Details: When: Saturday, February 5th Where: KeyArena, Seattle Time (Seattle): 7:00 TV: Fox Sports, League Pass Projected Starters: <font color="green">Seattle (31-13)</font> Luke Ridnour Ray Allen* Rashard Lewis Reggie Evans Jerome James <font color="indigo"></font><font color="DarkOrange"> Charlotte</font> <font color="DarkOrange">(10-32)</font> Brevin Knight Kareem Rush Gerald Wallace Melvin Ely Primoz Brezec Injury Troubles: <font color="green">Seattle</font> Casanova Swift: Strained hip, ruled out. Damien Wilkins: Knee tendinitis, ruled out. Mateen Cleaves: Strained shoulder, ruled out. Ray Allen: Viral infection, Questionable. <font color="blue"> </font><font color="DarkOrange">Charlotte</font> Emeka Okafor: Sprained ankle, ruled out. Bernard Robinson: Knee tendinitis, ruled out. Tamar Slay: Foot injury, ruled out. Brief Notes: <ul> [*]No Emeka Okafor, yay! The Sonics take on a 10-win team without their premier player... at home. Freak accidents aside, we should take this. [/list] <ul> [*]Ray Allen should be back. [/list] <ul> [*]Word of the day: Dog ****; noun. The excrement made by those of the canine species. [/list]<div align="center">"I feel like dog ****, that's why this preview is so horrible."</div> <div align="center">Random Family Guy Quote </div> Adam West: I love this job more than I love taffy ... and I'm a man who enjoys his taffy. All predictions, analysis and discussion relating directly to the game, both before, during and after, to be posted in this thread.
Considering the Sonics are playing the Cats who are without Emeka It would make far more sense letting Ray sit this one out and be ready to face the Kings and Suns next week. No point him playing If he still isn't 100%. I'm sure the Sonics can handle the Bobcats easily without him.
Under normal circumstances there wouldn't be a rush for Ray to get back into the lineup against an expansion team at home w/o its best player. However, something tells me that Ray doesn't want to be out of the lineup for any longer than he has to be, even if it means that he comes back too early. I'm optimistic that Coach Casey can make it 2 out of 3 tonight. He seems to be doing things the right way.
I only caught the 4th quarter. Maybe it was already garbage time but the Sonics D looked pretty porous - Jason Kapono creating and making plays? Keith Bogans getting into the lane at will? Also, where the hell was Flip? He didn't get in until 5 minutes left. I had to check to see if Nate was back but it was D. Casey still, and after the complimentary things he said in the paper about Flip I thought he'd find a way to work him into the lineup even with Ray Allen back.
It's not often Luke comes across a point guard smaller than him, but he had one to beat up on in Brevin Knight, and he returned with 17 and eight dimes, and another nice shooting night (his shooting yips seem to have deserted him for the time being). What surprised me was Fort only saw four minutes. He had two personals but Melvin Ely was playing a very good game. Still, Vlad was hot and Reggie broke his career high with 21 caroms, so I suppose I can't complain too much.
Danny and Jerome barely played, that I saw. I know Dwayne kept Reggie in longer in the fourth quarter than he would've normally so Reggie could get the 20 rebounds. Collison is posting up and shootingnow. It's so pretty. Dunno why Flip only got a few minutes, but Ray looked pretty good, anyway.
The lead over Minny is now nine games, and they play tomorrow. Nate should be back in Seattle tomorrow too, and will be back in charge for 'Nawlins on Tuesday.
Great job by Dwayne Casey. 2-1 is probably what we would have been had both McMillian and Ray have been available for all three games but Casey did things w/o disrupting the positive team flow. It doesn't surprise me that Casey shortened the rotation yesterday. Nothing would have changed had Ray not been sick in the first place. Ray was healthy and it wasn't Casey's place to do what he really wanted to do to the rotation. He handled the entire situation w/ extreme caution and class and I commend him for his efforts. I'm optimistic that we won't have a big let down going into the All Star break but I am very interested to see whether or not Rick Sund is bold enough to make a move to give us some insurance going into the offseason. The trade deadline is approaching and I do believe that Ray said that if he doesn't get a deal done by the All Star break then he is out the door in July.
