they’ve got the job done night in and night out.

Where is Andrew Bynum in his development?
Andrew Bynum has made great strides, but really he’s still just scratching the surface of what he can be. Last year he made a significant jump from his rookie year, but faded down the stretch due to poor conditioning. This year he’s made another big jump mostly due to a great work ethic that included him hiring his own personal trainer and daily work over the summer with Kurt Rambis and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

He’s physique has gone from one of an oversized boy to a chiseled young man. More than anything, he’s just figuring it out. He’s starting to realize the importance of position down low, how he can use his length to gain an advantage, and how to be a force on the defensive end without getting in foul trouble.

Expectations continue to rise, but Bynum just turned 20 before the season started so we’re a long way from seeing his best. That’s a scary thought. A collective holding of the breath occurred last night as Bynum went down last night. Results of his MRI are pending.

For more on Drew, check out our feature story on him.

How has Trevor Ariza helped the Lakers since coming over in a trade?
When the Trevor Ariza for Brian Cook & Mo Evans deal was made most people thought it was just a way for the Lakers to shed some money down the line, but now it’s being viewed as a full -lown steal on LA’s side. Fans have fallen in love with Trevor’s vast athleticism and willingness to finish strong around the rim. He also brings an ability to guard athletic wing players, freeing up Kobe to do the other things he’s so good at. While the triangle offense is notorious for taking a substantial amount of time to learn, Ariza has fit in with little problem. Phil has started rotating him and Luke Walton at the starting small forward spot depending on the matchups.

How much noise can this team make in the postseason?
As constructed the Lakers have a shot at making a lot of noise in the playoffs (assuming Bynum’s injury isn’t too bad), but everyone remains optimistically cautious being that we’ve still got 3+ months left in the regular season. The first-round losses to Phoenix the past two years have taught this group a lot about the difference between the regular season and the postseason. The depth of the team becomes somewhat nullified in the playoffs when the rotations tighten up, but the Lakers will have someone on the bench for just about situation. Derek Fisher has been great for this team already and I expect him to have an even bigger impact in the playoffs as a guy that’s seen everything the post-season has to offer. Plus, you’ve always got Kobe Bryant, so anything is possible.

What don't we know about the Lakers but should?
The Lakers had almost an identical record at this time last season, but that was aided by an easy schedule featuring a large number of home games. Because of the Grammys being held at STAPLES Center, the Lakers will embark on a nine-game, 16-day road trip starting January 31 and lasting all the way till the All-Star break. How they emerge from that trip will tell us a lot about where this Lakers team really is. Also, after the Ariza trade the Lakers are the second youngest team in the league, so optimism in the present and for the future and the present is pretty high in Lakers land.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/14 vs. L.A. Lakers

2008-01-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

The Lakers have reduced their reliance on scoring from All-Star guard Kobe Bryant this season, but that's also made them more dangerous when Bryant has had big nights. They are 11-2 this season when Bryant has topped the 30-point mark. One of those 11 wins came Nov. 27 against the Sonics, when he finished with 35 points on 12-of-22 shooting.

Wilcox, Ridnour Set to Return

2008-01-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

After missing the last four games with a dislocated right pinky finger, Chris Wilcox is expected to return to the lineup Monday when the Sonics host the Los Angeles Lakers. Wilcox, who has played just six minutes in the last six games (a sprained left knee preceded his dislocated finger), went through a full practice with the team on Sunday. So too did Luke Ridnour, who has played just once in the last eight games due to an ongoing quad injury. Barring a setback tomorrow morning, both should be available against the Lakers.

"I really didn't feel too much - just getting hit on it and that," said Wilcox. "The day went good. I got my wind up a little bit, so I should be straight for tomorrow."

Going through a full practice was valuable for conditioning for both Wilcox and Ridnour, and Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo was pleasantly surprised at the shape they were in. As far as how they played, Carlesimo's observation was that Wilcox was more affected than Ridnour. Wilcox will play with his right pinky and ring fingers "buddy taped" together to protect the pinky from dislocating again.

"There were a couple of plays where he didn't catch it or didn't rebound it where he normally would," Carlesimo said. "You're also watching a little more carefully because of that, but you can see that the thing will bother him in some things."

While he's confident he'll be alright, Wilcox sees how the tape could be a problem.

"Just think about it - now you're shooting with two of your fingers together," he said. "Especially your last two fingers, because that's basically where you get the grip on the ball, coming down with rebounds and things like that."

He joked that the main adjustment would be throwing the ball in on dunks without grabbing the rim, which could be a problem for his finger.

Wilcox's return may be particularly well-timed because Sonics big man Nick Collison missed Sunday's practice with a right quad contusion.

"He did something late in the game the other night and then, when we put him back in, it kinda bothered him," said Carlesimo.

"He couldn't really go up and down. He said it feels good laterally but couldn't run, so obviously he couldn't go."

Collison hasn't been ruled out for Monday's game, leaving his status day-to-day. Which player starts at power forward will be determined by their respective health, though Carlesimo indicated he'd lean toward Collison because he has been starting up front alongside Kurt Thomas.

Thomas' practice time was limited, as it has been much of the season, but with Ridnour and Wilcox back on the court the Sonics still had enough players (10) for a full practice. Thomas was also on the court as the Sonics went through the Lakers offense. It was important to be able to go 5-on-5 because it allowed the Sonics to work on their offense, which has slumped over the last few games.

Since the calendar turned to 2008, the Sonics have shot 38.7% from the field and averaged 88.9 points per 100 possessions. For the season, their Offensive Rating is 100.2 points per 100 possessions. In Carlesimo's opinion, the drop-off starts with the team getting less from its transition offense and continues from there.

"We haven't run hard or consistently," he said, "so not only are we not getting shots from the first six, eight, 10 seconds from transition, which is really important to us, but we're basically wasting six, eight, 10 seconds and now we're trying to get into a halfcourt set, so instead of at 10, we're trying to get into it at 14 or 16. Even then, we've been slow getting into it. When we make a call, we're either not communicating it well or we're not getting into it well.

"So we worked on one, running and attacking and doing more in transition; two, when (the point guards) call a play, that we get into it a lot more quickly than we have been getting into it and that we run it more crisply."

The numbers support Carlesimo's contention that his team has not pushed the ball consistently. Of the eight slowest-paced Sonics games this season, six have come in the last nine games, including each of the last two.

"We ran better by a hundred-fold today during practice than we have during any of our games," Carlesimo said. "We've had games where we've run consistently; we've just stopped doing it."

Carlesimo doesn't fault point guards Earl Watson and Delonte West for the lack of fast-break production, but getting Ridnour in the lineup may help the team get running. Pushing the ball is more of a strength of his game.

Overall, Carlesimo was pleased with his team's effort today.

"We had a very good practice considering what it was like (with injuries), he said. "They went hard. They did a good job. We got stuff accomplished."

D-League Update: 1/10/08

2008-01-10T17:23:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since we checked in on young Sonics center Mouhamed Sene in Boise, where he is playing for the Idaho Stampede. The Stampede hosted games last Friday and Saturday, winning both to extend their winning streak to seven games. Idaho is 5-0 with Sene in the lineup.

Last Friday's game was Sonics Affiliate Night. Once a year, each NBA team is celebrated by their D-League affiliate, which wears the NBA team's jerseys and has promotions tied to the Sonics. As you can see below, Squatch made the trek to Boise to dazzle Stampede fans with his acrobatics. (All photos by Otto Kitsinger/Idaho Stampede.)

Sene had six points and 10 rebounds on Sonics Affiliate Night. The next evening, he posted 15 points and nine boards in 30 minutes of action.

Sene's averages: 11.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 53.8% shooting

Squatch leaps high in the air to dunk.

Idaho Head Coach Bryan Gates leads a team huddle. Former Sonics guard Randy Livingston is at left, one-time Gonzaga star Cory Violette at right.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/11 vs. Dallas

2008-01-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

Mavericks center Erick Dampier has set a Mavericks record by making his last 14 shot attempts. His accurate shooting has improved Dampier's field-goal percentage for the season to 68.8%. While he doesn't officially qualify for the NBA's leaderboard because he has not made enough field goals, Dampier is on pace to post the second-best field-goal percentage in NBA history, minimum 100 field-goal attempts.

Wilt Chamberlain's 72.7% shooting in 1972-73 is the only time in league history a regular player has made at least 70% of his shots. Chamberlain's 68.35 accuracy in 1966-67 currently ranks second all time.

Opposing View: 1/9 at New Jersey

2008-01-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. NJNets.com's Matt McQueeny answered our questions on the team. Check out Matt's blog for more inside info on the Nets. Also give a look to the JoeNetsFan blog and NetsDaily.com as well as the always-entertaining blog by Dave D'Alessandro of The Star-Ledger.

