Live From The Press Box - Sonics vs. Golden State
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Heartbreaker
Final (OT): Golden State 110, Sonics 107
Flip Murray hands off to an in-motion Ray Allen, who heaves up a shot just before the buzzer. It was close, but it hit the back rim and the Warriors have earned an overtime victory. It's a true heartbreaker for the Sonics, who came back and played tough down the stretch and overtime, but were left one or two big plays away from pulling out the win. Kudos to Bob Hill for doing a fine job replacing Bob Weiss down the stretch. The Sonics are back out here Thursday, when Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming lead the Houston Rockets into KeyArena for a nationally-televised (TNT) battle. Be sure to be here.
Still 0.4
OT: Golden State 110, Sonics 107
The clock inadvertently went off as Flip Murray was inbounding the basketball. After the situation is straightened out, the Sonics take a 20-second timeout to get Luke Ridnour in the game.
You've Got to Respect That
OT: Golden State 110, Sonics 107
Terrific play by Baron Davis. He catches the inbounds pass from Mike Dunleavy, dribbles into a 3-pointer with Flip Murray in his face ... and nails it. There's a reason this guy has completely turned around this franchise. That had to be from 25 feet out. The Sonics have a prayer with 0.4 seconds left, needing a 3.
He's Human
OT: Sonics 107, Golden State 107
Ray Allen with a nice, patient possession and gets into the lane, but his left-hand layup attempt is altered by Adonal Foyle, who comes up with the rebound as well as the Warriors take timeout with 4.3 seconds left and, for the second time tonight, about four seconds to win the game.
Enormous Possession
OT: Sonics 107, Golden State 107
After Mike Dunleavy ties the game with a pull-up jumper from mid-range, Ray Allen misses a 3-point attempt. Dubiously, Baron Davis pulls up off the dribble for a missed 3-pointer, and the Sonics take possession with 25.9 seconds left. They can run the clock almost all the way out and take the lead in what has been a phenomenal ballgame.
Ray's Time
OT: Sonics 107, Golden State 105
We may as well not call it overtime. It's better termed Ray time. Ray Allen is almost always unstoppable in overtime, and today has basically been no different. In fact the Warriors doubled the pick-and-roll to keep Allen from scoring the last two possessions, but that just meant he found Nick Collison for layups to put the Sonics up two - their first lead in forever - with a minute five left.
To OT We Go
End Regulation: Golden State 98, Sonics 98
Baron Davis got a great look at a chance to end this game before the buzzer, driving off of a high pick-and-roll and encountering only late resistance. His twisting left-hand layin attempt was off, and we're headed for free basketball.
The Sonics are 2-0 in OT; this is Golden State's first extra session of the season.
Quick foul update: Baron Davis has five ... and that's pretty much all of note. It would be big if the Sonics could foul him out.
All Square
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 98, Sonics 98
Hindsight is 20/20, but I love Bob Hill's call coming out of the timeout. He had Flip Murray inbound the ball to Vladimir Radmanovic, then take the handoff and streak toward the basket, where a foul was almost inevitable (fortuitously, Baron Davis gave the foul, his fifth). Murray comes up clutch by hitting both free throws to tie the game. But the Warriors still have 4.2 seconds and a cadre of shooters at Mike Montgomery's disposal. Stay tuned.
Brick City
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 98, Sonics 96
No, I'm not as prophetic as the last two entries made me look. Jason Richardson missed his first free throw as I was writing, then missed the second to leave the door wide open for the Sonics with 7.1 seconds left. They take timeout, and Bob Hill will diagram the most important play he's called in about nine years.
Oh No!
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 98, Sonics 96
Rarely is overpassing a problem at this level, but it got the Sonics on their last possession. Good movement around the perimeter got the ball to Vlade Radmanovic with a defender running at him, and Radmanovic pump-faked to drive for a better shot. He then dished to Flip Murray, who tried to hit, I believe, Rashard Lewis, but the ball went into the hands of Jason Richardson, who was fouled with 8.2 seconds left. Fans are heading for the exits, but Richardson is just a 69% free-throw shooter and was pretty shaken up by the foul. This isn't over yet.
