Preview Details: Who: (13-14) vs (18-9) Where: Toyota Centre When: Mon, Dec 29th, 5:30pm TV: KONG Projected Lineups: PG: Brent Barry/Antonio Daniels/Luke Ridnour SG: Ronald Murray/Ray Allen/Richie Frahm SF: Rashard Lewis/Vladimir Radmanovic PF: Vladimir Radmanovic/Reggie Evans/Vitaly Potapenko C: Jerome James/Calvin Booth/Vitaly Potapenko Coached by Nate McMillan PG: Steve Francis/Moochie Norris/Mike Wilks SG: Cutino Mobley/Eric Piatkowski SF: Jim Jackson/Scott Padgett PF: Kelvin Cato/Maurice Taylor C: Yao Ming/Kelvin Cato Coached by Jeff Van Gundy Injury List: Nick Collison: shoulder, season. Ansu Sesay: left ring finger sprain, on IL. Sun Injury List John Amaechi: food poisoning, on IL. Adrian Griffin: knee surgery, on IL. Analysis: Seattle in the past have had the wood over Houston, but they have never played in the new Toyota Centre, and also rank dead last in the NBA in rebounding, something Yao Ming and Kelvin Cato won't do much to cure. Houston have been riding high after a win over the Lakers on Christmas Day, while the Sonics faltered against in-form Minnesota, Ray Allen falling from the dizzy heights of his debut with 5-22 shooting in an all round lacklustre team display. Seattle took the first match-up, in Seattle, and usually play well against Houston. The Rockets are likely a team Seattle will be fighting to make the playoffs, so wins head to head always take on a special significance. Milestones: Rashard Lewis, passed over twice on draft night by his hometown Rockets, needs 33 points to reach 5000 for his career. A hot shooting night here could not only deliver him this plateau, but also a big win for the Sonics. Brent Barry needs 5 rebounds to reach the 2000 mark in what has been a well rounded career, with stops in Los Angeles (Clippers), Miami and Chicago along the way. [quoteright]"The best thing you hope for when you play Kevin is that he's sick or something and can't play. To me, he's a phenom. A freak." - Seattle Co-captain Brent Barry after Minnesota's Kevin Garnett torched Seattle to the tune of 28/14/5.[/QUOTERIGHT] Key Factor: Inside play. Rebounding and interior defense will be a big factor from Seattle's viewpoint, and they dearly need Jerome James and Calvin Booth to step up to the plate in this one. Last time, james and Booth double teamed Yao as soon as he got the ball, and with the sophomore Chinese centre still learning his trade, he was unable to cope properly and this was a big factor in the Sonics' victory. This time around, Booth and James need to employ exactly the same tactics, but also need to guard the basket from penetration. The Rockets' smaller players, in particular Steve Francis, won't hesitate to drive the lanes which is where the two Sonic centres need to be more protective of the basket. Lewis, matched up against the natural shooting guard Jim Jackson, needs to take advantage of his height advantage and crash the boards too. He had 13 against Phoenix and 7 against Minnesota, and he needs another big game on the boards here. Key Matchup: Brent Barry vs Steve Francis A battle of the point guards could be the key here, albeit two with contrasting styles. Francis, although down on confidence, has the speed and athletic advantage over Barry, and will need to use it accordingly. Francis needs to dirve whenever there is a smidgen of space in the lanes, and force Nate McMillan to make the switch. Barry on the otherhand will rely on outsmarting Francis. 'Franchise' is often guilty of losing a bit of focus on the defensive end, and Barry needs to use his court smarts and vision to set up Seattle's offense, particularly in the open court. Both players have excellent all round games, but who will show up here? X-Factors: Antonio Daniels - the Sonics' answer to Francis, look for Daniels to get in the game early on if Barry struggles to keep up with Steve. Has been great of late for Seattle, and combines with Luke Ridnour to give a very good rotation off the bench at point guard. Eric Piatkowski - y'all know how it goes. Double team on the inside, and a smart team will always find the open perimeter man. Seattle had better hope that open man isn't Piatkowski, who has forged an NBA career through deadly perimeter shooting. The Sonics need to double team Yao, but their guards will have to make sure Piatkowski doesn't get himself open as a result. <font size="1">Player photos and logo images courtesy of NBA.com </font>
Great preview mate :thumbsup: I expect a close game here, the team that shoots the ball best will win. I expect Ray Allen to come back to form this game, Sonics by 2.
Yeah I expect Ray to be his full self again. Ill say it again, he wont let them loose. Sonics by 5 =)
Great Preview Des. I say Ray Allen and Steve Francis will heat things up a bit in that gym. I expect to see alot from those two.I say Sonics by 4.