Is there any chance, with the kind of streak he's on, that Jason Kidd could average a triple-double?
Logic would probably question that if he hadn't done it in the 13 previous years of his career, how - at nearly 35 years old - could he do it now? But logic and cliches and what is supposed to be don't really apply with this guy. He is literally one of a kind, a once-a-generation talent in both mind and body, and a guy who has shown there are no concessions because of injury - remember, he had microfracture surgery three years ago - and certainly no concessions to age. In some ways you could say he has gotten better. The guy just notched his third consecutive triple-double, something that hasn't been done in over a decade. He now has 10 for the season. In just 33 games! He had 12 all of last season - which is a career high. He is now just three away from 100 for his career. So will he average a triple-double, something that has only been done by Oscar Robertson? Probably not. But with this guy, why not? Last season - thought of as one his best - saw him average 13 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.2 rebounds. Somehow, he was bettering those numbers so far this season. Going into tonight's game against Charlotte, he was at 11.4 points, 10.7 assists, and 8.8 rebounds. That's nearly nine boards for a guy listed at 6-4. It's mind boggling.

I didn't realize until looking at the numbers that Richard Jefferson is sixth in the league in scoring. Should we be hearing more about him?
You should be hearing more about him. In fact more people should; the last i looked at the all-star returns, RJ was not even in the top 10 Eastern Conference forwards. He doesn't mind though. He is just happy to be healthy again and playing with the full complement of athletic abilities and explosion. after a year of injuries, most notably to his ankle He is probably not a player best suited to the role of THE primary option though he can carry a team for periods and has truly done so this season. Nestled with Kidd and Carter, he is a potent threat. He is the Nets best transition player playing alongside Kidd and, in the half court, has really become proficient at barrelling towards the hoop and finding his way to the line. He is second in the league in free-throws made per game and fourth in attempts per game. He has a pretty relialbe mid-range jumper and can hit the three. And he is a winner. After leaving college following his junior season- straight from the National Championship Game - he has been to the playoffs every year of his NBA career (all with Nets, of course).

When he gets back in rhythm, what will Marcus Williams bring the Nets?
Marcus had a great summer of hard work. He played exceptionally in the Orlando Summer League and worked all off-season to become a better player. He showed spurts of what he could be last year but had the double-whammy of being a rookie at a position like point guard and being a rookie point guard backing up one of the greatest who has ever played your position. Then just on cusp of training camp, a broken bone was found in Williams' foot, one that required surgery and what turned out to be 10 weeks of rest and rehabilitation. So, that really sets him back. Plus, Darrell Armstrong - whom the Nets picked up in training camp when Marcus went down - has been a real spark of late and has moved for the time being into the backup spot. As Marcus continues to work and progress, however, he is a guy who has a real intuitive sense in the passing game and the offensive ability to consistently knock down shots.

Is it up to the young guys, Josh Boone and Sean Williams, to bring New Jersey regular production up front?
For now, they have stepped up to the challenge. As young players playing alongside Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson they are just being told to be themselves. They are live bodies on the offensive and defensive end, they can really finish around the rim, and they can get out and run, a great thing when you have Kidd leading the break. In the pick-n-roll game, they are really opening up the floor and creating a threat that opponents must recognize. Williams is a little more above the rim, Boone more crafty around the rim. And Williams, of course, is a real weapon on the defensive end. They have injected energy and spark and have been the best suited complement to date to the three stars. It is up to them for the time being, but Nenad Krstic will be back. He hopes to be practicing again with the team sometime this month. That should only help all of the parties involved.

What don't we know about the Nets but should?
Richard Jefferson is as good as his numbers currently show and Jason Kidd is not slowing down.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/9 at New Jersey

2008-01-08T22:33:00.000-08:00

When it comes to rebounding, the month of January agrees with Sonics big man Nick Collison. Collison has grabbed at least 14 rebounds in all three games the Sonics have played in 2008 so far.

Last January, Collison averaged 11.1 rebounds per game - 1.7 more than in any other month of the 2006-07 season.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/8 at Cleveland

2008-01-07T20:57:00.000-08:00

The Cavaliers and Sonics are two of the nine NBA teams who boast multiple players averaging at least eight rebounds per game. For the Sonics, those are Kurt Thomas (9.9 rpg) and Nick Collison (8.5 rpg).

Cleveland is the only NBA team with three players averaging more than eight boards: Zydrunas Ilgauskas (9.8 rpg), Drew Gooden (9.1 rpg) and Anderson Varejao (8.2 rpg).

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/6 at Washington

2008-01-04T21:53:00.001-08:00

With his lone assist Thursday at Phoenix, Sonics point guard Luke Ridnour moved into a tie with Dick Snyder for 10th in franchise history in career assists (1,607). Ridnour's next assist will move him into sole possession of 10th place.

Next on the list: Detlef Schrempf (1,652), just 45 assists away.

Opposing View: 1/3 at Phoenix

2008-01-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Tonight, Brad G. Faye represents the team at Suns.com in discussing their division-leading squad. Arizona Republic beat writer Paul Coro blogs on the Suns, including an entry on Kurt Thomas' return to Phoenix. Also see the Bright Side of the Sun blog.

How is Grant Hill fitting in with the Suns?
As expected, Grant Hill is fitting in great both on and off the court. I don’t think either has come as much of a surprise as everybody knows the kind of player he can be when healthy. The one element of his game which has been a pleasant surprise, though, has been his defense. I remember earlier on in his career watching all those great highlights above the rim, but never knew he was as good a defender as he is. That ability has come in handy on a few occasions, particularly in that win at San Antonio.

Has the play of the other major newcomer, Brian Skinner, in replacing Kurt Thomas been a pleasant surprise?
We knew heading into the season that Kurt Thomas isn’t a player or a person you can replace. But for a guy added to the roster as recently as training camp, Brian Skinner has been fantastic. A lot of people thought he would just fill in as a big body for Mike D'Antoni, but like Hill, he is a lot better defender than people give him credit for. Skinner’s laidback personality fits in perfectly with this ballclub and he’s a key reason why we’re among the top teams in the league when it comes to blocked shots.

After back-to-back playoff series and two Lakers wins this year, is it fair to call the Lakers and Suns a rivalry?
If anything, these past two seasons have simply reminded everybody what a great rivalry the Suns and Lakers have. The history between these ballclubs dates back to the days of Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins and Paul Westphal. From then all the way up to today, each has been playing for something every time they step onto the court regardless of what their record may have been.

As you celebrate the franchise's 40th Anniversary, where does beating the Sonics in the 1993 Western Conference Finals rank in the top memories in team history?
In an ideal world I’d be talking about how beating the Bulls was more memorable, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. When the NBA underwent its divisional restructure a few seasons back, I remember being bothered by the fact we would no longer be playing in the Pacific with the Sonics. The two teams have shared a lot of great memories, not only from those 1993 Western Conference Finals, but also in 1976 when we eliminated the Sonics en route to the NBA Finals.

(Editor's note: Worth remembering that the Sonics beat the Suns in the 1979 Western Conference Finals on their way to the NBA championship.)

What don't we know about the Suns but should?
This again will serve as proof to how much history the Suns and Sonics share, but our franchise’s first-ever game actually took place against Seattle. Not to rub it in or anything, but the final result was a 116-107 Suns victory.

Kia Surprising Stat: 1/3 at Phoenix

2008-01-02T23:00:00.001-08:00

The Suns are on pace to set a new NBA record for lowest offensive rebound percentage ... for the third straight season.

Prior to the 2005-06 Suns, no team had ever rebounded fewer than 23% of available missed shots. The Suns shattered that, rebounding only 22.1% of their misses. Last year that mark dropped to 21.2%, and this year Phoenix is at 20.5% - threatening the never-before broken 20% floor.

As a general principle, the Suns eschew offensive rebound opportunities in favor of getting back quickly on defense. It hasn't seemed to hurt their offense much.

Sonics Getting Healthy

2008-01-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

Quick update, practice at The Furtado Center having ended and the Sonics on their way to the airport to travel to Phoenix.

Guards Kevin Durant and Luke Ridnour both went through practice today and are expected to play tomorrow in Phoenix. Durant had his sprained left index finger taped to his middle finger for half of practice and post-practice drills, but shed the protective glove he wore on Monday when he was unable to play against Philadelphia.

Forward Chris Wilcox sat out, giving his sprained left knee another day to recover. Coach P.J. Carlesimo described Wilcox as "possible" for tomorrow's game.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/31 vs. Philadelphia

2007-12-31T10:08:00.000-08:00

The Sonics have played on New Year's Eve each of the last three years and will host a game on New Year's Eve for the third straight year tonight. The Sonics are 2-1 in those games, 1-1 at home, and 2-2 all-time on New Year's Eve. Their only Dec. 31 game before the last three years came in the inaugural 1967-68 season, when the Sonics lost 40 years ago tonight in San Francisco, 126-124.