Wild, Wacky Stuff
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 98, Sonics 96
Some interesting action in the last 30 seconds. Mike Montgomery draws up a great call coming out of the timeout, running a lob to Baron Davis at the rim for a dunk that puts the Warriors up three. The Sonics answer by getting Ray Allen's sixth 3-pointer of the night to tie the game. The assist came from Flip Murray, and I'm going to pause to note that while Murray gets little credit for his passing, the fact is he's very good at delivering the ball to shooters coming off of screens (as Allen was), something former backup point guard Antonio Daniels struggled with.
On the Warriors ensuing possession, Derek Fisher came off a high screen-roll with nothing but floor between him and the basket. He attacked and was fouled by Vlade Radmanovic, hitting both free throws to give Golden State a two-point advantage with 25.3 seconds left to play.
In the Hands of the Bench
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 94, Sonics 93
Would you have believed me this morning if I would have told you this game would be decided by Derek Fisher and Flip Murray? They've been the key guys on either side. Vlade Radmanovic splits two free throws to leave the Sonics down one with under a minute left (54.8, to be exact).
Baron Davis appeared to travel on Golden State's current possession before Murray, defending very well, batted the ball of his leg and out of bounds. The Warriors have it with two on the shot clock and take a timeout.
Mismatch Key
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 92, Sonics 90
If we're to be totally honest with ourselves, luck will probably play a key role in determining the outcome of this game, as it does in most close games. But beyond that, the key factor will probably be a strategic mismatch at both ends of the court. Mike Montgomery, as mentioned a moment ago, has gone microscopic. Derek Fisher has been left defending Rashard Lewis and Vladimir Radmanovic and vice versa. So far, the Warriors have made it work out, the Sonics failing to score on their last three possessions and Fisher beating a slower defender to the cup for a layup a moment ago to give the Warriors a two-point lead with 3:31 left.
Murray Powering Sonics
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 88, Sonics 88
At times, Flip Murray's shot selection has made you cringe tonight. But you can't argue with the results. Murray has eight of his 11 points in this fourth quarter, propelling the Sonics into a tie ballgame. Going into the final 5:32, Murray and Ray Allen are your backcourt, with Rashard Lewis and Vladimir Radmanovic at forward and Nick Collison in the middle. Golden State counters with Derek Fisher, Baron Davis, Calbert Cheaney (who's scored a season-high 10 points), Jason Richardson
at power forward and Adonal Foyle.
Hill at the Helm
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 80, Sonics 76
With Bob Weiss ejected, Bob Hill has taken over the duties of acting head coach for the Sonics. The veteran Hill is certainly no stranger to this role. The technicals have certainly fired up a loud KeyArena crowd and the Sonics have all the momentum right now.
Mayhem at the Key
Fourth Quarter: Golden State 78, Sonics 72
I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like the last sequence of plays. It started with a flagrant foul by Danny Fortson on the Warriors Baron Davis. Bob Weiss, arguing the call, appeared to get ejected, but apparently drew only one technical. On the ensuing play, Danny Fortson was called for a very late block foul on Troy Murphy, and an incensed Weiss headed back out to midcourt to draw his second technical foul and be ejected for the first time in his Sonics head coaching career. The net result was that the Warriors shot six free throws, making four of them, and the KeyArena crowd is now very much in this game.
Warriors Backcourt Shines
End Third Quarter: Golden State 76, Sonics 72
With 12 minutes left, both Golden State guards (Baron Davis and Jason Richardson) have 16 points. Davis dominated the third quarter, posting 11 points in the period as the Warriors took the lead down the stretch. The Sonics got surprising offense during the third quarter from Reggie Evans, who has a season-high 13 points and was successfully posting up late in the period. You don't see that every day. Evans is two rebounds away from a double-double.
