Live From The Press Box - Sonics vs. Phoenix
Want to enjoy the electricity of being Live at the Hardwood even if you're thousands of miles away? SUPERSONICS.COM's Live From the Press Box in-game blog is your best bet. All night and all season long, Kevin Pelton will be bringing you pregame Q&As and observations from the game. Make sure to keep coming back or refreshing so you get the latest content.
Phoenix Takes The Clash of Titans
Posted at 10:08 p.m.
Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis stroke in threes on the Sonics last two possessions, but it’s too little, too late, as the Suns make their free throws to hold on to a 112-110 victory. Be sure to check out a special edition of FSN Live after the game or the Sonics Postgame Show on KJR 950 AM with Dick Fain and Elise Woodward if you’re out of the area. The Sonics will be back at KeyArena Wednesday to take on the Denver Nuggets.
Get your tickets now!
Not to Be
Posted at 10:04 p.m.
You can’t fault the Sonics for effort or unselfishness on the critical possession that decided this game; they moved the ball very well and got three good looks at three-pointers that would have tied the game, but couldn’t knock them down. Let’s put this game in perspective: Phoenix is a very good team, and they’ve proven tonight on the court that they are the class of the NBA. I’ve seen San Antonio play twice, and while the results were obviously different and three games is way too small a sample to generalize from, the Spurs don’t visually appear to be in the same league as the Suns. I’m not sure anyone is. Barring injury, this looks very much like a 60-win team. No shame in losing to them, even if that doesn’t take away from the disappointment.
You Want Balance?
Posted at 9:59 p.m.
The Suns have got it. Three starters have 20 points; the other two have 19. Incredible.
Too Fast
Posted at 9:58 p.m.
A Quentin Richardson three-point play in transition puts the Suns in command, up two with 1:10 to play. The Sonics take timeout. It’s neither here nor there, but Richardson appeared to blatantly travel when he made his move by Vladimir Radmanovic.
Fast Forward
Posted at 9:54 p.m.
These Suns don’t waste any time, do they? A Shawn Marion three and transition dunk later, they’re within two points. But they blow a chance to tie or take the lead and Amare Stoudemire commits his fifth foul going for the rebound, sending Reggie Evans to the free-throw line. The 49.1% shooter entering tonight splits a pair to tie his season high with 13 points and give the Sonics a three-point cushion.
Bigger Shot
Posted at 9:51 p.m.
After banking in a turnaround jumper in the post, Vladimir Radmanovic gets great shooter’s roll, his three bouncing up off the rim, off the backboard, then finally into the basket. The shot puts the Sonics up 102-95 with 3:08 left; no Mike D’Antoni timeout is going to quiet the crowd right now.
Big Shot
Posted at 9:48 p.m.
Antonio Daniels drives to the hole strong and finishes despite the Amare Stoudemire foul. His three-point play gives the Sonics a slightly more comfortable 95-91 lead, but Steve nash immediately answers with a layup.
Foul of the Season?
Posted at 9:46 p.m.
Steve Nash, switched onto Reggie Evans after a pick-and-roll, pushes Evans to the ground. Nash, of course, goes 6-3, 195; Evans, 6-8, 245. Yes, there was some flopping involved, but Nash clearly did push off. 92-90 Sonics; Evans has his third double-double of the season with 10 points and 13 boards.
Mr. Mo Mentum Has Changed Sides
Posted at 9:41 p.m.
Ray Allen nearly dribbled into a turnover on his first possession back in the game, but Reggie Evans recovered and found a wide-open Rashard Lewis for a three that put the Sonics back on top. They’ve turned up their defensive intensity, holding Phoenix scoreless their last few trips down the court. Allen goes to the basket and draws a goaltend and the foul, putting the Sonics up 88-85 with Allen still going to the line. Mike D’Antoni takes timeout with 6:42 to play.
Is That Stoudemire, or Jordan?
Posted at 9:37 p.m.
Amare Stoudemire is the beneficiary of his third late call of the game, this one the most egregious as Danny Fortson made no contact, but the ball never lies - he misses both free throws.
I think Stoudemire may have drawn more fouls tonight than the Sonics have drawn as a team.
The Sonics commit their third inexcusable turnover of the stanza … will Ray Allen’s return to the game help them hold on to the ball?