D-League Update: 12/30/07

2007-12-30T19:58:00.001-08:00

Time to check in on Mouhamed Sene in the D-League, where he is playing for the Idaho Stampede.

Assigned to Idaho a week ago, Sene has played three games - all of them Stampede victories. Idaho has won five straight games to improve to 10-5, which leads the Western Division and ranks second in the D-League overall.

Against Bakersfield on Wednesday, Sene scored eight points and had four rebounds. On Friday, he played a season-high 31 minutes and blocked seven shots, scoring nine points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Last night, in the second straight matchup with Anaheim, Sene had his best offensive game - 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including 5-of-6 from the free-throw line - and added eight boards.

Sene's averages: 11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game on 63.2% shooting.

UPDATE: This is great. Listen to the call of Sene blocking not one, not two but three shots on one possession on Saturday. Thanks to Mark Snider, the Stampede's play-by-play broadcaster, for passing that along.

Also, it's worth noting that you can watch Stampede home games live or on-demand through the team's Web site.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/29 vs. Minnesota

2007-12-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

When the Timberwolves defeated Indiana 131-118 last Friday, it was not only the second-highest point total in franchise history but also the most points Minnesota had surrendered in a victory since Feb. 17, 1992, in a 124-122 OT win over Houston.

TrueHoop on Team Sites

2007-12-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

Kurt of Forum Blue and Gold, guest-blogging on TrueHoop this week, had a post today on the evolving role of team sites I wanted to direct people towards - not because SUPERSONICS.COM and this blog get a lengthy mention. Well, OK, not just because of that.

Seriously, it's a great post by Kurt on a development that has caused me to take notice. Several more sites have added full-time writers, like Matt McQueeny in New Jersey and Art Garcia (formerly of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram) in Dallas. Other sites are, like us, making greater use of video and other multimedia to tell stories in new, interesting ways.

I hope the Opposing View pregame features have helped give readers an idea of the fine content that is appearing on official sites across the league.

Opposing View: 12/27 vs. Boston

2007-12-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, Peter Stringer of Celtics.com stops by to chat about the league's fastest-starting team. Check out Celtics.com's preview of tonight's game.

The Celtics blogosphere was thriving before the team's record caught up. CelticsBlog is empire as much as blog at this point, a true leader. Other fine blogs include Celtics17, Celtics 24/7, Full Court Press and Red's Army.

Now on to Peter's answers. The following opinions are those of the author only and do not necessarily represent those of the Boston Celtics.

Can you describe the kind of emotional roller coaster Celtics fans have been on over the past 12 months?
In the span of just a few months, we went from the lowest of lows on Draft Lottery night to the highest of highs when the Kevin Garnett deal was finalized. We’d spent all spring thinking about what a guy like Kevin Durant would look like alongside Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson and Delonte West, and suddenly we’re thinking that we got stuck with the worst possible outcome with the #5 pick in the draft. Of course, we know now that without that twist of fate we wouldn’t be talking about the Celtics as an instant title contender. The NBA moves in mysterious ways. ...

To me, the most surprising aspect of the fast start for the Celtics has been the team's defense. Where does the credit go for the league's stingiest defense?
It all starts with KG, who’s easily the best defender I’ve ever seen in a Celtics uniform. I’m too young to have watched Bill Russell, but Garnett’s impact can not be overstated. He might be the best big in the league at defending the pick-and-roll, the basic staple of NBA offense. But perhaps more important than any X-and-O execution is the intensity and credibility KG brings to the table. There’s a culture of defense and accountability that started on Day 1 of Training Camp in Rome, and you get the real sense that it comes from KG’s presence. Additionally, Assistant Coach Tom Thibodeau is one of the most hands-on assistants in the league and is very particular about what he expects on the floor. The team has bought in to a defensive philosophy and it’s paid off.

The bench has also exceeded expectations. How?
People questioned this team’s depth before the season, but if anything the bench has shown that it can not only protect a lead but extend it. Doc Rivers leaves either Ray Allen or Paul Pierce on the floor at all times to play with the second unit, so there’s never a dearth of scoring. But the biggest key to me is that guys have accepted and embraced their roles on the bench, and that comes from having veteran guys who know exactly how they can be most effective. Young players typically want to prove that they should be starting, whereas veterans seem to focus on just doing what they do best when called upon.

Since there have been so many lopsided wins this season, is Boston still learning how to play in close games?
Critics will point to the home loss to the Pistons and say that the Celtics can’t win a close game, and to be fair, that was probably the only game this year where the team appeared to lose its composure at times during the second half. But this team is loaded with veterans who know how to execute and in the NBA, games come down to execution more often than not. And the best part about blowing teams out is that our starters have been able to play short minutes on several occasions, allowing them to come into the second half of back-to-back games well rested.

What don't we know about the Celtics but should?
This team is really just scratching the surface. Rajon Rondo is flourishing in just his second year in the league, and he’s been given the keys to a Maserati. He’s still learning how to handle the role, but he’s quietly gone about his business and is starting to become a real floor general. Meanwhile, Kendrick Perkins continues to improve while playing alongside Garnett, and Tony Allen could be a force in the second half of the season when he gets past the mental aspect of recovering from his second knee surgery. Glen Davis needs to be more consistent, but he’s shown flashes of brilliance in the first two months of the season; he knows how to rebound and use his body in the paint despite being undersized.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/27 vs. Boston

2007-12-26T21:37:00.000-08:00

With their next win, the Boston Celtics will tie their 24-win total from the entire 2006-07 season.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/25 at Portland

2007-12-23T12:05:00.000-08:00

When the Sonics visit Portland on Tuesday, it will be the first time the team has played on Christmas in 13 years and just the second in the last 25 years. While the NBA now reserves the holiday for nationally-televised tilts, once upon a time games on Christmas were commonplace. The Sonics have played 10 total in franchise history ... and they're still looking for their first win.

Dec. 25, 1967 - 118-112 loss at Cincinnati
Dec. 25, 1968 - 118-112 loss at Baltimore
Dec. 25, 1971 - 116-86 loss at Phoenix
Dec. 25, 1972 - 116-113 loss at Portland
Dec. 25, 1976 - 110-95 loss at Portland
Dec. 25, 1977 - 111-96 loss vs. Los Angeles
Dec. 25, 1978 - 123-118 loss vs. San Diego
Dec. 25, 1981 - 99-94 loss at Portland
Dec. 25, 1982 - 95-88 loss at Portland
Dec. 25, 1994 - 105-96 loss at Denver

In part because of their four previous head-to-head matchups, the Blazers have an excellent history on Christmas, going 11-1 and winning their last 11 games scheduled for Dec. 25.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/21 vs. Toronto

2007-12-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

The Raptors are attempting tonight to earn their 16th win faster chronologically than ever before in franchise history. Twice, including in 1999-00 when they also started 16-12, their 16th win has come on Dec. 28.

Sonics Q&A: Jeff Green

2007-12-20T18:22:00.000-08:00

Sonics rookie Jeff Green was one of the standouts in Wednesday night's game, helping lead a rally with his energy. Green also dished out a career-high five assists. He spoke with Sonics Beat about bringing energy off the bench and more.

How do you see your role in terms of energy?
I come in, do things on defense to try to create mismatches, just go out there and play hard. That's all the coach asks me to do and I'm going to go out there and do it to the best of my abilities.

How is coming off the bench different than starting in the NCAA?
You're just not playing 40 minutes like in college. Now you've got to find a new role. That's just something you have to adapt to. It's the same game - 10 players on the court, one ball. You've got to go out there and play. However many minutes I get, that's what I'm going to go out there and do.

How is your role different?
At Georgetown, the ball was in my hands most of the time. Now, you've got other guys who can help you out and score. I'm going to go out there and do the best I can. I don't have the same role I did at Georgetown; now, it's a much different role. A lot more is expected in terms of bringing energy and defending some of the toughest guys on the court. That's what the coach asks me to do to get minutes; that's what I'm going to do.

It seems like the bench has gotten going as the rotation has become more consistent. Does that make sense?
I think at the beginning of the season, not knowing when you were going to in, who you were going to go in for, was kind of a setback to us. Now that we know kind of how the rotation is going to be, we're getting more and more comfortable together, going out there on the court knowing who's going to be out there with you.

Have you adapted your game to the NBA so far? What have you learned about the league?
I don't think so. I feel like I'm playing the same way. It's just that some games I don't get as many minutes as I used to, but if coach sees that as a mismatch and he feels like one spot is going good, that's what he's going to roll with, I'm happy with that as long as we win. I feel like I've been learning a lot playing behind Kurt Thomas. He teaches me a lot. He teaches me things to look for, things to make my game better. That's a big help. Some rookies don't have that coming in. By him teaching me right now, I think it will help me in the long run of my career.

Good Practice for Sonics

2007-12-20T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Sonics returned to the practice court Thursday after an effort against the New Orleans Hornets that disappointed Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo. He liked what he saw Thursday much better.