Its not surprising at all for Flip not to play. Realistically its just more logical to have Luke or Daniels on the court when Ray is out their. They rarely make mistakes and keep the offensive in a good flow. But gotta give props to Flip for being such a good sport about all of this because although it makes sense for him to not be able to play right now that doesnt mean he doesnt deserve it...Yeah thats a weird statement but I think it sums up Flips season so far. By the way Shiek are you sure he said that? I remember he said he really wanted get the contract done by the trade deadline but dont think it was an ultimatum. Hopefully Ray smartens up soon because hes not going to beat 5 yrs and nearly 70 million on the open market..especially after the new collective bargaining agreement.
You guys gotta be kidding. We're playing a decimated expansion team at home, a less than 100% Ray Allen and Flip's coming off a great game at Sac where he basically kept them in the game and they can't find ANY way to work him into the rotation? Will we find out if Flip can be a straight backup 2 for the 10-15 minutes a game when Ray needs a blow? Again I only watched the 4th but all I saw from AD was him pounding the ball at the top of the key, winding the shot clock down so he has to create something off the dribble - this with Ridnour on the court. Surely Flip is better suited for this than AD, and play AD as backup point. I'm no Iron Sheik I'm just saying we need to define a role for Flip and see if he can succeed in it because we're going to need him later in the season/playoffs. I can only assume it's already been decided that he doesn't have a role with the current personnel and the only way he plays is if Ray is sick.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Roland Hood:</div><div class="quote_post"> I'm no Iron Sheik I'm just saying we need to define a role for Flip and see if he can succeed in it because we're going to need him later in the season/playoffs. </div> That's interesting, b/c someone would have thought that your last post was my post if they didn't see who wrote it. Flip is going to be ready to play regardless, and the bad part about all of this is that barring injury, Nate isn't going to give Flip any minutes until we are at a loss for what we are going to do in the playoffs. Most teams shorten their rotation in the postseason, but when we make the postseason and teams make adjustments to stop our pick and roll action, we are going to need someone who is able to create a shot for himself and others at will. Coolguy, a 32-13 won't give us the Larry O'Brien trophy. Playing Flip doesn't mean that our quality of play will decrease. If Ray Allen (or Daniels, or Ridnour) would get injured and we would go on a run similiar to what we went on earlier in the year do you think that Ray would come back averaging 7 to 8 minutes a game? I'm not going to go on and on about why Flip deserves minutes but what I do hope happens is that we will cut down on the "playing Flip will automatically mess up the team chemistry" posts. Anyone who knows anything about basketball knows that a player who is capable of getting high percentage shots for himself and his teammates at will is best served playing and not rotting on the bench.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm not going to go on and on about why Flip deserves minutes but what I do hope happens is that we will cut down on the "playing Flip will automatically mess up the team chemistry" posts.</div> I don't know if it's just me, but I can't recall seeing of these. Saying that we should keep the same rotation that has seen us challenge for homecourt is not the same as saying Flip will mess up chemistry.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Roland Hood:</div><div class="quote_post">You guys gotta be kidding. I'm no Iron Sheik I'm just saying we need to define a role for Flip and see if he can succeed in it because we're going to need him later in the season/playoffs. .</div> Am I the only one that remember us trying to incorporate Flip into the rotation for a few minutes a game? ok well heres a reminder... In games where Flip plays 25 MPG or less here are his numbers Hes attempted 45 shots while converting on only 11 of those. (under 25% shooting) and turning the ball over 14 times while getting only 12 assist. Also we went 6-6 in these games (I did not count the games in the stats where he came on the court for 3 or 6 minutes just for time at the end). Its simply fact...we have played better with a 3-guard rotation and Flip is the odd man out right now..its to bad for him but its the fact of Sonic life for now and its clearly the correct move.
