Details: When: Sunday, November 28th Where: Key Arena, Seattle Time (Seattle): 6:00 TV: Fox Sports, League Pass Projected Starters: <font color="green">Seattle (12-2)</font> Luke Ridnour Ray Allen Rashard Lewis Reggie Evans Jerome James <font color="Black">Indiana (10-3)</font> Jamaal Tinsley Fred Jones James Jones Austin Croshere David Harrison Injury Troubles: <font color="green">Seattle</font> Vitaly Potapenko: Broken hand, ruled out. Ibo Kutluay: Knee tendinitis, ruled out. Flip Murray: Quadricep strain, Doubtful. Ray Allen: Ankle sprain, Probable. <font color="Black">Indiana</font> Jeff Foster: Hip surgery, ruled out. Reggie Miller: Hand, ruled out. Jonathan Bender: Knee, ruled out. Scot Pollard: Back, questionable. Brief Notes: <ul> [*]This game features two teams that are soaring beyond expectations. The Sonics, of course, are defying everyone's predictions by continuing to win under any circumstances and the Pacers by winning three straight after losing three of their best players because of the brawl. One team will meet a halt in their run tonight. [/list] <ul> [*]Danny Fortson was magnificent against the Nets, scoring 20 point on six for seven shooting off the bench. He and Evans will try to deal with the surging Austin Croshere who has scored over 20 points in the past two games. The bruisers will also get to welcome rookie David Harrison to the league in their own fashion. [/list] <ul> [*]The Sonics have the best record in the NBA, are ranked #1 on NBA.com's Power Rankings, lead a division with Minnesota and supposed breakout teams Denver and Utah. With all this success the Sonics have done a good job of keeping their heads out of the clouds thus far. Whether or not the Supes can continue their sound, determined play will be seen. [/list] <ul> [*]Ridnour Watch: Luke hasn't been sinking alot of shots lately but he has been making up for it with floor leadership and crisp play. Ridnour is keeping his turnover total low and making some key shots when he does hit them. He'll have his hands full with Jamaal Tinsley running the point for the Pacers. With the big guns suspended, Tinsley has a good argument for being the best player on the Indiana team and could explode of Luke isn't prepared. [/list]All predictions, analysis and discussion relating directly to the game, both before, during and after, to be posted in this thread.
I really hope we can get a W and finish this Pacers momentum. I think Sonics have a mismatch in every position (not PG ofcourse) in their favour but Pacers have suprised 3 times in a row - though I think those teams severly underestimated this Pacers team. If Sonics take this game seriously then this is a walk in the park but if they too underestimate them then it will be a very long night for players and fans.
Ray should have a big night, they have no one who can guard him. Indiana are still a soild defensive team but Ray should be able to score with ease. He needs to have a better shooting performance, he has really struggled the last two games shooting the ball. To his credit though, he has done a great job at getting to the line. I need those %'s up for my fantasy team
come on sonics...take them seriously && work your butts off...um i think they should take the win by 5.
Contain Tinsley and we will win. If we don't there is a very good chance that we'll lose. Tinsley is a winner who is elevating the level of play of himself and his teammates. There isn't a better point guard in terms of getting his teammates high percentage shots. I'm very interested in watching this game.
The pacers won 3 in a row AT HOME... I doubt most of these young kids have played important games on the road and the only players on that team that can do that are tinsley and croshere...maybe fred jones can come up with some important baskets too, but I think the sonics will win by 8...the pacers have been winning on heart & home crowd ever since o'neal , artest , and jackson got suspended...
Tinsley is the man at the moment. You can say Croshere, Fred Jones and James Jones are all breaking out with these minutes, but the truth is Tinsley is the guy responsible yet. In some ways this will be Luke's biggest test, because JT will handle the ball a huge amount in this one. At least Rashard doesn't have to face Artest, and that's assuming he does play with his shoulder strain. If we focus, we should be able to win this, but I wouldn't take anything for granted against the Pacers.
I was right, sonics win by 8...I was wrong about the young players on the pacers' though, james jones stepped up big for 27 pts, but the sonics still got the win, just because we got a much better and smarter team...how bout rashard gettin 4 blocks? when was the last time he did that? he should average at least 1.5 per game at 6'10 anyway...good win for the sonics, 13-2 and counting...
Lew had five blocks earlier in the season. I think the Pacers only had four total turnovers for the game, but our ball movement was excellent, I think Ray, Luke and AD combined for 23 assists and only five turnovers. One of Luke's best games for the season, as he stepped up to the challenge of Tinsley, and more than held his own. Hit another crucial three too down the stretch. Very heartening to see this team hold off another late run. I still maintain we have the best bench in the league currently, with Radmanovic, AD, Fortson and Collison all bringing it in this one.
Yep, Radmanovic and Antonio Daniels have been great off the bench. Fortson brings the toughness, but I wish he didn't get called for so many fouls. I guess that's just the way he plays or that's just the way David Stern ordered refs to call fouls against Danny. On the other hand, I still think that Dallas has the best bench in the league. When you have Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse and Marquis Daniels or Josh Howard (when Finley is healthy) coming off the bench, you know you have a great team. Still, our bench is much better than most teams and most importantly, it's been consistent, because you know what you're getting from each of the players who come in the game. They've been great role players, each of them brings something different to the table and that's how you get W's.
yep, that was expected, but again - who cares about the rankings of some unknown idiot who never touched a basketball?
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Don't be smug, Seattle. Surely you didn't expect your Supes to be the first team to reach 10 wins -- or to rank third in the NBA in rebounding differential after a month.</div> Probably the closest thing we'll get to a compliment from Stein. We're gradually climbing. All that matters is we're winning basketball games, and we have a very winnable two games coming up in Portland, then back home to Utah.
I wouldn't be so hard on Stein I mean really though.. Are the Sonics the best team in the NBA? I wouldn't say so http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/stor...marc&id=1934228 he does give us props by naming us team of the week for the 2nd week in a row :]
^ power rankings are always based on how teams are doing at the moment, otherwise the spurs & the t-wolves would be on top throughout the whole year...and why are the spurs above us after we beat them? marc stein is an idiot
Records aren't the be-all end-all judge of how good a team is.. I mean Indiana had the best record last year but I doubt they were the #1 ranked team? Beating the Spurs doesnt make us a better team than them.. Otherwise you could stick the Bulls in front of the Jazz (extreme example I know, but one game says little about the two teams involved).. I do agree that we should probably be ranked ahead of San Antonio given that they lost during the week and we didn't. But being realistic now, the Sonics are not the best team in the NBA.. Their play has certainly elevated them to be among the best, but to call any team going into a game against the Sonics an underdog is pushing it
^ what do you mean "i doubt they were the #1 ranked team"???? power rankings aren't an once-an-year thing, they show how well a team is playing AT THE MOMENT, that's why they are updated every week...like i said, if power rankings were based on how good a team is in general, the spurs and the t-wolves would always be on top, is it that hard to get?...and yes, beating the spurs has to put us above them in the power rankings, that's just how power rankings work everywhere, except marc stein's gay power rankings
