Sonics @ Clippers: Official Game Thread Details: When: Wednesday, November 3rd Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles Time: 7:30 TV: FSN2 Projected Starters: <font color="green">Seattle</font> Luke Ridnour Ray Allen Rashard Lewis Reggie Evans Danny Fortson <font color="navy">Los Angeles</font> Marko Jaric Corey Maggette Bobby Simmons Elton Brand Chris Wilcox Injury Troubles: <font color="green">Seattle</font> Vitaly Potapenko: Broken hand, ruled out. Ibo Kutluay: Knee tendinitis, questionable. <font color="navy">Los Angeles</font> Kerry Kittles: Knee soreness, ruled out. Chris Kaman: Sprained ankle, unlikely. Brief Notes: <ul> [*]Both Rashard Lewis and Flip Murray resumed training, and look likely to suit up. [/list] <ul> [*]With Chris Kaman out, LA's frontline is undersized which opens the door for Danny Fortson and Reggie Evans to start together. [/list] <ul> [*]Seattle opened the 2003/04 season with a pair of wins over the Clippers, which included a Lewis 50 point game and Elton Brand breaking his foot. [/list] <ul> [*]Luke Ridnour looks to have gotten the starting role on opening night, but Antonio Daniels seems destined to get plenty of minutes on the big bodied Marko Jaric. [/list] <ul> [*]With Kerry Kittles injured, LA look likely to move Corey Maggette to the two, creating a mouth-watering match-up with Ray Allen. [/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">Details: Ibo Kutluay: Knee tendinitis, questionable. </div> Kutluay was placed onto injured list. So he will be unavilable. But I think we have to get a W from that game so we can start a new season with a positive note. I truly hope that last preseason W against Portland gave us some momentum. Also I hope Lewis and Murray will be able to play!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Semmi:</div><div class="quote_post">Kutluay was placed onto injured list. So he will be unavilable.</div> Interesting, I didn't know that. My guess is it wouldn't be bad enough to be missing a lot of games, but Wilkins has overtaken him in the pecking order at the moment. I can see Kutluay playing a very similar role to that of Frahm last season, in that he was used in short bursts and given a licence to shoot, but at the same time spent a lot of time off the active roster when we have a fully healthy squad. Simmons on Lewis could be an interesting one, if Rashard does pull up. As we know, Lewis at the best of times tends to go into his shell when faced with physical defenders, which Simmons is, and that may be magnified with him coming off a painful foot injury. I am guessing the temptation will be to hang around the perimeter and try and get open looks, something made easier with the pick-setting abilities of Fortson and Collison.
I don't see why the Sonics can't win this one. If they play like they did in their final preseason game then they should have no trouble handling a perennial bottom feeder like the Clippers. Then again we'd need big games from Fortson and Evans in the post having to deal with Brand and Wilcox. Collison should get some time to shine as well. Sonics 94 - Clippers 86
Well, why is it that the Sonics start their season against the Clippers again? Last season, they played their first two games in Tokyo against each other; why start the season against each other again? About the game, I think that the Sonics should take this one without a problem. Ray Allen should have a good night and Lewis will be his trusty sidekick, as usual. One crucial thing will be Ronald Murray's production off the bench. If he can come into the game when Allen's out and carry the scoring load, the Sonics will undoubtedly win this one.
Sonics @ Clippers: Official Game Thread For game thread, go to the link below... http://www.justbball.com/forums/showthread...1573#post351573
I like the Clippers advantages underneath and on the boards. With the exception of Jaric, the entire clippers starting lineup is very phsyical, and I can see Seattle having problems with that. I'm predicting a 94-88 Clipper win
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jerry West:</div><div class="quote_post">I heard that Jerome James has been given the starting spot in the middle.</div> Interesting. I was reading last night that he had slimmed himself down to 278lbs and was hoping to drop another 5-10, but it's so hard to believe when it comes to Jerome. If he does get the starting spot, either he's on his last chance or Nate just doesn't want to put two power forwards on the floor from the start.
I think the Clippers can take this one 97-91, the Clippers have the advantage inside, and if they come out with energy and play well, they can win. The Sonics are also without Shard, and Flip too I think, so they aren't too healthy themselves, and it might be hard for them.
What's up I'm new and whatnot but I had to post on this one....hahhaa Looks like y'all are all wrong and Clippers SERVED the Sonics by 30pts.....Clippers owned them.
I don't think we were all wrong considering me and NMG said the Clippers would win. Anyways, great game by Bobby Simmons, didn't see that one coming, if he had more talent he could be a really good player, too bad he doesn't. The Clippers inside advantage showed as they scored 44 points in the paint [+10], Brand had 21 points, and Wilcox had 15 points while both shots good. Livingston had a pretty good game with 6 points [3-3], 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 turnovers, I didn't watch the game, so I can't comment on his defense or anything else, but from the numbers it looks like he did pretty well.
unfortunately, i didnt get to see the game because im not in LA right now, but from the stats and the articles i read, im very proud of the clips right now. Simmons played great, and brand, maggette, wilcox, and livingston all did their thing is well. lets just hope we can keep it up and we dont have the traditional clips flop when the season gets going deeper.