"We had a good practice," said Carlesimo, who saw all 14 players make free throws consecutively to finish off the session. "We'll see if we have a good shootaround tomorrow, but we'll see at 7:30 tomorrow whether we do or don't (bounce back). We'll find out if there's anything to the first game back or Chris Paul or whatever it was."

Carlesimo had suggested after Wednesday's game that changes were possible in the future because the Sonics have gotten off to some slow starts at times recently.

"This group has done alright, record-wise, but if we start out this way again, we either have to shorten up rotations or look to change combinations or do something," he said. "First quarter and third quarter have not been good to us all year."

After that, Carlesimo mostly commented on features various writers are working on, but made an interesting digression to discuss the importance of confidence in general and for his team.

"Confidence is such a huge thing. It's a huge thing in everything, but in athletics it's unbelievable," Carlesimo said, pointing to the role of confidence in the inconsistent performances of golfers.

In the NBA, it's easier for teams who have enjoyed consistent success to maintain that level of confidence.

"With us, because we haven't had as much success as we need to have, we tend to go that way," Carlesimo said. "When we're feeling good about ourselves and we're out there and we're bouncy and everything, we look like a totally different team than we looked like last night. I just think if you're the Suns or Dallas or the Spurs and out of 25 games you do that 18 or 20 times, then you can put the first quarter or six bad minutes out of your mind and play good. But when you've gone the other way 15 times out of 25, it's really hard to fight through it.

"That's not why we played the way we played last night, but it is why we can do the peak and valley thing. ... At times, we've looked pretty good, but at other times we've looked really poor and the gap between our good and poor is bigger than it needs to be or should be."

Opposing View: 12/19 vs. New Orleans

2007-12-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com joins us today to talk about New Orleans. Hornets.com has an interview up with Sonics rookie Jeff Green. Also check out the blog Hornets247.com.

Is it fair to start talking about Chris Paul as an MVP candidate?
Personally, I think it’s probably a little too early to be debating the annual NBA awards, such as MVP and Coach of the Year. We’re only 25 games into the season and so much can change around the league in a week’s time, let alone four months from now, when the votes will be cast for those honors. With that said, though, if you go to NBA.com’s “Race to the MVP” feature, they have Chris ranked fifth, behind only Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. That’s mighty impressive company and indicates the respect that he’s received for his performance early in the 2007-08 season. Short-term, I’d love to see Chris make his first All-Star Game appearance, especially with the game being played here in New Orleans.

Have the Hornets been pleasantly surprised by Tyson Chandler over the last season-plus, or was it anticipated he would anchor the middle as he has?
I don’t think anyone could tell you with a straight face that they thought Chandler would be this effective after his trade from Chicago. I know I didn’t. His fifth and final season with the Bulls in 2005-06 was the worst of his NBA career, one he described as “embarrassing.” Expectations from the New Orleans coaching staff were pretty high for him when he arrived, but he has exceeded what many believed he would do. He finished as the second-leading rebounder in the league last season and is averaging 11.6 points now. When he came over last summer I thought if he averaged about eight points, I would gladly take it. That sounds like a very modest goal – but not when you consider his scoring average of only 5.3 in his final year in Chicago.

How important is it for the Hornets to see the youngsters on their bench step forward?
For the future of the team, it’s extremely important, but recent injuries have made the youngsters’ development critical to the club’s immediate success as well. Lottery picks Hilton Armstrong and Julian Wright both received only sporadic playing time early in the regular season, but are now every-game members of the rotation. Injuries to Melvin Ely (fractured eye socket) and Ryan Bowen (sprained knee) have led to Armstrong being the only big man available off Byron Scott’s bench in some games. Meanwhile, the absences of Peja Stojakovic (strained groin muscle) and Morris Peterson – who’s now back in the mix – meant significantly more minutes for Wright. Both young players have shown glimpses of their potential at times, but we’re talking about a 20-year-old rookie in Wright and a developing center in Armstrong whose appearance on the KeyArena hardwood will be just his 80th career NBA game.

How is the team different with Peja Stojakovic in the lineup?
I think Chris Paul put it best recently when he was talking about the impact of Peja Stojakovic. Paul says that the veteran small forward has such a tremendous league-wide reputation for his shooting ability, even if he’s missed 20 consecutive three-point attempts, opposing teams still won’t leave him unguarded. You always expect his next shot to go down. The respect he receives from defenses helps spread the floor for Paul and the other Hornets. To me, one of the biggest differences between this year’s club and the one that went 39-43 in 2006-07 is the presence of Stojakovic and Peterson. The Hornets went from one of the poorest perimeter shooting teams in the NBA to one of the best.

What don't we know about the Hornets but should?
That the players are committed to doing everything possible to re-connect with fans here in New Orleans, as the city continues its recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Morris Peterson signed with the Hornets partly because of the opportunity he saw at this point in the city’s history – to do something greater than just play basketball. I’ve heard multiple members of the team talk about how incredible it would be if the Hornets could approach the impact that the NFL’s New Orleans Saints made on people here during their 2006 run to the NFC title game.

The players know there are many ways they can use their position as professional athletes to help New Orleans. On the court, they would love to bring playoff basketball to the Big Easy for the first time since 2004. Off the court, they’re involved in a multitude of projects. The players are excited about many less-publicized efforts to make an impact in the lives of local children. Meanwhile, Chandler is donating $100 for each rebound he grabs this season to our Hoops for Homes program. That money is devoted to helping schoolteachers defray the costs of re-building and repairing their homes, eliminating one of the obstacles some face during their decision-making process of whether or not to return to the Gulf South region.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/19 vs. New Orleans

2007-12-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

The Sonics prefer the late week. They are 7-5 in games played on either Wednesday or Friday this season.

Sonics Return to Practice at Furtado

2007-12-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

Having returned to Seattle following their road trip, the Seattle SuperSonics took two days off Sunday and Monday before regrouping Tuesday for their first practice at The Furtado Center in nearly two weeks.

"The last 49 or 50 days, I think we had five days off," explained Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo. "They're tired and we played that way (in Utah). I thought two days off would be good. We have a couple of guys a little bit dinged up and a couple of guys coming back. It just seemed two days off was more beneficial."

On a 2-3 road trip, the Sonics saw the team continue to come together. Point guard was a particular strong point of the trip, with Earl Watson and a healthy Luke Ridnour forming an effective combination.

"I thought they played very well," said Carlesimo. "I thought the combination was a good combination for us - some games better than others, but they had a couple of really, really strong games and in general I thought they did a really good job."

Ridnour told reporters he still has yet to reach 100% in coming back from his torn quad muscle, but he's feeling much better and Carlesimo sees that in his performance.

"Luke looks much more comfortable now in terms of his shot," Carlesimo said, "whereas early in the year when he'd missed a month and been back for three games, he wasn't shooting it the way he is capable of shooting it. Right now, I don't think he's 100%, but he's probably in better basketball shape and timing than he's been since the Sacramento game at the beginning of the year, that first exhibition game."

Now, the Sonics are looking to get Delonte West healthy. West visited a specialist and Dr. Richard Zorn, the Sonics team doctor, on Tuesday to get an update on the plantar fasciitis he's experienced in his right foot. West has been cleared to begin individual work.

"He's doing more today and tomorrow than he has been doing, so it's (his expected return) moved up a little bit," explained Carlesimo, "but he's not going to play in a game before he's done some live practicing. He hasn't played in two weeks, so he'll need at least one practice, if not more, before he's ready to go."

Carlesimo mentioned that West may see time at shooting guard when he returns to the lineup. West, who can play either position in the backcourt, has virtually exclusively played point guard this season, in part because of Ridnour's absence.

As for center Kurt Thomas, who missed Saturday's game in Utah with a sprained right ankle, he did not practice but Carlesimo described his status for Wednesday's matchup with New Orleans as, "'Hopeful' - I don't know if that's one of the categories. I think more probable than doubtful, but somewhere in there."

Sonics & Storm Shopping Spree

2007-12-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

Eight Sonics players (including Damien Wilkins), two assistant coaches, members of the Sonics Dance Team, Squatch and a number of Sonics & Storm employees descended upon the West Seattle Target Monday afternoon. They were there to assist less fortunate families who were given a shopping spree at Target funded by the Sonics & Storm Foundation and Kia Motors America. The players and other volunteers served as personal shoppers to help the families find what they wanted.

Here, Wilkins helps one youngster pick out a bike. He found one he liked as well.

Check back with SUPERSONICS.COM tomorrow for more photos and more on the event.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/15 at Utah

2007-12-15T00:04:00.000-08:00

After last night's win in Minnesota, the Sonics are now 4-4 this season in games where they've turned the ball over 20 times or more ... not that P.J. Carlesimo is going to be encouraging the team to turn it over.