I hear you but what I am saying is that you tell Flip he's Ray's backup - Ray comes out end of the 1st quarter/beginning of 2nd and end of 3rd/beginning of 4th for 5-7 minutes; Flip comes in and you let him fire away (or whatever, post him up, run some pick and rolls and isolations for him) Find out now if he can play that role, keep his head right and his game sharp for the playoffs/next season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Roland Hood:</div><div class="quote_post">I hear you but what I am saying is that you tell Flip he's Ray's backup - Ray comes out end of the 1st quarter/beginning of 2nd and end of 3rd/beginning of 4th for 5-7 minutes; Flip comes in and you let him fire away (or whatever, post him up, run some pick and rolls and isolations for him) Find out now if he can play that role, keep his head right and his game sharp for the playoffs/next season.</div> Ok for starters you CLEARLY dont hear me. If you heard me you wouldnt say find out if he can play that role...they have already attempted to give him that role. He Failed. Hey its a tough role to play and he failed. Not insulting him but simply put he is not an effiencent player with a few minutes a game. IT HAS BEEN TRIED IT HAS BEEN TRIED IT HAS BEEN TRIED. Just wanted to make sure incase maybe you and Shieks eyes are bad you could read that ok.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Coolguy777:</div><div class="quote_post">Ok for starters you CLEARLY dont hear me. If you heard me you wouldnt say find out if he can play that role...they have already attempted to give him that role. He Failed. Hey its a tough role to play and he failed. Not insulting him but simply put he is not an effiencent player with a few minutes a game. IT HAS BEEN TRIED IT HAS BEEN TRIED IT HAS BEEN TRIED. Just wanted to make sure incase maybe you and Shieks eyes are bad you could read that ok.</div> Uh, no it has not been tried - it's been 2 minutes here, 3 minutes there, some time at the 1, 2 and 3 and at different times of the game - I haven't seen a CONSISTENT attempt at working Flip into the rotation. Maybe they tried in practice and Nate didn't like what he saw. But IMO the stats you quote are symptomatic of a guy who has no idea when he's going to be in the game, at what time and at what position. Radmanovic had similar problems last year, from what I saw (only saw a few games last year) I'm looking for a compromise between a full on 25mpg and not turning the current rotation upside down since I believe we're going to need him later in the season.
not really 2 or 3 minutes here and there. When Flip came back from being injured he received rotation minutes for a period of games before Nate stopped that because he realized it didnt work. Why are we going to need Flip later in the season anyways? planning on an injury?
it's been tried; take it from someone who watches most of the sonics games. Flip's always been streaky; he's a volume scorer and just isn't the type who can put in "good" games in limited minutes (from what I've seen).. He'll give you either a great game or a horrible one, and solid bench players need to give you something in between. This season is kind of lost for him it seems; after Ray's contract talks are over though..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Coolguy777:</div><div class="quote_post">Why are we going to need Flip later in the season anyways? planning on an injury?</div> I think as the season wears on and particularly in a 7 game playoff series that teams will matchup with the Sonics halfcourt offense. What I see a lot lately is teams taking away #1 and #2 option from our pick and roll which usually ends up with one of our guards trying to create something off the dribble with 8 seconds or so on the shotclock. Again I am not advocating blowing this thing up, it's just that in the playoffs I think you really need someone who can get their own since defensively teams will take you out of what you want to do.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Roland Hood:</div><div class="quote_post">I think as the season wears on and particularly in a 7 game playoff series that teams will matchup with the Sonics halfcourt offense. What I see a lot lately is teams taking away #1 and #2 option from our pick and roll which usually ends up with one of our guards trying to create something off the dribble with 8 seconds or so on the shotclock. Again I am not advocating blowing this thing up, it's just that in the playoffs I think you really need someone who can get their own since defensively teams will take you out of what you want to do.</div> I dont really agree Roland but I do think you atleast have a meaningful point. I just dont think Flips scoring abilitiy will really be what can get us somewhere in the playoffs if teams start to shut down the rest of our offense. If we have to depend on Flip to get it done I dont think we will have a chance at taking down Phoenix or SA.