Sonics Struggling
Posted at 9:34 p.m.
A Casey Jacobsen transition three gives Phoenix a four-point lead and a 7-0 run to start the fourth quarter. Their execution has been horrendous thus far this period, with two unforced turnovers.
Maybe I was wrong about that comment about going half-court. Everyone always used to say you didn’t want to run with the Dallas Mavericks (with Nash, natch), because they were so good at running. Well, I would point out, they’re better than most of the teams in this league in half-court too, and the difference is probably greater. I don’t know that that’s the case long-term with the Suns, but it has been true on this evening.
A Rashard Lewis hook shot gets the Sonics back within two with just under nine minutes to play.
Little Trade
Posted at 9:28 p.m.
The biggest trade of the season so far was pulled off this afternoon, with the Toronto Raptors dealing Vince Carter to the New Jersey Nets for the Williamses Aaron and Eric, Alonzo Mourning and two first-round picks. Ordinarily - read: When the two best teams in the league aren’t facing off - that would have been the talk of pre-game, but not as much tonight. Nate McMillan still found time to comment.
“On paper, that’s a good move for New Jersey,” he said.
Someone pointed out that the Sonics were lucky to get the Nets out of the way, prompting Nate to say, “We would have handled them anyway.” (He was smiling and joking, of course.)
What’s funny is that the Sonics have been playing videos pre-game on Arenavision lately. As I walked out form the locker room, what was playing? A (outdated) section on Carter being Michael Jordan’s heir apparent. I had a good laugh.
To The Fourth
Posted at 9:22 p.m.
The late run gives the Sonics an 81-78 advantage heading to the fourth. Phoenix hasn’t faced this situation much, trailing entering the fourth only three times this season, but they’re 2-1 in those games. I’ve got to think the Sonics will want to turn this into a half-court game down the stretch. One key will be how much both teams can get to the free-throw line. The Sonics are amongst the best teams in the league at getting there, but they have just 12 attempts through three quarters - the Suns, it should be noted, are best in the league at keeping teams off the line.
There’s The Crowd!
Posted at 9:18 p.m.
A mini 6-0 run gets the KeyArena denizens as loud as they’ve been since the first quarter. Mike D’Antoni quickly silences them with a timeout. Given how long these TV timeouts are, I think using a timeout to slow down home momentum makes more sense than usual. Ray Allen, who scored two of the three Sonics buckets, is now up to a game-high 26 points.
Thunder Dan
Posted at 9:12 p.m.
One of the things I noticed researching tonight’s game was that the Sonics had a similar showdown with the Suns during the 1993-94 season, playing them on Dec. 23 when they were 20-2 and 12-0 at home. The man who won that game, an upset for the Suns, is in the house tonight - Dan Majerle, then a Phoenix guard and now their TV color commentator. Majerle doesn’t remember the game real well, but did note the win, “Ruined George Karl’s Christmas.”
Majerle said this year’s Suns team reminds him quite a bit of the great Phoenix teams he played on because of the ability for anyone in the starting five to go off for 30 points on any given night. As I got up from talking to him, I couldn’t help but point out how much I hated him as a Sonics fan as a kid. “I’ve heard that a lot,” he said with a smile.
Who Turned Out the Lights?
Posted at 9:05 p.m.
In the first 12 minutes, the Sonics scored 37 points. In the ensuing 17, they have 27. We should give credit to the Suns defense, which is an extremely underrated part of their success this season. And obviously the Sonics aren’t going to shoot 62.5%, which they did in the first quarter, all night long. However, the offense has looked poor above and beyond the results; it’s been stagnant, without a lot of ball and player movement. I don’t want to lend too much credence to this, but were the Sonics lulled into a false sense of security in the first quarter?
It should also be noted that the Suns aren’t giving the Sonics any easy chances, which has also quieted the crowd, which isn’t really a major factor in the game right now. Not turning the ball over for easy opponent scores is a hidden benefit to Steve Nash’s turnover-free effort at the point.
Nash-ty
Posted at 9:00 p.m.
Steve Nash is running the Sonics ragged right now, scoring five points in the first two minutes of the second half. Right now, he’s the best point guard in the NBA, and nobody else is even in his league.