Opposing View: 12/14 at Minnesota

2007-12-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, Mike Trudell from Timberwolves.com shares his answers. The official site of the Wolves has a video scouting report on the Sonics with Assistant Coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the son of former Sonics head coach Bernie. There's also plenty of blogs : Check out Britt Robson's analysis at On the Ball, TWolvesBlog.com and WolvesWatch.

What did Monday's win over Phoenix say about how the Timberwolves are coming along in their development?
What the Timberwolves want to see more than anything are steady signs of growth. Sure, winning more games would be nice, but with nine guys under the age of 25 - most of whom haven't played together before this year - it's been particularly difficult for the Wolves to close out close games against veteran teams. At the same time, the Wolves have exhibited the kind of fight that keeps them in nearly every contest, and that's what happened against Phoenix. Minnesota battled for 48 minutes, and for once, made more plays down the stretch. The Wolves have also played the Spurs, Nuggets and Mavericks tough, which hopefully is a sign of things to come.

How has Al Jefferson responded to being "the guy" in Minnesota?
Most simply, he's responded by being one of five guys in the NBA to average 20+ points and 10+ rebounds. Well ... you have to round up tonight, because he's at 19.9. Just give it to us, OK? But like we've been saying here all year, Jefferson is even better than Kevin McHale and Randy Wittman thought he was when they traded for him. His basketball instincts are unreal - much like your own Kevin Durant - as he just finds different ways to score the basketball. But even better, he's a great kid who loves the game and is eager to improve on a daily basis; He likes being "the guy," and has shown his shoulders to be sturdy enough to form the foundation for a franchise.

Craig Smith had a lot of success against the Sonics last season. Is it safe to say the entire league is seeing that same performance now?
That's definitely safe to say. Craig Smith - we call him the Rhino - is a freaking beast. You folks in Seattle witnessed this first-hand last year when he dropped a career-high 26 points in Key Arena on Jan. 26. However, he lost about 14 pounds over the summer, worked on several aspects of his game and just in this last week has truly emerged like many thought the would. The reason it didn't happen earlier in the season is that Smith sprained his ankle (twice), so he didn't have the same confidence he's now showing in aggressively getting to the rim, or pulling up early with a patented floater. Seriously, check out his floater tonight: It has to be in the league's top two or three, up there with Tony Parker. But it's true, against smaller teams like Phoenix, Atlanta and (potentially) Seattle, Smith is particularly effective.

What have the Timberwolves rookies shown this season?
Corey Brewer and Chris Richard have shown that there's a reason why Florida won back-to-back championships. Both do several things very well. Brewer pulled down 18 rebounds against the Hawks - from the small forward position - and has been terrific defensively and in transition. He's struggled offensively as he builds confidence in his shooting, but the positive things he does on the floor more than outweigh that aspect, and as a result he's been starting. Richard is one of those players who just always does something positive for your team: grab a tough defensive rebound, tip a ball in on the offensive end, take a charge, rotate on defense ... He's been a great value for a second rounder, much like Craig Smith was last season.

What don't we know but should about the Timberwolves?
That our mascot Crunch is actually a real wolf. For real. Watch the game Friday night, you'll see. ... And if you wanted a serious answer, fourth-year guard Sebastian Telfair, who for no really good reason was written off nationally in several publications, has been absolutely outstanding this season. One stat for you: In his last two games, Telfair's tallied 21 assists to just three turnovers.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/14 at Minnesota

2007-12-14T10:47:00.001-08:00

Sonics swingman Wally Szczerbiak remains amongst the all-time leaders for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Szczerbiak, who played in Minnesota for the first six and a half seasons of his NBA career, is third in career scoring (6,777), fifth in field-goal percentage (.500), second in three-pointers (343) and three-point percentage (.404), fifth in rebounds (1,932) and fourth in games played (336).

Bonus Surprising Stat: Timberwolves play-by-play broadcaster Alan Horton spent last year as the producer for Sonics Radio and called play-by-play for the Seattle Storm. However, because he produced games from the KTTH studios, this will be the first Sonics game he's ever seen in person.

Opposing View: 12/12 at New York

2007-12-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, we get another NBA blog veteran in Mike Kurylo of KnickerBlogger.net. And while we're talking KnickerBlogger, don't forget to check out their stats page daily for the latest advanced metrics.

Has the off-court drama surrounding the Knicks affected the team on the court?
No. A lot of teams/players have gone through trials as bad or worse (Kobe Bryant, Ray Lewis) with little to no effect.

The main thing to take from the "drama" is that it's a window into the franchise. Often the inner workings of a team are hidden from public view, and revealed only to the workers and a few privileged reporters. With this airing of dirty laundry we get to see a bit of what goes on behind the curtains at MSG, and it's not pretty. Organizations are run from the top down, and an owner doesn't need to be a basketball guru to be successful. You only need to look at how Mark Cuban turned around a bad Dallas franchise to witness how true this is.

What has Seattle native Nate Robinson done this season?
Not much, and it's a shame. For some reason Robinson has earned his way in the coach's doghouse. It's unofficial of course, as just about everything that surrounds MSG these days. Thomas seemed high on Robinson prior to the start of the season. Nate won MVP of the summer league, and Isiah said he was the hardest working player in practice. So it was reasonable to believe that Nate would exceed the 21 mpg he received his first two seasons.

However, once the season started, Nate's court time was inconsistent. He had a three-minute game, surrounded by two 20+-minute ones. After the humiliating loss in Boston, Robinson inexplicably racked up two DNPs. Since then he's only surpassed double digit minutes once. It seems that Robinson has joined the rest of the Knicks youth wasting on the end bench.

Can Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph thrive together, or are their skillsets too similar?
I can't imagine how because they are both horrible defenders. Although they don't exactly complement each other, they can coexist on offense. Randolph can extend his game outward, and it's hard for teams to lock down just one with their best defender. It's not an ideal situation since neither is a good passer, but it's workable. But on the other end of the court it's a disaster. Curry can't defend any center that can hit a jump shot from more than 15 feet, while Randolph has blocked two shots in 17 games. A team could live with one bad defender in the frontcourt, but not with two.

The pair have so many weaknesses that it's easy for other teams to score. This weekend Reggie Evans and Samuel Dalembert schooled the pair. Ideally you would want to limit how many minutes they are on the court at the same time, and flank them with good defenders at other positions. Maybe if you zone it up you can mask their defensive deficiencies. But thrive is not a term to describe the two.

You argued recently against the notion that the Knicks are inconsistent, but looking at some solid wins and being blown out by 45 one night before winning the next, is it fair to say you don't know what to expect from them on a given night?
That's true of any bad team. Minnesota beat Phoenix last week, so you could say the same about them. The Knicks are no different - they're a bad team and they're more likely to start the fourth quarter down by 15 than be competitive most nights. But a blind squirrel. ...

What don't we know but should about the Knicks?
I bet there is a decent team on that roster, but it's unlikely that we'll see it without a coaching change. The Knicks have a lot of young talent wasting away at the end of the bench: Robinson, Wilson Chandler, Randolph Morris and Mardy Collins. And that's not including the under utilization of David Lee and Renaldo Balkman. But don't worry - you probably won't see those guys. Be ready for a lot of Curry, Randolph, Quentin Richardson, Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford.

For the keen observer of the game watch for:
* How often Eddy Curry is double teamed on the blocks and shoots instead of looking for the open man.
* How often Zach Randolph gets beaten in transition.
* How good David Lee is at the small things.
* How Renaldo Balkman is all over the court (especially grabbing a rebound and starting the break).
* How much Nate Robinson has matured since his college days (if he plays...)

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/12 at New York

2007-12-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

During Sunday's game at New Orleans, three Sonics pulled down at least 10 rebounds (Nick Collison and Chris Wilcox has 12 apiece, while Kurt Thomas had 10). The last time the Sonics had three double-figures rebounders was Dec. 16, 2003 at Phoenix, when Antonio Daniels (10), Rashard Lewis (13) and Vladimir Radmanovic (14) accomplished the feat.

Opposing View: 12/11 at Chicago

2007-12-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, Matt Bernhardt of Blog-a-Bull talks Chicago. Dating back to his days as BullsBlogger, Bernhardt is one of the longest-running NBA bloggers. "Blog-a-Bull is in many ways the patron-saint of basketball blogging," says no less an authority than TrueHoop's Henry Abbott.

Thank You Isiah is another terrific Bulls blog, as is Only the Bulls. I also suggest this from the Seattle P-I: Chicago freelancer Brett Ballantini looks at the Bulls shooting woes.

What's your response to Hollinger's breakdown of the slow start for the Bulls?
Well it wasn't exactly groundbreaking, but it hammered the point home: Basically Hollinger went down the Bulls roster and pointed out that nearly every individual player had a lower PER than the season before, and in some cases much lower. That surely made clear *how* the Bulls were so bad, but not exactly*why*. I think the that's because the truth is there is no reasonable reason why. Aside from Ben Wallace and Joe Smith (who's actually performing to his standard) this team is full of players that should be progressing, not regressing.

