WEEKLY LEADERS
POINTS Allen - 26.3 Lewis – 13.7 Potapenko – 13.0 Barry - 10.7 Radmanovic - 8.7 REBOUNDS Evans - 7.5 Allen - 5.7 Lewis - 5.7 James – 5.3 Potapenko – 5.0 ASSISTS Barry - 4.7 Allen - 3.3 Daniels - 3.3

March 8-14 Record for the week: 1-2 Overall Record: 28-38 Standing: 4th, Pacific Division

Tuesday, Mar. 9, 2004

Minnesota 25 23 27 30 105 at Sonics 25 27 19 21 92

While injuries threatened to decimate the Sonics backcourt, with Ray Allen and Ronald "Flip" Murray both questionable and Brent Barry on the injured list, the Sonics ended up at full strength for the first time in over a month when the Minnesota Timberwolves visited KeyArena on Tuesday. Not only did Allen and Murray play, Barry was activated from the injured list to give the Sonics a crowd at guard. Behind the hot shooting of Allen, the Sonics held the lead much of the first half. Things changed late in the third quarter, with the Timberwolves going on a 12-2 run to take a four-point lead to the final period. The Sonics could get no closer, with Latrell Sprewell going off from the perimeter as Minnesota outscored the Sonics 30-21 in the final period for a 105-92 victory. Sprewell finished with 31 points to lead the Timberwolves, while Kevin Garnett had 29 points and 10 rebounds. Allen had a huge night, scoring 37 points on 13-of-24 shooting. Vitaly Potapenko (14 points) and Rashard Lewis (13) were the only other Sonics players in double-figures.

Friday, Mar. 12, 2004

Sonics 8 17 24 25 74 at Miami 20 16 18 28 82

Despite record-setting offensive futility in the first half, the Sonics still put themselves in position to win in Miami Friday evening. Playing against the Heat, the Sonics were ice cold in the early going, tying the franchise record for fewest points in a quarter (eight) and later setting the mark for fewest in a half (25). The Sonics nearly matched that output in the third quarter, getting them within five points of Miami. They led 72-70 with 2:50 to play when Heat guard Rafer Alston dropped in consecutive threes to give his team a lead. The Heat did not look back, outscoring the Sonics 12-2 the rest of the game to pick up an 82-74 victory and send the Sonics to their sixth straight loss. Guard Eddie Jones led the Heat with 19 points, while rookie forward Udonis Haslem came off the bench for a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds). Allen, Lewis and Murray had 16 points apiece for the Sonics, but Allen and Lewis combined to shoot only 33.3% (12 of 36).

Friday, Mar. 5, 2004

Sonics 25 26 31 33 115 at Orlando 25 20 33 23 101

Coming off of their sixth straight loss, the Sonics had the unenviable task of trying to stop Orlando Magic All-Star Tracy McGrady in the second game of a back-to-back set. McGrady, playing his first game since dropping 62 points on the Washington Wizards, had 40, but the Sonics played enough defense during the second and fourth quarters to come up with a much-needed 115-101 victory against the Magic. A 7-0 run, with five points coming from McGrady, got the Magic within a 100-93 score with 5:22 to play, but the Sonics turned back the comeback effort with consecutive threes from Vladimir Radmanovic and Allen. They finished with 115 points, their most since a 118-116 loss to Dallas on Jan. 27. The common denominator in those games? Barry in the starting lineup, as he returned to the starting five for the first time since breaking a bone in his right ring finger against the Mavericks. Barry had a huge game, scoring 25 points and handing out 10 assists, while Allen scored 26 and Radmanovic 21 off the bench. Antonio Daniels, more comfortable in a reserve role, had his best game in a week and a half, scoring 12 points and handing out five assists without a turnover. Tyronn Lue added 19 points for Orlando, but only two other players scored more than five points for the Magic.

G Ray Allen
26.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 8-19 threes
Allen began the week by missing practice, bedridden by the flu. Just a day later, he made the Timberwolves sick by dropping 37 points on them. While he struggled against Miami, in large part because of early foul trouble, Allen bounced back with a strong effort against Orlando. All told, his 79 points were nearly twice as many as any other player on the Sonics, and he tied for second on the team in rebounds and assists to demonstrate his versatility. The Sonics recent struggles on the court have led some to question Allen's value to the team, but he demonstrated again last week just how valuable he can be and is.

Barry had a huge game against Orlando. Fernando Medina/NBAE/Getty

Barry is Back
After going just 5-15 during his stint on the Injured List, the Sonics were happy to get Barry back this week, slightly ahead of schedule. Barry's rust showed against Minnesota, as he committed five turnovers in 24 minutes and scored just three points, but he got things cranked up in his return to the starting lineup against Orlando. Barry put together one of the most efficient games by any Sonics player this year and, according to NBA.com's Efficiency Rating system, his best game of the year (+37). Barry hit nine of 10 shots, all six of his three-point attempts and his only free throw - in addition to handing out 10 assists and turning the ball over only once.

How good was Barry's effort? His six threes were the most this season by the three-happy Sonics. Additionally, center Jerome James is the only Sonics player to hit more than three shots without a miss this season, making Barry's 90% accuracy on 10 shots remarkable.

"(My value) is not necessarily expressed in statistical numbers and statistical categories, it is expressed in the locker room and out on the court," Barry told the Tacoma News-Tribune this morning, but if you look at the right statistics, Barry's value is obvious. Barry is shooting 50.5% from the field, making him the only guard in the league shooting better than 50%. He also ranks second in the league in three-point shooting at 45.3%. Add it up, and Barry remains far and away the league's most efficient shooter. His shooting efficiency (points divided by two times field goal attempts plus .88 times free-throw attempts, to account for possessions used) of 66.7% is far and away the league's best mark, with only Sacramento's stellar Predrag Stojakovic (62.7%) in shouting distance of Barry.

Barry may not score 20 points per game, but a deeper look at the numbers reveals his ability.

No 1 Better
The Sonics announced last week that in addition to celebrating their1978-79 championship team on Friday, Mar. 26 against the Denver Nuggets, they will also be retiring the number 1 jersey of former guard Gus Williams, the leading scorer on that team at 19.2 points per game. Williams' credentials for jersey retirement include selections to the All-NBA first (1981-82) and second (1979-80) teams, two All-Star appearances, five times leading the Sonics in scoring, the sixth-best scoring average in franchise history, fifth place on the all-time scoring list, fourth in assists and fourth in steals. Williams also ranks in the top ten in games, minutes, field goals and free throws. He averaged 20.3 points and 6.0 assists per game during six seasons in Seattle.

Williams' jersey will join those of Nate McMillan (10), Lenny Wilkens (19), Fred Brown (32) and Jack Sikma (43). Tickets to the game and the jersey retirement are on sale now.

Statistical Notes