Live From The Press Box - Sonics vs. Cleveland
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Sonics Win Again
Posted at 8:37 p.m.
As LeBron James’ last three bounds off harmlessly, the Sonics have their 27th win of the season by a 05-97 final. The Sonics improve to 15-3 at KeyArena and 4-0 at home during January. With the absence of Rashard Lewis, this is a great win for the Sonics. For more analysis of tonight’s win, listen to the Sonics Postgame Show on KJR 950 AM with Dick Fain and Elise Woodward.
Luke Career High
Posted at 8:36 p.m.
LeBron James’ off-balance airball three ended this one for all intents and purposes, but the Cavaliers are not surrendering and are still fouling. That’s cool with Luke Ridnour, who has drained six free throws in the final minute to push him to a career-high 18 points.
Cool Hand Luke
Posted at 8:31 p.m.
Nick Collison partially blocked LeBron James’ first attempt, but James got the ball back and dunked to get Cleveland within four. The Cavaliers were forced to foul, and Luke Ridnour coolly drilled two free throws to make it 99-93 with 28.4 seconds left on the clock.
Nuggets Tuesday
Posted at 8:26 p.m.
A second timeout by the Cavaliers gives me the opportunity to point out the Sonics continue their homestand at the Key Tuesday, hosting the Denver Nuggets. It’s another “Two-for-Tuesdays”, so take advantage of this web-only special by
clicking here!
Great Finish
Posted at 8:23 p.m.
While I’ve had my blogging attention elsewhere, we have an outstanding finish to this basketball game right now. Until the last offensive foul on Danny Fortson, we’d gone over five minutes of game action without a timeout, allowing back-and-forth play and increasing drama. Whoever says LeBron James can’t shoot is flat-out wrong; James has three three-pointers tonight, the last of them drawing Cleveland within 94-91. But Ray Allen, who has typically taken over down the stretch, answered with a three of his own to make it 97-91. After a Cleveland miss, Fortson was called for his sixth foul with 42.1 seconds to go, putting Nick “Rebounding Ls” Collison in the game for this critical stretch. Obviously, the Cavaliers are going through LeBron. Can the Sonics stop them?
Hate to Say It
Posted at 8:19 p.m.
I think NBA referees are some of the most unfairly maligned people in this country. I don’t think refereeing is nearly as important as most people make it out to be. That being said, I have to say that this game has not been refereed well whatsoever. It’s not that the Sonics have been getting the short end of the stick - bad calls have gone against both teams. And that’s precisely the problem. What’s a foul on one possession is not the next, or on one end a foul and not the other. There’s no consistency, no flow to the calls, and that’s detracted from an otherwise outstanding basketball game.
Remembering Li'l Penny
Posted at 8:16 p.m.
Hey, remember Li’l Penny? Anfernee Hardaway’s diminutive commercial sidekick back in his pre-injury stardom days so blatantly aped by Sprite with “Thirst”? Well, in some magazine a long time ago, Li’l Penny participated in a panel series of questions, and one of them was what his favorite logo was. Li’l Penny went with the old Bullets logo (which may have already been retired), “because of the rebounding Ls. You’ve got to love the rebounding Ls.” (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out the logo - the ls in Bullets have hands at the end, either rebounding a basketball or shooting it).
Anyways, I’m one of two people in the world who remembers this line. The other is my brother, and he’s taken it upon himself to resurrect it as Nick Collison’s nickname, in that Collison, like Bullets, has consecutive Ls and Collison is one of the NBA’s best rebounders on a per-minute basis (he’s got five tonight in limited action). So, I take it you the public: Do you like that as Collison’s nickname?
Do Not Adjust Your TV Sets
Posted at 8:10 p.m.
Yes, Danny Fortson did just block LeBron James’ shot. But, in a rapid turn of events, James goes to the bucket for a three-point play to draw Cleveland within four as well as Fortson’s fifth foul. He’s replaced by Nick Collison.
No Trust
Posted at 8:05 p.m.
Don’t expect the Cavs to be falling backwards into their bench any time soon; there is just no trust there from Paul Silas right now. Drew Gooden just picked up his fifth foul, and he’s still in the game. (Okay, now he’s replaced - but by fellow starter Ira Newble.) And now Zydrunas Ilgauskas has picked up his fifth foul, Danny Fortson drawing an offensive foul. Fortson has a layup to extend the Sonics lead to seven and is absolutely controlling the game right now.
Timeout Cleveland.
Momentum: Sonics
Posted at 8:02 p.m.