What makes this different from past slow starts by Chicago?
First of all, the normal excuses of previous starts aren't applicable: the Bulls weren't assimilating a bunch of new talent, and the annual dreaded 'Circus Trip' to the west coast didn't include the Texas teams and was relatively mild. To make things worse, they were not just losing but getting blown out. That hadn't happened in previous seasons.

How have injuries affected Ben Wallace?
Let's hope it was just early-season injuries, as Ben has been better the past couple weeks. But he'll still throw in a dud now and then, and Bulls fans are starting to come to terms with knowing he'll have his good games and bad. He's not as quick and able to roam defensively, and on offense he'll never be a shooter but he at least used to be able to finish around the rim. This season even the iron's blocked his shot.

How long can Kirk Hinrich possibly shoot this bad?
Hopefully it isn't the case where last season was his peak in terms of shooting, although even as a disappointing shooter his first couple years in the league, he has never been this bad. Compounding matters is a dramatic increase in turnovers, which is unacceptable considering he's not much of a playmaker and stays a solid point guard by not making the types of dumb decisions he has been this season. I think he'll be fine, but even fine is disappointing considering that last season looked like a breakthrough.

What don't we know about the Bulls but should?
Doesn't everybody know? They need a low-post scorer! They need a superstar! ... I suppose what people might not know is that this isn't a case where the same old problems (that a Kobe Bryant or Pau Gasol could fix)are keeping the Bulls from consistent success: this season has displayed a whole new (and damaging) set of issues. The Bulls had the point differential of a 55-win team last year, and after bringing nearly everyone back, mostly those with another year under their belts and something to prove, it's extremely unsettling to see how bad they've performed this season. Things have gone so bad, however, that it makes it easier to deem it a fluke. And when that anomaly is righted, they can get to acquiring that missing piece.

Kia Suprising Stat: 12/11 at Chicago

2007-12-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

Before getting swept by the Bulls last season, the Sonics had Chicago's number in recent seasons. Their loss at the United Center almost exactly a year ago (Dec. 13, 2006) snapped an eight-game Sonics winning streak in Chicago, and the Sonics swept the Bulls head-to-head three of the last five seasons.

A Couple Odds and Ends on a Monday

2007-12-10T18:04:00.001-08:00

- The NBA is celebrating its history with "Heritage Week" now through next Monday, including some neat stuff on the .com. I really enjoyed the missing Rookie Rankings from Dec. 10, 1984, topped by some young shooting guard named Michael Jordan.

Incidentally, the Sonics did not have a first-round pick in 1984, having dealt it to San Diego (that's the Clippers, BTW) as part of the deal that brought Tom Chambers to Seattle.

- I thought this was interesting. Looking at our photos on Getty Images last week, I came across a bunch of photos featuring the Sonics against Minnesota. Sorta. Actually, it was the Idaho Stampede playing the Sioux Falls Skyforce. It was Timberwolves Affiliate Night in Sioux Falls, with Minnesota-themed game entertainment, and the Stampede donned Sonics uniforms as well. Sonics Affiliate Night in Boise is scheduled for Jan. 4. Here's Ricky Sanchez of Idaho pulling down a board.
(Dick Carlson/NBAE/Getty)

Opposing View: Dec. 9 at New Orleans

2007-12-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Jim Eichenhofer does a great job of covering New Orleans for Hornets.com and answered our five questions. I returned the favor, answering five questions on the Sonics. Also see Jim's preview of today's game. In addition, see the fine Hornets247.com blog for more on the Hornets.

What is the mood around the Hornets given their strong start?
The team is very encouraged by the way the season has started. The Hornets essentially had to incorporate two new starters into their lineup this season, shooting guard Morris Peterson and small forward Peja Stojakovic. Peterson signed as a free agent from Toronto, while Stojakovic was on the roster last season, but missed the final 69 games due to a back injury. If you add in a couple new pieces off the bench, most people didn’t expect New Orleans to start so quickly, but a 9-2 start was the best-ever in franchise history. On the flip side, right now we’re awaiting word on the injury status of both players, who left Friday’s game vs. Memphis early. Peterson (strained back muscle) and Stojakovic (strained groin muscle) were critical to the team’s impressive November.

How good is Chris Paul? How good can he become?
Paul has drawn rave reviews throughout his three-year career for his all-around play, but there was one part of his game that had seemed to lag a little bit. His perimeter shooting has been questioned, especially after he shot just 28 percent from the three-point line as a rookie. Well, I’m sure SuperSonics fans who watched SportsCenter on Friday saw what Chris did against the Grizzlies: He poured in a career-high 43 points, including a career-best five three-pointers on seven attempts. Paul scored 29 points after halftime in what was easily the best offensive game as a pro.

He was already one of the best passing point guards in the league, but he’s now shown an even greater ability to take over games offensively when warranted. With Peterson and Stojakovic out, he put the game on his shoulders. He appears to be on his way to an All-Star season and if you look at his shooting percentages, he has been almost Steve Nash-like, at 48 percent from the field, 42 percent from three-point range and 92 percent from the foul line.

What kind of difference has a healthy Stojakovic made?
He and Peterson have given Paul two more options to rely on in the halfcourt offense. The Hornets lost several close games in 2006-07 on the road when they came up empty during crunch time and struggled to find a reliable shooter. This season, Stojakovic has already made a game-saving three-pointer vs. Dallas and connected on a franchise-record 10 three-pointers in a victory at the Lakers. New Orleans ranked 22nd in the league in three-pointers made last season, but is up to seventh this season.

The Hornets defense hasn't necessarily gotten a lot of attention, but ranks in the NBA's top five. What's the key to the D?
I think it starts with Tyson Chandler, who uses his 7-foot-1 frame and wingspan to alter and block shots on a regular basis. Several of our guards have remarked that it’s much easier to play defense when they know they have Tyson watching their backs. Two seasons ago, prior to Chandler’s arrival, the Hornets had no legitimate shot-blockers, which was evident when opposing teams got to the basket with little resistance. Plus, Paul has been very disruptive, leading the league in steals per game and steals per 48 minutes.

From a team standpoint, the Hornets seem to have quickly meshed and have rotated very well to open shooters.

What don't we know but should about the Hornets?
That this is a quality group of guys who handled the forced relocation of the team to Oklahoma City over incredibly well. They also continue to “get it” in terms of understanding their role in helping the city of New Orleans revitalize itself two years after Hurricane Katrina.

As an organization, we have devoted an extraordinary amount of time to making our full-time return to New Orleans a successful one, including participating in a staggering number of community events and “grassroots marketing” initiatives that I believe may be unprecedented in the NBA. The great thing is, as we try to re-establish ourselves in the Big Easy, we have a group of players who are very good-natured and down-to-earth people. Add that to the fact that the club is off to a 13-7 start, and we feel there are a lot of reasons to like this team.

Kia Surprising Stat: Dec. 9 at New Orleans

2007-12-08T22:40:00.000-08:00

Three-pointers will be crucial to the outcome of this game. The Hornets are 10-0 when making more threes than their opponent and 10-3 when even attempting more threes.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/7 vs. Milwaukee

2007-12-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

Tonight's game features three of the five NBA rookies averaging at least nine points per game: Kevin Durant (19.5 ppg), Jeff Green (9.6 ppg) and Yi Jianlian (9.5 ppg).

Gelabale Gets the Point

2007-12-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

With the Sonics missing point guards Luke Ridnour and Delonte West last night against the L.A. Clippers, swingman Mickaël Gelabale saw extended action at the position for the first time in his career. Backing up starter Earl Watson, Gelabale played 11 minutes. He did not score and committed three turnovers, but had three boards and three assists. Most notably, the Sonics were +8 during Gelabale's time on the court.

"He more than held his own, which was good," Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo said after today's practice. "We were positive when he was on the floor. Some of it is always matchups and who's on the floor for the other team too, but the fact remains - had he really struggled, then we wouldn't have been able to keep him on the floor as long as we did. We would have had to get Earl back sooner. Earl would have been more fatigued, would have had to play more minutes. He did good things. I thought he defended well, I thought for the most part he got the ball where we wanted it to be, got us into some sets."

"I thought he was good," added Ridnour. "He's a big point guard out there, but it was fun to see him play. He looked confident."

Gelabale was also pleased with his ability to play the position, though he took exception to his shooting, telling reporters, "Yesterday I was 0-of-5. Today I need to work on my shot."

For Gelabale, the hardest part of playing the position was, "Taking the ball upcourt with the point guard defending hard on you.

"Yeah, because I'm 6-7 and yesterday the guard was like 6-0 or 5-something." [Clippers point guards Dan Dickau and Brevin Knight go 6-0 and 5-10, respectively.]

