Seattle @ Phoenix

Details:

Who: (23-25) vs (18-33)
Where: America West Arena
When: Friday, Feb 6th, 6pm
TV: KONG, NBALP

Projected Lineups:


PG: Antonio Daniels/Luke Ridnour
SG: Ray Allen/Ronald Murray/Richie Frahm
SF: Rashard Lewis/Vladimir Radmanovic
PF: Reggie EvansVladimir Radmanovic/Calvin Booth
C: Vitaly PotapenkoJerome James/Calvin Booth

Coached by Nate McMillan


PG: Leandro Barbosa/Howard Eisley
SG: Joe Johnson/Casey Jacobsen
SF: Shawn Marion/Zarko Cabarkapa
PF: Amare Stoudemire/Donnell Harvey/Maciej Lampe
C: Jahidi White/Jake Voskuhl

Coached by Mike D'Antoni

Injury List:
Nick Collison: shoulder, season.
Brent Barry: broken finger, on IL.

Injury List
Antonio McDyess: left knee tendinitis, on IL.

Analysis:
A team not afraid to make the big trade and a team involved in so many rumours you'd swear they were a grapevine. Split one-all on the season series, these are the games Seattle need to win if they are to have any hope of playing in the post-season, a dream that seems to be slowly slipping away. Rashard Lewis always seems to show up against Shawn Marion, and Ray Allen enjoyed a 24 point, seven assist night on his return to action this season against the Suns, and the Sonics will be looking for these two to step up to the plate again. For the Suns, can Joe Johnson coninute his stellar form? It all bodes for a good contest here.

Playoff Time



Two coaches who know the feeling of being thrust into an interim role. When Paul Westphal was fired three seasons ago, McMillan was elevated straight into the role of interim coach, and impressed to the extent that he was offered a four year deal after only a month in charge. D'Antoni faces the same situation, after the firing of Frank Johnson.

[quoteright]"I was pushing for it, but I had a roller-coaster season just like the team. I blame myself. It was just my consistency, or inconsistency. Doing it every night against double teams. It was something different for me." - Rashard Lewis on not making the All Star game.[/QUOTERIGHT]

Key Factors:

- Guard the perimeter. If Phoenix beat you, they will beat you using their strengths, which is scoring from the perimeter. Seattle's lack of inside presence is fine here, as Marion, Johnson and to a lesser extent, Barbosa, are the main dangers. Stopping their paths to the basket is vital.

- The start. Start fast and run the floor from the opening tip. Phoenix are not the sort of team that will mount a big comeback if you hit them early, and running the floor in transition from the word go is the way to beat them.

- Don't let Marion go one on one. Although Lewis has a great record matching up on Marion offensively, he does not have the defensive game to stop Marion who has a tendency to run hot and cold. Rashard will need help if Marion posts him up, and will want his big men to protect the basket behind him.

Key Matchup: Ray Allen vs Joe Johnson



Since the trade then sent Stephon Marbury Brooklyn-bound, it has been Joe Johnson that has picked up the slack. Finally pairing consistency with his undoubted talent, Johnson is putting up all round stats similar to the Sonics' own superstar shooting guard. Johnson's perimeter jumper has improved to a point where teams can't give him it, meaning he can use his first step to get to the hole as well, and as a result teams can't focus too heavily on Marion. On the other hand, Allen is coming off a somewhat limited game against San Antonio, and will look at Phoenix as a chance to show off why he is an All Star again this season. He needs to continue taking it at Johnson and to the hole; Phoenix aren't strong on interior defenders, so Ray needs to take it at the basket and get to the line as much as possible.

X-Factors:





Valdimir Radmanovic - capable of quick offense off the bench, Seattle will want him to spearhead the second u nit and put away a disappointing Phoenix outfit early. Needs to find confidence in his shot.





Zarko Cabarkapa - tall, agile and possessing nice range for a big guy, Zarko has been a big spark of the Suns' bench since returning from injury, and could cause problems for the Sonics.

<font size="1">Player photos and logo images courtesy of NBA.com </font>

 

Great preview Sir Dez, sad to see Barry still injured. Good to see AD getting some good minutes though. A great chance and experience for him to get some real game time.

I hope this'll be one of Rashard's better nights, not one of his terrible inconsistent ones. He'll be very much needed on both ends if they're to pull in the win. Ray Allen will probably outbeat Johnson on both ends even those he has no defense either. I'm hopeful and say Sonics by 9 in a somewhat easy win.

 

Great Preview Sir Dez. Sonics by 7.

 

Nice preview as ever. I say Sonics by 5+.

 

they just won barely...107-105, escaping an overtime/beat by the Phoenix Suns...lucky lucky...

Ray Allen was sent to the locker room after getting a screen (from...I don't remember his name...) and possibly could've dislocated his left shoulder...but however, he posted up 18, 8, and 8...almost another triple double...Rashard Lewis got 23, and 5. And Vladimir Radmonovic got 23 and 10.

Suns got quite the #'s.....Joe Johnson with 22, 5, and 5. Leandro Barbosa with 21, 5, and 9. Shawn Marion got 27 and 7. Amare Stoudamire got 10 rebs. (and 6 pts.)....

(I'll leave it up to Sir Desmond to do the great stuff, but this is for temporary...do your thing Sir Dez!)

 

^ Not at all, always good to get some help

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">PHOENIX, Feb. 6 (Ticker) -- Rashard Lewis and the Seattle SuperSonics overcame an injury to Ray Allen to snap a three-game road losing streak.

Lewis scored 23 points, including a layup with two seconds remaining, to help the SuperSonics pull out a 107-105 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix had one last chance to win, but Shawn Marion misfired on a three-pointer at the buzzer. Joe Johnson's three-pointer with 18.8 seconds remaining tied the game, 105-105, and capped a 19-8 run by the Suns.

Allen injured his left shoulder with just over two minutes left when he ran into a pick set by fellow University of Connecticut alumnus Jake Voskuhl. The All-Star guard lay on the court writhing in pain for several minutes before leaving the game.

Vladimir Radmanovic scored 23 points and Allen added 18 for Seattle, which won for just the second time in six games. </div>

<font size="1">Full Story and Box Score courtesy of NBA.com.</font>

Some personal notes: I'm really liking how Luke Ridnour is looking at the moment, he had a nice game off the bench again as he's starting to work his way back into Nate's rotation with the injury troubles of Bones.

Radmanovic is starting to assert himself off the bench. Tonight was one of the best games I have seen him play since he was drafted, and he looks to be embracing his 6th man role.

If Ray is out, as it looks like, then will Flip start? And can he recapture his early season form as a starter?

 

grr...I don't want him on the injury list ever! Next week is the All-star week and he's a substitute!! noooooo.....

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting anadagirlballer4strt:</div><div class="quote_post">grr...I don't want him on the injury list ever! Next week is the All-star week and he's a substitute!! noooooo..... </div>

Don't like his chances of playing that, he's been there before and I would think he'd rather rest up than risk any sort of damage, especially after sitting the first half of the year.

Damn, what is it with Seattle and shoulders?? First rashard, then Collison, now Ray.

 

its' kinda pissing me off...Phoenix screeners u suck! lol jk. um...yeah I'd rather him just rest for a weekend then a whole season off/half a season off....but grr...I was really waiting for him to get off the bench and play...:-(