Excellent preview. Should be a close game and I cant really choose a winner. Something is telling me to go with the rockets though.
Rockets by 7. I believe that Yao will get 12-20 points and 6-10 rebounds. Maurice Taylor has been in great form recently and might get 10-20 points.
I gotta say it's tough to go against Houston in this one, especially with them playing at home. 'Shard always has a point to prove against Houston however, so anything could happen here.
Seattle 87 Houston 86 Think the Sonics are glad to have their superstar back? Ray Allen, seen by many as Seattle's saviour, stepped into that role and guided the Sonics to a victory they had no real right to claim. Shooting under 40% for the night and jacking up seemingly endless treys with no real accuracy, the real class still shone through in the end. Allen had 28 points and 8 rebounds as he joined his teammates in reeling in the Rockets after quarter time and getting the Sonics back to .500 basketball, in their first ever trip to the new Toyota Centre. However Allen was not the only hero for Seattle. Rashard Lewis, whilst not having his greatest night with 13 and 8, still had the composure to nail two clutch freethrows in the dying seconds to give the Sonics an 86-83 buffer with 10 seconds remaining. Vladimir Radmanovic continued his average play of late with 12 points and 5 boards on 3-10 shooting, but was still able to take a Jerome James pass and nail a dagger trey through the hearts of the Rockets, and with it slight breathing space at 83-79 with a minute remianing. The ever reliable Brent Barry had 4 straight points in a crucial last quarter timespan, as he finished with 12 and 4. Reggie Evans added 8 rebounds and 2 steals off the bench, each one significant in a game decided by the barest of margins. Houston relied on a well rounded attack, with 6 players in double figures, headlined by Chinese Centre Yao Ming's 15 and 6, including two late foul shots to keep Seattle uncomfortable until the end. Steve Francis had 12 and 6, albeit a few too many turnovers, including a buzzer beating trey to complete the final margin. Maurice Taylor and Eric Piatkowski were as always providing a spark off the pine, with 13 and 14 respectively, whilst Cuttino Mobley and Jim Jackson rounded out the offensive effort with 14 points apiece, with Jackson especially hitting some key baskets in a seesawing final few minutes. Overall it wasn't a spectacle but more of a slugfest, with Seattle finally emerging from a tense battle. Both teams couldn't find a rythym all night, and in the end it came down to the Sonics' foul shooting, nailing 22 to 12, and getting to the line more often than their counterparts. But the story to this one was the performance from Ray Allen, 9-21 shooting overlooked for the time being, as he aptly lived up to his alter ego; Jesus. <font size="1">Box Score courtesy of ESPN. </font> Next Game: @ Grizzlies, Tues 30th Dec.
Whelp, I was wrong. What a game. Allen played amazing. Lewis also played pretty good. Good win Sonics.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">I expect a close game here, the team that shoots the ball best will win. I expect Ray Allen to come back to form this game, Sonics by 2.</div> I hate to bragg, but damn I'm good.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">I hate to bragg, but damn I'm good.</div> Picking a good game from a superstar? Well you always did like to take a punt
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sir Desmond:</div><div class="quote_post">Picking a good game from a superstar? Well you always did like to take a punt </div> I ams ure Allen has close to a 28 ppg career average too
I had a feeling the Sonics would take this one.They were shooting so badly all game and were only down 3 going into the 4th quarter.You just knew someone would catch fire...Radmanovic was the guy who did so.The big three to put Sonics up 4 late on was the deciding factor. Good game from Ray,he seems to be getting back into the flow again.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">I had a feeling the Sonics would take this one.They were shooting so badly all game and were only down 3 going into the 4th quarter.You just knew someone would catch fire...Radmanovic was the guy who did so.The big three to put Sonics up 4 late on was the deciding factor. Good game from Ray,he seems to be getting back into the flow again.</div> So true, but he's always been one of those offensive minded players. I just wish that Houston had a much better supporting cast. At least Memphis and Goldenstate are doing very well this year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">I had a feeling the Sonics would take this one.They were shooting so badly all game and were only down 3 going into the 4th quarter.You just knew someone would catch fire...Radmanovic was the guy who did so.The big three to put Sonics up 4 late on was the deciding factor. Good game from Ray,he seems to be getting back into the flow again.</div> Yup - he's been shooting badly for a while now, he was shooting poorly through the first three (to the point where he was dragged to start the 3rd), yet he catches fire in the last with 10 points and a clutch trey late on.