Reporters asked Gelabale if playing the point was a way to get on the floor more often, and he downplayed the notion, answering with a smile, "I'm working on it, but we have three point guards, so I don't want to be the fourth one."

With three point guards competing for minutes at the position, Gelabale doesn't figure to get time there when the Sonics are healthy. However, it could be part of his long-term future. Carlesimo pointed out that, if at some point Gelabale goes down to the D-League, the Sonics might ask Idaho Stampede Head Coach Bryan Gates to try to get him some minutes at the point.

Gelabale's run as the backup point guard might not be over yet. Ridnour and West are questionable to play against the Bucks Friday after practicing today. I had more on that topic in my story on the Sonics evaluating their point guards.

- With the Sonics about to reach the quarter pole for the 2007-08 season, Carlesimo said he expects to meet with his players individually over the course of the upcoming road trip to evaluate the season so far and have both sides offer feedback.

"Some guys we've already had opportunities," said Carlesimo. "We haven't had real sitdowns. After tomorrow, not that there's magic, but it's 20 games and we're going to be away from home for seven or eight days, so it really lends itself well now in the next week or so to have sitdowns with people."

Opposing View - 12/5 vs. L.A. Clippers

2007-12-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Today, we turn to Clipperblog's Kevin Arnovitz, who follows the Clippers and the rest of the NBA with the keen eye of an analyst and incisive writing. Kevin also answered our five questions before the first meeting between these teams this season.

For more on the Clippers, check out ClipsNation's breakdown and Clippers.com's Pregame Report.

What has been the key to Chris Kaman's outstanding play this season?
[1] Chris, as Elton Brand did during Summer '05, got in shape. He's more agile and more confident. [2] He's improved in recognizing and passing out of the double team.

How has the plethora of injuries affected the Clippers?
Inordinately. As if Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston weren't enough, Corey Maggette, Cuttino Mobley, Sam Cassell, and Al Thornton have all missed time. It's starting to take its toll.

What can Mike Dunleavy do to get the team going?
Duleavy had done a nice job finding opportunities for Kaman in the post and mismatches for the wing players, but guys are still standing around on the weak side. The Clippers need to do a better job of at least approximating a motion offense.

How is Al Thornton's development coming?
Slow. His decision-making needs some work and I'd like to see him take his defenders off the dribble rather than rely on his inconsistent jumper. He still gets lost on defensive rotations.

What's one thing we don't know but should about the Clippers?
It's been two weeks since the Clippers have had 5-on-5 contact drills because they're only eight deep in practice.

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/5 vs. L.A. Clippers

2007-12-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

Legendary Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler is famous, amongst other things, for his "Lawler's Law," which states that the first team to 100 points will win the game. In Clippers franchise history, the team's media notes indicate, teams reaching 100 first are 1,653-148 (.918). This season, Lawler's Law is 10-for-10 when it comes to Clippers games.

Collison Ready to Return

2007-12-04T17:13:00.001-08:00

Sonics big man Nick Collison went through practice with the team Tuesday and will return to the lineup Wednesday, when the Sonics play host to the Los Angeles Clippers (7:30 p.m., FSN, KTTH 770 AM, tickets).

"I felt a little winded today, but I think that's to be expected," Collison said after practice. "Otherwise, I feel fine. I don't really feel rusty or anything. I've put up a lot of shots the last few days. I feel good."

"Nick being back is definitely a good thing," said Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo.

After the swelling around his nose went down, Sonics doctors determined that Collison did not need his nose to be reset. He did have it reset when he broke his nose in 2004-05, but that fracture occurred in the middle of the nose; this time, it was off to the side on the right nasal wall.

Collison will have to adjust to wearing a protective facemask for at least the next three weeks or so, but having worn one three years ago, he's already gotten over the experience.

"That first time, the mask didn't fit at first and it was pressed against my nose - I couldn't breathe," recalled Collison. "The first game we played, against Houston, I freaked out and threw it into the crowd - didn't even throw it to the bench, I threw it into the crowd. (Athletic trainer) Mike (Shimensky) made me come out, the ballboy got it and I put it back on."

Afterwards, Collison got a new facemask made which fit better, and he played well during the month-plus he wore the mask during his rookie season, so it should not be an issue now.

"I freaked out the first day," Collison said, "but since then I was fine and I feel fine with it now, so I don't think it will be a big deal. It's just kind of an inconvenience."

- Delonte West watched the final part of practice from the sidelines, bothered by plantar fasciitis that affected his right foot. Officially, West is considered a game-time decision against the Clippers.

"He went through most of the practice," noted Carlesimo. "He got hurt at the tail end. Mike just told me when it happened that he hurt something and he was going to get looked at later, so I don't know."

If West is unable to play, Earl Watson would step back into the starting lineup, but the bigger question would be backing up Watson given Luke Ridnour's injury. Mickaël Gelabale worked at the point opposite Watson late in practice, and would probably be next in line at the position. Gelabale played point forward at times last year in practice, but never saw time as the lead guard in a game. Damien Wilkins, who started three games at point guard during the 2005-06 season, would also be an option.

Carlesimo left the door open for the possibility of Ridnour making his return, though that possibility is unlikely. Still, Ridnour has made strides recently and is nearing a return from the torn quad which has kept him out the last three weeks.

"Maybe Mike will throw him in 10-minute mode," Carlesimo offered. "I doubt it, because he didn't let him go today, but he did some stuff - he did some 5-on-0 and he did a little bit of practice.

"Evidently, they're a lot more encouraged the last few days then they've been. I think they're starting to push him a little bit."

- Carlesimo was pleased with how the Sonics responded coming off of a tough loss on Sunday after an extremely light workout on Monday.

"We had an excellent practice," he said. "When you practice the way we practiced today, you're going to get better."

Brief Practice for Sonics

2007-12-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

The Sonics practiced for about an hour Monday, stretching, lifting weights and doing some shooting during that span. Today was originally scheduled as an off day, but Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo decided to get some light work in after the Sonics lost last night to Golden State.

"I just think we needed to be together," Carlesimo explained. "Getting some shots and getting a lift is always a good thing. I thought we needed being together more than we needed a day off today."

Because the session was so light, Carlesimo wasn't able to get an idea of how the team responded to the loss to the Warriors.

"Tomorrow will be a good test," he said, "we'll have a legit practice tomorrow and we'll see how we respond. But, more importantly, we'll see Wednesday night how we respond."

There was good news on the status of big man Nick Collison, who has missed the last three games after suffering a fracture of his right nasal wall last Wednesday in Los Angeles. Collison, who went through the non-contact portions of practice on Saturday, will be able to return barring any setback going through a complete practice tomorrow.

"He's going to practice tomorrow," said Carlesimo, "and if he's OK after practice, he'll be available Wednesday."

Kia Surprising Stat: 12/2 vs. Golden State

2007-12-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

After hitting his only three-point attempt during Friday's win over Indiana, Sonics guard Delonte West now leads the NBA in three-point percentage. West has hit 54.5% from downtown this season.

Opposing View: 11/30 vs. Indiana

2007-11-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Tonight, Conrad Brunner of Pacers.com talks about Indiana's recent surge. Don't miss Conrad's preview of tonight game, while the Indy Cornrows blog is another great source for Pacers information. Mike Wells' Pacers Insider blog on the Indianapolis Star's site rounds out the tour of the net, Pacers-style.

Now, to Conrad's answers.

Jim O'Brien has brought a new style to Indiana, including a faster pace. How has this helped the Pacers?
Point guard Jamaal Tinsley has basically been unleashed and as a result is playing the best all-around basketball of his career. With Tinsley free to push the tempo and create, the team’s wing players – Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Daniels – have played much more prominent roles in the offense than the past. As a result, there is less pressure on Jermaine O’Neal to be the focal point of every offensive set because there is a greater diversity of weapons and tactics.

Mike Dunleavy seems to be reaping the benefits of playing under O'Brien. How is his game different this season?
He added some muscle in the offseason and appears much more confident and comfortable. He has said O’Brien’s system is very similar philosophically to that in which he thrived at Duke. Last year, the team didn’t run much and he was mainly viewed as a spot-up or kick-out shooter. This year he’s doing things on the move, has the ball in his hands more and as a result tends to be much more in rhythm when he shoots. He averages 22 points in victories and 11 in losses so it’s clear how important he’s become to the team’s success.

How thankful is everyone in Indiana that Danny Granger inexplicable dropped to the 17th pick in the 2005 Draft?
We’re still trying to figure that one out. He was fifth on the Pacers draft board. He not only is a very talented player who appears in the brink of legitimate stardom, he’s a high-quality person and respected professional who holds himself to high standards on and off the court.