An Antonio Daniels three has given the Sonics an 81-77 lead as the clock ticks under 10 minutes, as nd they’ve also already drawn two fouls on the Cavaliers, which could be important in a game called as tightly as this one has been (the Sonics shot 12 free throws in the third quarter, Cleveland 11). Paul Silas doesn’t trust his bench - he’s got four starters in the game right now. You have to wonder, with the Cavaliers coming off a game in Utah last night where two players played 40+ minutes, how much of a factor fatigue will be down the stretch.
Leading to the Fourth
Posted at 7:55 p.m.
The Sonics heard my call, stepped up and answered it. A 10-1 run to finish the third quarter has given the Sonics a narrow 76-75 margin as we head to the final period. Not all leads are created equal, of course, but the Sonics are 23-2 when they lead going to the fourth, Cleveland 5-10 when they trail. The KeyArena crowd is becoming a bigger factor and the Sonics bench has dominated the Cavaliers reserves … there are a lot of similarities between this game and the Sonics win over Miami a week ago at the Key. Hopefully, the outcome will be one of them.
Big Stretch
Posted at 7:48 p.m.
With the Sonics struggling to get anything going offensively in this quarter (they’ve got 13 points), Cleveland opened up a nine-point lead, prompting Nate McMillan to go to Danny Fortson. The Sonics have gotten it down to six, but want to have it at five or fewer going into the fourth quarter, requiring them to finish the third quarter strong.
Both sides are frustrated with the refereeing right now, and both sides have had reason to complain at times.
Defensive Struggle
Posted at 7:38 p.m.
After both teams ran and gunned during the first half, this game has suddenly become a defensive struggle in the third quarter. Before LeBron James’ three-pointer a second ago, the teams had but six points apiece in nearly six minutes of basketball. In that context, Jerome James’ four second-half points for the Sonics have been big, as has Reggie Evans’ sound defense on Drew Gooden.
Ira
Posted at 7:34 p.m.
When you think of the Cavaliers, you probably don’t think of defensive specialist Ira Newble, but Newble was one of the first players Cleveland Coach Paul Silas named when talking about why his team is ahead of schedule in terms of contending for a division title. Having Newble able to defend the opposition’s top screr on the perimeter has made life easier for LeBron James on the defensive end. What has impressed me tonight is that, unlike a lot of defensive specialists, Newble isn’t allergic to rebounds. He’s mixing it up and has six boards, keeping the ball alive on the offensive glass on a number of occasions. Newble has just four points, but he’s been a factor and he’s also usually a better shooter than some defensive guys.
One-Man Break
Posted at 7:28 p.m.
It’s an overused cliché, but LeBron James truly is a one-man fast break. On the last Cleveland possession, he grabbed the rebound in between Jerome James and Reggie Evans, sprinted into frontcourt and was fouled by Ray Allen. The burst of speed James turned on was reminiscent of what Michael Vick did early in last night’s playoff win over St. Louis. James is certainly already a superstar in the eyes of the referees, who have been according him a ton of respect this evening.
Turnovers
Posted at 7:13 p.m.
The difference in the first half was turnovers. The Sonics had 11 of them, Cleveland just five, and that has allowed the Cavaliers to overcome a 25-16 rebounding deficit. Ray Allen alone has five giveaways for the Sonics, tying his career high. While Allen is working against defensive specialist Ira Newble, many of the TOs were unforced, and he needs to focus mentally during the second half.
LeBronned
Posted at 7:07 p.m.
That’s what happened to the Sonics at the end of the first half. Paul Silas pulled Drew Gooden, despite Gooden’s 15 points, because he was incapable of staying up with Vladimir Radmanovic (Sonics-high 15 points in the first half) on the other end of the court. With Gooden out, the Cavaliers first three options became LeBron, James and #23. James scored nine of Cleveland’s points during an 11-0 run to give them their largest lead of the first half, five points. Radmanovic closed the first-half scoring with a three to get the Sonics within two, 55-53. James has 19 at the half on 8-for-14 shooting. Ray Allen, with 14, is the other Sonics player in double-figures.
’79 Champs Reunited
Posted at 6:57 p.m.
During Cleveland Coach Paul Silas’ media availability before the game, he was talking about having patience with LeBron James when he spotted former Sonics teammate Wally Walker standing in the doorway.
“You have to have patience with kids … like I used to have to have with patience with Wally Walker when he played,” joked Silas, who drew a hearty laugh from Walker and the assembled media.
Balanced Sonics
Posted at 6:53 p.m.
