Preview Details: Who: (21-20) vs (18-22) Where: Key Arena When: Saturday, Jan 24th, 7pm TV: KONG Projected Lineups: PG: Brent Barry/Antonio Daniels/Luke Ridnour SG: Ray Allen/Ronald Murray/Richie Frahm SF: Rashard Lewis/Vladimir Radmanovic PF: Calvin Booth/Vladimir Radmanovic/Reggie Evans C: Jerome James/Calvin Booth/Vitaly Potapenko Coached by Nate McMillan PG: Marko Jaric/Keyon Dooling/Eddie House SG: Quentin Richardson/Eddie House SF: Corey Maggette/Matt Barnes/Quentin Richardson PF: Elton Brand/Chris Wilcox/Melvin Ely C: Chris Kaman/Melvin Ely Coached by Mike Dunleavy Snr Injury List: Nick Collison: shoulder, season. Richie Frahm: right knee tendinitis, on IL. Clipper Injury List Bobby Simmons: sprained left hip, on IL. Josh Moore: back spasms, on IL. Olden Polynice: neck strain, on IL. Analysis: Seattle look to continue their good form at home against the visiting Clippers, who can still be a dangerous opponent regardless of their sub-par record. The Sonics played the Clippers twice in Japan to start the season, and a win here would wrap up a potentially important season series. Los Angeles are a bit like the Sonics in many respects; stacked with shooting swingmen, the Clippers know how to score but don't always know how to defend. The difference is they have a dominant inside presence in Elton Brand, who was injured for the second game in Japan. Could he be the difference? Trading draft picks The Sonics drafted Maggette with the 13th selection in the 1999 draft, but immediately traded his draft rights to Orlando, along with Don McLean, Dale Ellis and Billy Owens, for Horace Grant and two second round picks. While Grant was servicable, Seattle have watched as Maggette has developed into a star, albeit in the same position as Rashard Lewis. Olden Polynice was drafted 8th overall by Chicago in 1987, and Seattle traded the draft rights to Scottie Pippen to get Polynice. The rest, as they say, is history. In the 2001 draft, Seattle drafted Bobby Simmons and traded his rights to Washington for the rights to Peja Drobnjak. Ironically, both now are on Los Angeles' roster, but Simmons is injured and won't play in this one. [quoteright]"AD has been solid. Defensively he's good for us. He's the best guard on the ball, he hasn't turned the ball over and is steady and controlled on offense. You know what you're getting when he comes into the game, which is what you want from a veteran guy." - Nate McMillan on Antonio Daniels, a free agent aquisition.[/QUOTERIGHT] Key Factors: - Attack the basket. The Clippers are not blessed with great perimeter defenders, while Seattle have the weapons to exploit this. The likes of Allen, Lewis, Murray and Daniels all attacked the rim against the Warriors, instead of settling for outside jumpers, and the results were telling. - Defense. The Sonics were superb defensively against Philadelphia and the Warriors, but lapsed again against Cleveland. Can they put two good defensive games together? The Clippers know how to score, can Seattle make a dent on their offense? - Double Brand. As soon as he gets the ball, otherwise he will murder Seattle inside and on the offensive glass. This calls for smart perimeter rotations defensively too. Key Matchup: Rashard Lewis vs Corey Maggette The Clippers know all about Rashard Lewis, after he dropped 50 on them in only the second game of the season. While Lewis hasn't continued that form by any stretch of the imagination, he still remains a dangerous opponent and will go in with confidence against an opposition he has torched before. Maggette on the other hand has evolved into an All-Star calibre forward, and will enjoy the challenge of matching against another of the league's best small forwards. Maggette is probably the better defender, but Lewis is the purer scorer, making for what could be a game-deciding match up. X-Factors: Ron Murray - the Clippers aren't a great team by any stretch of the imagination, but they can score, which is exactly what Murray is paid to do. Coming off a few nice games, Seattle will again rely on Murray to spark their offense in the second unit. Peja Drobnjak - After making a name for himself as a Sonic, the Yougoslavian will be looking to act revenge on his former club after they beat the Clippers twice to start the season. The Clippers will look for him to draw Jerome James and Calvin Booth out from under the basket with his range, where they have been effective of late. <font size="1">Player photos and logo images courtesy of NBA.com </font>
Great preview Dez. I agree with your key matchup, this will be a pleasure to watch two of the most athletic stars in the league go at it. Isn't this the first non-Japanese game between the teams this season? It should be an added incentive for the Clips to go all out after getting pounded in the Orient.
I'll go Clips They attack the basket every chance they get, long as they zone it up some and keep Seattle outside shooting those 3's, they will win. (Of course if someone does not get very hot)
Clips, Elton Brand will be to much, and if they double him, then they leave some perimeter players open who can knock down the three... Hey Dez, can u post this in the Clipper forum, i wil not be able to make a preview.
Great preview, I totally agree with you. I just hope Lewis plays consistently well here, I'm sure the Clippers 3 will put up some dazzling statistics up all by themselves. Tough one to call, but I say Clippers have the edge from where I see it. Clippers by 9.
Seattle 102 LA Clippers 97 Once more, it was the Ray Allen show in Seattle. Allen scored 16 of his game high 41 points in the final period as Seattle weathered an early Clippers charge, pulled away in the latter stages of the third period and maintained it throughout the fourth to post a five point victory, 102-97. The win continued to showcase the maturity that Seattle have shown over the last two games. Too many times this season have the Sonics ruined a solid first half with a pitiful second half effort, but tonight the improvements were there for all to see. After being down six after one, Seattle regrouped in the second to reduce the deficit to a single point at the half. The Sonics' improved defense was on show in the third, holding the Clippers to only 14 points, and matching Los Angeles in the last ensured another home win. It really was a case of Ray, and his followers. Allen dominated the scoring, hitting on 14-23 shots, including 6-10 from downtown, and throwing in five assists, three steals and no turnovers in 40 minutes. His backcourt buddy Antonio Daniels again came up big, hitting a couple of key baskets down the stretch on his way to 14, six and four off the bench, while Rashard Lewis scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half. Calvin Booth blocked three shots, while Brent Barry had his usual solid game of 10 points and seven assists, on efficient 4-7 shooting. For the Clippers, it was the usual suspects. Elton Brand dominated inside with 26 and 15. Corey Maggette won his battle with Lewis, posting 28 and 10, and Quentin Richardson had 22 for the visitors. However, no one else scored in double figures for Los Angeles, as Seattle had more contributions across the board when it counted. Despite being outrebounded 48-34, the Sonics shot better than 50%, and connected on 11 shots from behind the arc. This game keeps them in the thick of the playoff hunt, two games over .500 at 22-20, and wraps up the season series with one game left to play between the two. <font size="1">Box Score courtesy of NBA.com.</font> Next Game: vs Mavericks, Tuesday Jan 27th (My B'Day!) <div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">(Of course if someone does not get very hot)</div> And if I'm not mistaken, that 'someone' is on your fantasy squad Have your opponents given up yet buddy?
