Details: When: Friday, November 26th Where: Key Arena, Seattle Time (Seattle): 7:30 TV: Fox Sports, League Pass Projected Starters: <font color="green">Seattle (11-2)</font> Luke Ridnour Ray Allen Rashard Lewis Reggie Evans Jerome James <font color="Navy">New Jersey (2-9)</font> Zoran Planinic Reggie Jefferson Eric Williams Jason Collins Alonzo Mourning Injury Troubles: <font color="green">Seattle</font> Vitaly Potapenko: Broken hand, ruled out. Ibo Kutluay: Knee tendinitis, ruled out. Flip Murray: Quadricep strain, unlikely. <font color="Navy">New Jersey</font> Jason Kidd: Bone bruise in knee, ruled out. Ron Mercer: Left knee swelling, ruled out. Jabari Smith: Sprained ankle, ruled out. Brief Notes: <ul> [*]This game is significant for the fact that Seattle unveil their new yellow alternate jersey. This strip will be reserved for the road, but is debuting at the key with the NBA's approval for marketing purposes. New Jersey is as good a team as any to try and mark the occasion with a win, sitting at 2-9 and having lost their last three after the Sonics won a tight one in New Jersey on the 17th, as part of a 5-1 roadtrip. [/list] <ul> [*]Ray Allen should be fit to play, after battling a slight case of bronchitis, and slightly spraining his ankle in a win over the Grizzies. Flip Murray on the other hand is expected to be activated sometime soon, but don't expect him to front up to this one. Nate McMillan wants to make sure he is fully fit and ready to enter what is currently a very successful guard rotation. [/list] <ul> [*]This game marks the start a three game home stretch, with the Sonics a realistic chance to win all three, and at least two. After New Jersey, the Sonics travel to gutsy but severly undermanned Indiana, before then taking on currently struggling Utah two days later. Currently, going .500 the rest of the way would almost ensure Seattle a playoff berth, for the first time in three seasons. [/list] <ul> [*]Ridnour Watch: Luke is currently showing himself to be somewhat of a clutch shooter. After a quiet first half against Memphis, Ridnour exploded in the third for eight points as the Sonics pulled away, and nailed a couple of crucial three pointers down the stretch to finish with 14 points and four assists. He only had 10 points earlier in the season against New Jersey, but look for him to improve on that in this one as Seattle aim to control the tempo on their own floor. [/list] 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 Supersonic:</div><div class="quote_post">Flip Murray on the other hand is expected to be activated sometime soon, but don't expect him to front up to this one. Nate McMillan wants to make sure he is fully fit and ready to enter what is currently a very successful guard rotation.</div> A better way of saying this would be to say that McMillian is waiting for the Sonics to stumble before he thinks about putting Flip in the rotation. I don't think that is fair to Flip but at the same time he is not setting up Flip to be the fall guy if the team does stumble. So far this season McMillian has made all of the right moves. I'm not going to question him until some of the moves stop working. By the way, the Sonics should in no way, shape, or form lose tonight. The Nets played last night in L.A. and the Sonics are back at the Key. I'm hoping for a rout. Keep an eye out for the Fortson/Mourning matchup. If there was a game that I think blows could be thrown I'd look to this matchup.
And this isn't last season's team. A 92-79 win, but the game wasn't nearly that close. ray and especially Rashard were both quiet, but some big bench performances from Fortson (20 and eight) and Radmanovic (14 points) set the tone. Reggie collected another 11 boards, too, while Jerome seemed lively at times. Bring on the surprising Pacers.
Seemed like the Supes weren't really taking this game seriously. We definitely need a fourth guard to spot Ray, but like I've said, they'd be lucky to get 10-15 minutes a game, which Flip is probably too good to limit to. Hopefully Rashard is okay.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Casual:</div><div class="quote_post">Seemed like the Supes weren't really taking this game seriously.</div> Doesn't surprise me, the Nets are absolutely horrible at the moment. I was predicting a 25-30 point win, which probably still would have happened if we played with a higher intensity and stayed healthy. Will have to be switched on against Indy though on Sunday, even with their big three out of action. Tinsley will be a huge test for Luke.
Just came back from row 2 seats at the game We played awesome through the first half but collapsed in the third.. Still though, a win is a win. One thing I noticed (at least this game) is that Luke hesitates to shoot.. He had at least 3-4 WIDE OPEN jumpers that he just passed up through the course of the game. He's certainly a good shooter and he needs to take shots that are given to him..
Luke is unselfish almost to a fault. He needs to have enough confidence in his own shot to take the ones that present themselves, and realise he doesn't always have to look for a teammate first and foremost. Teams are going to give him shots and make it harder for him to find teammates until he proves he is willing to take and make the open jumper. Once defenders realise they have to come out to him, then it opens up for him to drive.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Supersonic:</div><div class="quote_post">Luke is unselfish almost to a fault. He needs to have enough confidence in his own shot to take the ones that present themselves, and realise he doesn't always have to look for a teammate first and foremost.</div> Well, he credits Brent for his development as a player. I think that explains his unselfishness, but I agree, Nate must hate it when he passes up open shots. About Flip, he can do nothing but help the Sonics. We are doing this well without him, and he will bring so much more depth to the team. A four guard rotation of Ray, Luke, Daniels, and Flip. Nate will no longer need to worry about where scoring will come from when Ray and Shard are resting.
I'm pretty sure it's not that he's not confident in his shot, it's that he's not that great shooting off the dribble.