While Drew Gooden and LeBron James are carrying the mail for the Cavaliers, the Sonics have gotten quality balanced scoring thus far. Checking the five players out on the court right now, Jerome James has but two points, but the other four players are at seven or better. Ray Allen has nine, Antonio Daniels and Vladimir Radmanovic have eight apiece and Luke Ridnour seven. To be that balanced in the absence of Rashard Lewis speaks volumes about the Sonics.
Looking Around the Crowd ..
Posted at 6:47 p.m.
Nate Robinson, the heart of the 15-2 Washington Huskies men’s basketball team, is at the Key tonight. So are several hundred people wearing LeBron James jerseys. Yeah, the people with the St. Vincent/St. Mary’s throwback high school jerseys think they’re being original, but if you truly want to be unique, you rock the Dave Corzine Sonics warmup circa 1990-91. Now that’s old school!
Sonics Up Five
Posted at 6:38 p.m.
Gooden’s performance, along with seven points from LeBron James, brought the Cavaliers within two at one point during the quarter, but after one period complete, the Sonics lead 29-24. Vladimir Radmanovic has been active, with five points and four rebounds, Antonio Daniels has eight points and the Sonics have outrebounded Cleveland - a really good rebounding team - 18-10 thus far.
Sideshow Varejao
Posted at 6:34 p.m.
Recently making his first appearance for the Cavaliers is reserve forward Anderson Varejao, to whose hair (see right) words cannot do justice. The only way to describe it is “Sideshow Bob”. Varejao, a rookie from Brazil who was drafted in the second round by Orlando this June and went to Cleveland in the Gooden trade (how did the Cavaliers get the best two players in that deal?), has the game to match the ‘do, playing at a frenetic pace. It’s working; Varejao is shooting 56.7% and has been one of the league’s most productive reserves on a per-minute basis.
Gooden Better
Posted at 6:28 p.m.
As much as LeBron James’ maturation has been key to the Cavaliers development into Eastern Conference contenders this season, equally important has been the play of Drew Gooden. Gooden was essentially dumped by the Magic this summer, but he’s playing great basketball in Cleveland by focusing on defense and rebounding. His work on former Cavaliers forward Carlos Boozer last night was cited as critical in Cleveland’s win in Utah last night. Gooden has been great in the early going here, scoring 12 of the Cavaliers 19 points so far on 5-for-5 shooting.
Now You’re Getting Chewed Out
Posted at 6:19 p.m.
Paul Silas’ second timeout of the first four minutes of this game probably was because he was upset with his team. The Sonics started the game on an 11-2 spurt. They’re taking it right to LeBron James with Antonio Daniels, who has a couple of layups and another nice floater. The Cavaliers have been sloppy, committing a couple of inexcusable turnovers. This is exactly the start the Sonics wanted.
Quick TO
Posted at 6:13 p.m.
Just two possessions into the game, his team down 4-0, Paul Silas takes a 20-second timeout. You’d think, given the rapidity of the timeout, that Silas might be furious with his team. Instead, he mostly seems to want to complain to the referees about a non-offensive basket interference call when Jerome James appeared to grab the rim before his teammate’s shot rolled in.
Prodigies
Posted at 6:06 p.m.
On a night featuring 20-year-old LeBron James, one of the NBA’s top players despite his age, as well as Kids at the Key Sunday, it’s fitting that 13-year-old Marcus Petitt performed the national anthem. Close your eyes, and Petitt sounds like 13 going on 30.
Lewis Out
Posted at 6:02 p.m.
For the second straight game, the Sonics will play without small forward and second-leading scorer Rashard Lewis because of patella tendinitis in his left knee. Lewis' absence wasn't a big problem on Friday, as the Sonics still dominated the second half in a 103-84 victory over Golden State, but the Cavaliers present a more formidable foe tonight. Lewis' absence is more problematic because, according to Nate McMillan, Lewis probably would have defended LeBron James. As it is, the Sonics will use both Antonio Daniels (who again starts in Lewis' place) and Ray Allen on James. Looking forward, Lewis remains day-to-day because of the tendinitis.
Signing On
Posted at 5:59 p.m.
It's a bit of a late-arriving crowd at KeyArena tonight, but we're expecting a full house given the presence of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in KeyArena tonight. If photos taken by fans of a player warming up is the measure of his popularity, James appears to already have claimed the role of league's most popular player. He's not far from the best of the league either, which will make tonight a tough test for the Sonics. Stay with us all night long for all the insight Live From The Press Box.