Halftime Report
Posted at 8:51 p.m.
A 12-2 run late in the first half gets Phoenix within two at the half, 57-55. The fans seem a little more restless than they should be - the Sonics aren’t playing some hack team right now, they’re playing a 19-3 team with a 9-1 record on the road. Four Suns starters have scored double-digits. The biggest cause for concern is that the Sonics shot selection was questionable throughout the first half, as they tried to match the Suns shot-for-shot. That’s not what Nate McMillan wants, and while it worked in the first quarter, the Sonics shot 9-for-24 (37.5%) in period number two. The Suns getting hot was inevitable; the Sonics cooling off was partly their own fault. They’re likely to shoot better than 2-for-13 from three-point range in the second half.
Tonight’s halftime entertainment was the always-entertaining Gentleman Jugglers. My family came up to say hello, and were all amazed by my Lil’ Jon tales. I’m pretty sure my brother told me I’m now his hero.
More Kemp
Posted at 8:31 p.m.
No sooner have I posted my last comment than we’re reminded of a negative Shawn Kemp comparison - foul trouble. It seemed like Kemp was always in it during his heyday, and Stoudemire just picked up his third foul with four minutes left in the first half to take him out of the game. Joe Johnson is hot now, hitting his second three-pointer to give him 10 points. Suns within six - the Sonics need to clean up their shot selection.
Freak
Posted at 8:29 p.m.
For the second time tonight, Amare Stoudemire is the benefit of a very late call by the referees. This one doesn’t hold up as well on replay; while it was an athletic move by Stoudemire that was fun to watch, it looked from here like he just failed to finish. Nate McMillan, who should know, agrees with the Shawn Kemp comparisons.
Change of Pace
Posted at 8:25 p.m.
More active referees, extremely long timeouts - watching at home, you don’t realize how long ESPN’s timeouts are, but they are looooong - and lack of turnovers have turned this into more of a halfcourt game. Surprisingly, that’s proven to be to the Suns advantage, as they’ve cut the Sonics lead under 10 at times. Steve Nash is playing great basketball, and he and Amare Stoudemire - who the Sonics don’t really have a good matchup for - have combined for 24 points. But the Sonics have gotten 24 points themselves from Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. The boards were all Seattle’s in the first quarter, as the Sonics outrebounded Phoenix 16-8, but it’s 7-3 Suns so far in this period.
You’re Probably Tired of Hearing About Lil’ Jon …
Posted at 8:16 p.m.
… but we’re not. LFTPB celebrity spotter Steve Sloboda told Lil’ Jon he was a big fan after delivering stats to the ESPN crew. The response? “Okaaaaaay.”
Suns Run
Posted at 8:12 p.m.
When you play the Phoenix Suns, obviously no lead is safe. They throw in three straight three-pointers, two by Quentin Richardson and one by Joe Johnson, to cut the Sonics lead to 39-32. Nate McMillan responds by calling a timeout. I’m not sure about that timing - the Suns hit tough shots, and calling a TO isn’t going to change their ability to shoot.
Lil' Jon Report
Posted at 8:08 p.m.
Yeeeaaahhh!
Scott Cunningham/NBAE/Getty
|
True slice of my life: The Sonics offices are located in the same building as KUBE 93 FM's (as well as 950 KJR AM's, amongst others). Coming back from lunch, I stepped into a crowded elevator, looked to my right … and saw Lil' Jon. I can't really explain the emotions this brush with greatness produced, but let's just say the words "crunk" and "juice" are prominently involved.
Lil' Jon found time during his brief trip to Seattle to hit up the Sonics nationally-televised showdown with the Phoenix Suns, and I caught up with him for a few questions about the game.
So, Lil' Jon, are you rooting for the Suns or the Sonics tonight?
Lil' Jon: Yeeeaaahhh!
Um, it's not a yes or no question. Hmm … how about I try it one team at a time?
LJ: Okaaaaaay.
Are you rooting for the Suns?
LJ: Whhaaaaaaaaatttt?
Uh, I guess that's a no. What about the Sonics?
LJ: Yeeeaaahhh!
A lot of experts believe the Sonics can't keep up this torrid pace. Do you think they can?
LJ: Yeeeaaahhh!
