Details: When: Monday, April 11th Where: Key Arena, Seattle Time (Seattle): 7:00 P.M. TV: Fox Sports, League Pass Projected Starters: <font color="green">Seattle (50-26) </font> Luke Ridnour Ray Allen Damien Wilkins Reggie Evans Jerome James <font color="red">Houston (46-31)</font> Bob Sura David Wesley Tracy McGrady Clarence Weatherspoon Yao Ming Injury Troubles: <font color="green">Seattle</font> Mateen Cleaves: Sprained thumb, ruled out. Vladimir Radmanovic: Stress fracture in leg, ruled out. Rashard Lewis: Bruised foot, ruled out. Danny Fortson: Bruised shoulder, unlikely. Antonio Daniels: Sore knee, unlikely. <font color="red"> Houston</font> Juwan Howard: Sprained knee, ruled out. Charlie Ward: Knee surgery, ruled out. Moochie Norris: Plantar fasciitis, ruled out. Brief Notes: <ul> [*]One win, or one Denver loss, is all that is needed for Seattle to clinch the inaugral Northwest divisional crown still, but the Supes are still looking over their shoulders. The Nuggets are a great chance to win out, which means the Sonics must win one of their remaining six games to make sure of a third seeding in the playoffs - they play the Rockets twice (including this one), Dallas twice (who have clinched the 4th seed with 52 wins), an in-form Minnesota and lowly New Orleans. [/list] <ul> [*]Danny Fortson and Antonio Daniels are both questionable for this game, which translate to very unlikely. The Rockets are basically full-strength, except for Juwan Howard who is out for the season. [/list] * Useful/less stat of the day: The Supes are currently missing 51.4 points and 18.2 rebounds per game through injury. Not that I'm making excuses or anything. Quotable: "I'm a winner. I've always been a winner. It's always been my attitude, and that's not going to stop." - Ray Allen. Random Family Guy Quote Peter: Beer that never goes flat. Do you know what that means, Brian? This beer will still be carbonated long after you die of old age and we buy another dog to help the kids ... y'know, forget about you. All predictions, analysis and discussion relating directly to the game, both before, during and after, to be posted in this thread.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pwn3d!:</div><div class="quote_post">Details: When: Monday, April 11th Where: Key Arena, Seattle Time (Seattle): 7:00 P.M. TV: Fox Sports, League Pass Projected Starters: <font color="green">Seattle (50-26) </font> Luke Ridnour Ray Allen Damien Wilkins Reggie Evans Jerome James <font color="red">Houston (46-31)</font> Chucky Atkins Kobe Bryant Caron Butler Devean George Brian Grant </div> Hey didn't we just play these five last week? How did Houston manage such a blockbuster trade after the trade deadline???? Anyway...the only two things I see the sonics have going for them... Sura and James are not the types of guards that cause the Sonics problems...they aren't super fast penetrators. They both like the jump shot. JJ seems to step it up against Yao. They need him to do that tonight.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting psheehy:</div><div class="quote_post">Hey didn't we just play these five last week? How did Houston manage such a blockbuster trade after the trade deadline???? </div> LOL. yeah I think Houston played themselves a few days ago.
Seattle definitely need Wilkins to step it up on both ends of the floor. Jerome James also needs to have a good game defensively against Yao. Shut down the Rockets role players, especially limiting outside looks for James, Wesley and Barry, would go a long way. That being said, the Rockets'd better penetrate and draw fouls on the Sonics big men. Both teams take this game as sort of must wins so it will most likely be close throughout. Rockets by 4.
Down 6 with 3 minutes to go. Denver clinch a playoff spot with a 16 point win over the red-hot Warriors. This is getting ridiculous.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pwn3d!:</div><div class="quote_post">This is getting ridiculous.</div> Agreed. Nearly every sports analyst predicted that it was inevitable for Seattle to fall eventual......we sure are picking a bad time to prove them right. I think that Wilk is starting to be somewhat of a detriment to the team. He had a few good games at first, but now it's time for Nate to revoke his license to shoot. We should see Wilk as a defensive stopper, and an offensive garbage player (tip-ins and dunks). He has been given too much offensive freedom and has resonded with bricks and airballs. I still think that we will advance deep into the playoffs, doesn't matter if we play Denver, Houston, or Memphis. With Tim Duncan out we should have been fighting for the 2 seed. But right now I just want them to clinch the division.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">Agreed. Nearly every sports analyst predicted that it was inevitable for Seattle to fall eventual......we sure are picking a bad time to prove them right. I think that Wilk is starting to be somewhat of a detriment to the team. He had a few good games at first, but now it's time for Nate to revoke his license to shoot. We should see Wilk as a defensive stopper, and an offensive garbage player (tip-ins and dunks). He has been given too much offensive freedom and has resonded with bricks and airballs. I still think that we will advance deep into the playoffs, doesn't matter if we play Denver, Houston, or Memphis. With Tim Duncan out we should have been fighting for the 2 seed. But right now I just want them to clinch the division.</div> Unless Lewis or Vlade come back, who is supposed to shoot then? He and Flip are shooting now because they HAVE to! There is no one left with four people guarding Ray and one left to covering our other 4 players. Someone needs to actually start HITTING some shots.
I'm not discouraged by any of the losses (although the 1st quarter in Denver was bad). Start the season with a lineup of Ray Allen, Luke, Evans, Wilkins and JJ and you'd predict maybe the worst record in the league. Except for Ray Allen, these guys are all complimentary players who play off star players, of which we have only one right now. My only concern is that time is running short to getting our guys back, getting that rhythm back. That and I have no idea what's going on in Jerome James' head.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Roland Hood:</div><div class="quote_post"> That and I have no idea what's going on in Jerome James' head.</div> Maybe? Sad thing is, he didn't used to be evil. Jerome needs to come home one day and find his missus in bed with a monkey.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pwn3d!:</div><div class="quote_post"> Maybe? Sad thing is, he didn't used to be evil. Jerome needs to come home one day and find his missus in bed with a monkey.</div> I had to admit I'm not all sure what this means, but I wholeheartedly agree as it makes about as much sense as any other guess I might have about Jerome.
Bring on New Orleans. BTW, I don't know if a monkey reference is the best way to portray Jerome James. Seems a bit risky. I might be able to bring it a little more harshly than Jermaine O'Neal.
Does anyone realize that if we win only one game and both Houston and Sacramento win out we will be the third seed in the playoffs--w/o home court advantage. It's interesting to hear the doomsday attitude of the Supes--almost begging for the injured players to return to action. Nate is a bit of a coward, considering he doesn't seem to be challenging this current group to compete at all times. Nick Collison said that it was disheartening b/c the Sonics played well and still lost. This is a home game against the team we very well might face in the playoffs. At least appear to be disatisfied in a losing effort. Everyone right now is chomping at the bits to play us in the postseason. The morale on this team is at an all time low and Nate is contributing to that. I don't want to read about the players aren't available. I don't need Ray to convince me he is a winner when he hasn't won anything at any level. I need to see a team that is willing to play the cards that they are dealt--ie the 2003-2004 Utah Jazz. Nate should look to his coaching role model, Jerry Sloan, as to how to handle team adversity. You can't coach players who are inactive. Worry about the one's that are available and wrap this damn division up on Wednesday. The Mavericks aren't playing for anything (they just about wrapped up the four slot).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post">Does anyone realize that if we win only one game and both Houston and Sacramento win out we will be the third seed in the playoffs--w/o home court advantage. slot).</div> Pretty sure if we get the NW division we have homecourt advantage no matter what.
