Preview Details: Who: (16-14) vs (22-8) Where: Arco Arena When: Sun, Jan 4th, 6pm TV: KONG, NBALP Projected Lineups: PG: Brent Barry/Antonio Daniels/Luke Ridnour SG: Ray Allen/Ronald Murray/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: Mike Bibby/Bobby Jackson SG: Doug Christie/Anthony Peeler SF: Predrag Stojakovic/Gerald Wallace PF: Brad Miller/Lawrence Funderburke/Darius Songaila C: Vlade Divac/Brad Miller/Tony Massenburg Coached by Rick Adelman Injury List: Nick Collison: shoulder, season. Ansu Sesay: left ring finger sprain, on IL. King Injury List Chris Webber:left achilles surgery, on IL. Analysis: The Sonics come into this one on the back of a huge win over Gary Payton and the Los Angeles Lakers, after Ray Allen's final minute heroics. Allen nailed a tough three and then a twisting lay-up to give the Sonics a two point win, and a three game winning streak, all against quality Western opposition. The Kings also benefited from that loss, meaning they were able to snatch the best record in the league with a win over the Clippers. Sacramento have done this all without Chris Webber, with the form of Peja Stojakovic and offseason addition Brad Miller highlighting a slick passing game. As per usual, the Kings have been almost unbeatable at home, going 16-2, and Seattle will have a huge task ahead of them if they want to knock off their second league powerhouse in three nights. Key Stat: The Sonics are 4-1 with superstar Ray Allen back in their line-up after ankle surgery, and he is currently averaging 24.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 33 minutes, and has scored at least 22 points in every game except one since coming back. [quoteright]"That's a situation that I always want to be in. Whether I make it or miss it, I want the opportunity to make it." Ray Allen after he hit a spinning, double-pump lay-up in traffic to beat the Lakers in Gary Payton's return to Seattle.[/QUOTERIGHT] Key Factor: Defensive pressure. The Kings major strength is their ball movement and passing game, which means Seattle's normally weak perimeter rotations need to be absolutely spot on, or Sacramento's offense will roast them. Seattle don't have the defenders to stop this; Jerome james, Calvin Booth and Vitaly Potapenko inside are all too slow to stop Brad Miller and Vlade Divac, while Brent Barry, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis are nothing special when it comes to defending the perimeter. This means Seattle will have to rotate quickly and efficiently, and make sure they don't use up their fouls early in quarters. A bad shooting night from the Kings wouldn't hurt, either. Key Matchup: Rashard Lewis vs Peja Stojakovic Two of the league's premier small forwards meet in what will certainly be an offense minded match-up. Stojakovic has stepped up in the absence of Webber, pouring in almost 25 points per contest, while Lewis has taken a second fiddle role to Ray Allen since returning, but still hovers around 20ppg. Peja is perhaps the purest scorer in the league right now, and will keep Lewis' hands full until the final buzzer. He will need to play Stojakovic very closely on the perimeter and make him shoot over him or penetrate to score, and rely on James and Booth to protect the basket. At the other end, Lewis has the quickness to take Stojakovic off the dribble, and he needs to drive at every opportunity and either get to the line or use his excellent midrange jumper. X-Factors: Vitaly Potapenko - after coming up big against the Lakers with a season-high 13 points, including seven in the third period, Potapenko will have earnt himself minutes off the bench. He needs to be physical down low where he is Seattle's best post defender, crash the boards and knock down the open jumper when defenses collapse of Lewis' and Allen's penetration. Bobby Jackson - the reigning 6th man of the year, Jackson is a livewire who can shoot, pass and get to the hole equally well. Will ensure that Sonic defenders can't rest when the second unit comes out to play. <font size="1">Player photos and logo images courtesy of NBA.com </font>
Kings take this one, they are the best at home. The Lewis Peja matchup should be amazing to watch, two tall guys that can stroke it. I'll say by 7 (can't ever go wrong with 7)
agrees that the Sacramento Kings have an advantage....since they've one pretty much all the games they went against Sonics last years...eh...this will be a tough one to watch, but hopefully Sonics can pull off a close matchoff.
I cant choose a winner in this but I have to. Sacramento has the edge, but Seattle has the fire power. Upset, Seattle by 4 *The losing team is more than welcome to come my house*
I say Sonics take this one in the closest game of January 2004 IMO. This is going down to the wire but I say Sonics take this one by 1.
LMAO I was the only one to take the Kings? Are you kidding me? Remind me to invite you guys to a money pool, hahaha. You guys will be all right, these losses are expected, this is the NBA's elite we are talking about anyway.
Seattle 99 Sacramento 130 Wow, a lot of people in this thread picked the upset, couldn't have been further off. The Kings shot 58% in a 31 point victory here, with seven players in double figures, led by Peja Stojakovic's 24. The Kings also shot the ball at better than 50% from beyond the arc, and 95% from the freethrow line, whilst also racking up an amazing 37 assists. Fort the Sonics, Rashard Lewis had 18 and 5, while Reggie Evans had a career high 16, Vladimir Radmanovic 12 and Richie Frahm and Vitaly Potapenko had 10 apiece. Seattle shot 42%, and went 5-27 from downtown. Sacramento opened up a 7 point gap after a quarter, then had 36 over the next two to take a 34 point gap into the last break, and resting some of their big names in a last quarter which the Sonics won, but only marginally. Enough said about this one, I still can't believe how many in this thread tipped against the Kings at home <font size="1">Box Score courtesy of NBA.com. </font> Next game: vs Trailblazers, Mon Jan 5, 7pm
You live and die with the three. It helped them beat the lakers, and it killed them against the Kings.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">LMAO I was the only one to take the Kings? Are you kidding me? Remind me to invite you guys to a money pool, hahaha. You guys will be all right, these losses are expected, this is the NBA's elite we are talking about anyway.</div> agrees that the Sacramento Kings have an advantage....since they've one pretty much all the games they went against Sonics last years...eh...this will be a tough one to watch, but hopefully Sonics can pull off a close matchoff. ........^ what I meant by that was that the Sacramento will win, but I wished that Sonics could have at least a decent game (head to head)...I never said they would win.
Of course, the Kings are more united than the Lakers. Anyway, it was pretty much automatic for me to see the Kings beating Seattle - I never expected them to lose. But damn, they didn't have to win this good - when's the last time a team broke 130 in regulation? Score looks like the Western All Star team against the Clippers. A lot of scoring, yet still lopsided.