What are the main reasons the Pacers have got off to a strong 2-0 start on this West Coast swing?
They’ve been going through a culture change from a strict halfcourt system of the previous four seasons to a much more free-flowing style this year. Early on, they ran in fits and starts but not for full games. They also didn’t fully comprehend how hard it would be to execute an up-tempo offense while maintaining a commitment to strong defense. Lately, they’re playing much more complete games in terms of maintaining tempo and commitment. They entered this trip having played seven straight games against teams with winning records and went 4-3, so they were confident heading West, and that confidence appears to be growing.

What don't we know but should about the Pacers?
I’d have to say it’s that they’re really one of the younger teams in the league, though they’re rarely perceived as such. Jeff Foster, 30, is the oldest player on the roster and fully 12 of their 15 players are 27 or younger. Key rotation players like Granger, Shawne Williams, Ike Diogu (who’s hurt) and David Harrison are all emerging talents.

Kia Surprising Stat: 11/30 vs. Indiana

2007-11-30T10:28:00.000-08:00

The two Sonics wins over Indiana last season came by a combined three points, including Luke Ridnour's buzzer-beating game-winner at KeyArena on Dec. 1.

Carlesimo Touches on Several Topics

2007-11-29T16:53:00.000-08:00

The Sonics had a very brief session Thursday, shooting for around 15 minutes as P.J. Carlesimo continues to try to get his team some rest during the midst of a busy November schedule that culminates tomorrow night against Indiana with the 17th game for the Sonics of the season.

Afterwards, a quiet media session with just the beat writers and Gary Hill from the Sonics broadcast team in attendance that gave us the chance to get some updates from Carlesimo on a variety of topics. "You guys are asking tough questions today," Carlesimo joked at one point. You can listen to some of the audio by clicking here.

One topic I'd been meaning to ask about was the fact that the Sonics have slowed down slightly from their league-leading pace early in the season. As of now, the Sonics rank fourth in the league in possessions per game, averaging 97.0 a night.

"We don't want to slow down," Carlesimo first emphasized before discussing possible explanations.

"I think part of it is the grind," he said. "We've had a bad November.

"A lot of it is we're just not pushing the ball as much as we did, at times - as much as we would like to. We're also seeing, as you get deeper into the year, we're seeing teams that know us better and know what we want to do and we're trying to do."

The good news is that another minor factor in the change of pace is the fact that the opposition isn't getting as many easy buckets off of Sonics turnovers. After averaging 19.7 turnovers per game over the first nine games of the season, the Sonics are down to 13.7 giveaways over their last seven contests. The last three games, the Sonics have averaged but 10 turnovers a night.

Another topic of discussion was the point-guard position, where Delonte West moved into the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Lakers.

"I want to give him, certainly, some more starts before we start saying things like, 'I think this guy's more suited to starting,' or, 'We like him better coming off the bench' or 'This is the pecking order right now for these three guys,'" Carlesimo explained. "Obviously, we're not going to have that one for a while."

According to Carlesimo, Luke Ridnour is still 10 days to two weeks away from returning from the torn left quad that has sidelined him for the last two weeks.

"Once he's ready to practice, then we need to put him out on the floor and get him some games (as a starter) too," noted Carlesimo. "We're not going to get the kind of resolution we want for a while."

Carlesimo also was asked about rookie Kevin Durant's progress as a playmaker. Over the last three games, when he's shot the ball better, Durant has also handed out 11 assists - as many as he had in his previous eight games. Carlesimo pointed out recently that Durant might have a few more assists if plays in which he set up teammates to go to the free-throw line counted in that category.

"I think he is becoming better, certainly, with his decision-making, certainly with his shot selection, and he is involving people more," Carlesimo said. "We're also putting him in more pick-and-rolls now than we did earlier. He's getting more assists."

Hornets.com Appearance

2007-11-29T15:58:00.000-08:00

Jim Eichenhoffer of Hornets.com was nice enough to invite me to contribute as a guest analyst for their site's weekly NBA Notebook. Check out some discussion featuring Jim and Dennis Rogers from the Hornets about Sonics rookie Kevin Durant, the Wizards facing life without Gilbert Arenas for the time being and a fast start from the Bucks.

Opposing View: 11/28 vs. Orlando

2007-11-28T13:05:00.000-08:00

All season long, Sonics Beat will be consulting an expert on the opposing team as part our gameday preview. Nick Adams from OrlandoMagic.com answers our five questions on the Magic.

What has the reaction been like amongst the Magic to getting off to such a strong start?
Despite their great start, the team remains very humble and focused. Anytime you ask them about their early success they all have the same answer: "We haven't accomplished anything yet and we aren't focused on our record but rather we are focused on our next opponent."

They are like robots when it comes to answering questions, and credit that to head coach Stan Van Gundy. He has them mentally tough, focused, and determined. They may hit a rough stretch at some point in the season, as most teams do, but Van Gundy won't let that last very long. Van Gundy is constantly pushing them and the guys are really buying into his concepts.

What has the Magic done to rank as one of the league's top three defenses?
Well ... once again credit Stan Van Gundy and his coaching staff with much of their success at the defensive end. The very first meeting Van Gundy and his staff had with the team, the first thing he said was that they were going to be one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

He has continued to push the guys in that aspect and the guys are really making a conscience effort to play with energy and intensity on defense. The player know that if they don't play hard defense, they won't play, and Van Gundy has made that very clear.

Furthermore, anytime you have a player like Dwight Howard in the middle, you are going to be successful on defense. The casual basketball fan will look at a Dwight 35-point, 17-rebound night and not realize how much he changed the game at the defensive end. Their team defense is built solely around Dwight in the middle. Guys like Rashard, Jameer, and Bogans can really get up and pressure the ball because they know that if their guy beats them off the dribble, Dwight is there waiting to send the shot in the third row.

So in summary, Van Gundy stressing his concepts, Dwight Howard in the middle, and the rest of team's pressure and intensity have led to the Magic ranking in the top three NBA defenses.

Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu have gotten lost a little in explaining the fast start. What roles have they played?
Anytime you are on a team with a rising superstar with the likes of a Dwight Howard or a big ticket free-agent pick-up like Rashard Lewis, the other guys on your team tend to get overshadowed. As you stated, Jameer and Hedo have gotten lost in explaining the Magic's fast start, but they are just as valuable as Dwight and Rashard.

Jameer is the floor general. Van Gundy really pushed Jameer during training camp, and continues to get on his point guard about becoming that floor general. I think Jameer is exactly what you want in your point guard. He is strong both mentally, physically, and his toughness gets overlooked. He can shot well and has the ability to finish at the basket which puts pressure on the defense to guard those abilities therefore allowing Jameer to distribute the ball to the open player. Jameer has made an effort to take better care of the ball and his assist-to-turnover ratio is much improved from a season ago. Jameer is the heart and sole of the team and I think GM Otis Smith realized this singing Jameer to a contract extension earlier this season.

Hedo is having his best season as a professional basketball player in the NBA. He has really stepped up big this season and has relieved pressure off of Dwight and Rashard. Hedo has really thrived in Van Gundy's offensive schemes which give players the freedom to create their own shots. He came into camp in great shape and was focused from the moment he came back to Orlando. Van Gundy says that when Hedo is aggressive on offense, it is when the Magic are at their best offensively.

How will the recent trade for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans help the Magic?
When the Magic lost starting power forward Tony Battie for the entire season with a shoulder injury, the Magic front office knew they had to get another big body and add depth to their roster, and adding Brian Cook and Maurice Evans accomplish both.

Brian Cook is a good young player who gives the Magic another big body to help out Dwight Howard down low. Cook is not your prototypical big man in the fact that he plays more of a perimeter game. Cook's ability to shoot well from outside leaves the post open for Dwight to do his thing. Cook also fits in well with Van Gundy's style on offense which gives freedom for the three-point shot, something Cook has proven to be one of his strengths.

Maurice Evans is another good young player who provides much needed depth to the Magic roster. Evans is extremely athletic, plays good perimeter defense, and can shoot well from beyond the arc, all characteristics of what Van Gundy is looking for at the swingman position. In Evans, the Magic get a better shooting, better defending Trevor Ariza, the player they traded to Los Angeles for Evans and Cook.

Overall, I think it was a great move by the Magic.

What don't we know about the Magic but should?
They are a legit contender to represent the East in the NBA Finals. I know it is still very early but if you have the opportunity, which you will on Wednesday, watch this team play. They play hard, smart, and together.

Kia Surprising Stat: 11/28 vs. Orlando

2007-11-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 16 at New Jersey, Orlando center Dwight Howard grabbed the 3,000th rebound of his precocious career. At age 21, 343 days, Howard became the youngest player in NBA history to reach the milestone, beating another Magic big man, Shaquille O'Neal (23 years, 32 days).

Howard had a head start coming out of high school, but despite being just 18 at the start of his rookie season, he required just 256 games to get to 3,000 (an 11.7 rpg average). O'Neal reached the mark in 234 games.