What about concerns the Sonics style won't be as successful during the playoffs?
LJ: Whhaaaaaaaaatttt?
Thanks for your time, Lil' Jon. I hope you enjoy the rest of the game and your stay in Seattle.
LJ: Okaaaaaay.
(Of course, the preceding was a joke. Fortunately, Jerome James reports Lil’ Jon has a good sense of humor about these things. I don’t need him coming after me.)
After One Quarter
Posted at 8:05 p.m.
Sonics 37, Phoenix 21. That ties the most points the Suns have allowed in a first quarter this season. Interesting stat: Phoenix is an incredible 9-1 when they trail after the first quarter, including a win Wednesday over the Jazz on ESPN. You actually want to shoot for tying the Suns after one period - they’re 1-2 in that situation.
Barbosa Watch
Posted at 8:02 p.m.
Second-year point guard Leandro Barbosa has checked into the game for the Suns. We’re watching to see how well they play with him and not Steve Nash at the point. The numbers this season say not very well, at least relative to how good they are with Nash. The Suns got two points on their first possession with Barbosa, but both on Sonics Defensive 3 Second Violations.
This is Rashard Lewis’ World, We Just Live In It
Posted at 7:58 p.m.
For the second straight game, Rashard Lewis is taking center stage in a big ballgame. Lewis has 11 points and is heading to the free-throw line after this timeout. He’s done it on 5-for-6 shooting. How about Luke Ridnour? He’s doing a fair Steve Nash impression with six points, four assists, and a lightning-hands strip of Nash on the baseline. Sonics lead 34-19 and the sold-out KeyArena crowd is loving it.
Aren’t We Supposed to be the Ones Who Do This?
Posted at 7:51 p.m.
That’s what Mike D’Antoni and the Phoenix Suns are asking in their timeout huddle. The seven straight points the Sonics have added aren’t a run, they’re a sprint. The Sonics are 9-for-12 from the field right now and have a 22-10 lead. Yeah, that’s 22 points in 6:10 of game time. (Or an off stretch in this matchup.)
Bad Break
Posted at 7:46 p.m.
The Sonics take an early hit when Jerome James is called for his second foul four minutes in. It was a foul, replays confirm, but the call was later than Carson Daly, which is aggravating. The Sonics have come out amped, and Amare Stoudemire - except for poor free throw shooting - is the only Phoenix player who’s matching their energy level right now. Ray Allen just threw in an incredible reverse layup while trailing away from the glass. It’s 15-10 Sonics five minutes in.
Gold/Star-Studded Crowd
Posted at 7:40 p.m.
You know it’s a big game when Lil’ Jon is in the house. The hip-hop star, known as “The King of Crunk,” is courtside as a personal guest of Sonics center Jerome James, I asked Jerome about his friendship with Lil’ Jon before the game, and he said it went back to his days in college at Florida A&M. The two often hang out when James is in Atlanta during the off-season. More on Lil’ Jon later.
I’m pretty sure Lil’ Jon was gettin’ crunk when Jerome dunked home the first points of the game. James follows with a monster fast-break rejection of Quentin Richardson.
What Time is it? Game Time!
Posted at 7:37 p.m.
I think this matchup has had just about enough hype … let’s see what happens on the court and get it started, okay?
Sounds Different?
Posted at 7:29 p.m.
I don’t know if this will be noticeable on TV or radio, but usual PA announcer Matt Pitman is out sick tonight, so the Sonics have turned to the Storm’s PA announcer, radio personality Steven Kilbreath, for tonight’s game. It’s a bit of a memory trigger for those of us who follow the Storm.
Signing On
Posted at 7:25 p.m.
ESPN's Greg Anthony has called tonight's Sonics-Suns game, "the game of the year so far," and I don't think any of the 17,000 and change that are busy packing KeyArena around me right now would disagree. While the blockbuster trade that sent Vince Carter to New Jersey this afternoon has taken some of the spotlight off this game, it remains a battle of the two top teams in the NBA record-wise and traditional rivals. To boot, they're both amongst the most exciting teams in the league. If you can't get excited for that, you're not an NBA fan, simply. I can't imagine why this wouldn't be the case, but don't leave your laptop as we take you through all the action up through the final buzzer.