Impactful
Third Quarter: Golden State 69, Sonics 66
Rarely has a player's impact in terms of rebounding been so understated by his personal rebounding totals. Reggie Evans has seven rebounds thus far, which is a good, not great, total. But Evans has now drawn three loose-ball fouls and forced the Warriors to bat the ball out of bounds on several occasions. Those plays are basically equivalent to rebounds, but Evans isn't getting credit for them in the box score. The Sonics most formidable rebounding duo, Evans and Danny Fortson, is in the game together right now.
Back and Forth
Third Quarter: Sonics 66, Golden State 65
After what was a somewhat slow second quarter, in large part because the teams combined to shoot 23 free throws, the pace of this game has quickened after halftime, with the teams going back and forth with their scores. Rashard Lewis has seven points in the period, bringing him to 12 for the game. The Sonics have gone into a 2-3 zone at times, which is interesting against a team that shoots as many 3-pointers as the Warriors do. While Golden State has undoubtedly talented shooters, the fact is their 3-point percentage is very poor, so the move could play off big.
Rebounding Domination
Halftime: Sonics 50, Golden State 48
The Sonics posted an Offensive Rating of 102.0 points per 100 possessions in the first half, Golden State 104.3. Through some weird quirk, the Sonics have often shown up as having too many possessions relatively to their opponent (in this case, they're at 49, Golden State 46; the biggest difference you can actually have in a half is one possession). The key, I believe, is offensive team rebounds. The Sonics had a couple of their own misses bounce out of bounds off of the Warriors in the first half.
The more interesting numbers are in terms of rebounding. The Sonics grabbed an even 50% of available offensive rebounds and 85% of available defensive rebounds for a dominant total rebound percentage of 67.5%. Sweet.
Sonics Run to the Locker Room
Halftime: Sonics 50, Golden State 48
I've always been a proponent of the importance of how a team finishes the first half, and Saturday was a testament to that theory. The Kings finished the half on something like a 7-1 run, and then dominated the third quarter. Tonight, the Sonics did the opposite. After Golden State went up 48-45, the Sonics closed with a Ray Allen triple and two Reggie Evans free throws to own a two-point lead halfway through. Allen has been unstoppable, scoring 21 points on 6-for-11 shooting (3-for-3 3s). What slump? The rest of the team has shot just 9-for-34 (26.7%).
Random Thoughts
Second Quarter: Golden State 42, Sonics 41
Interesting night around the NBA. Clippers at San Antonio is reminiscent of last year, when the Sonics went into the SBC Center and proved they were for real with a win. That game is in overtime right now ... Sacramento wins its third straight at Minnesota. They may be due for a run ... Ray Allen appears to be wearing tights tonight along the lines of those famously worn by Kobe Bryant this season ... This first half has been surprisingly low scoring ... Miami on the verge of winning Pat Riley's return to the sidelines at Chicago.
She Said Yes!
Second Quarter: Sonics 41, Golden State 35
Our second proposal of the early season results in Dana saying yes to John Henry, then the couple getting congratulated by Sonics PA Announce Matt Pitman. The Warriors bench has brought energy the Sonics haven't gotten from their reserves, allowing Golden State to get back in this game. Derek Fisher has 11 quick points, while Calbert Cheaney has hit a couple of mid-range jumpers. The Sonics got their offense going with their best offensive lineup in the game - Luke Ridnour and Ray Allen in the backcourt, Rashard Lewis and Vladimir Radmanovic at forwards and Nick Collison in the middle. But with Collison picking up his third foul, Mikki Moore has gotten a look in the middle.
Allen Shooting Well
Second Quarter: Sonics 32, Golden State 23
We've spent entirely too much time discussing
Ray Allen's shooting slump, but that may be coming to an end if he keeps playing like thus far tonight. Allen has 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting as the one consistent offensive presence for the Sonics thus far.
Unsurprising after his critical comments to the media yesterday, Danny Fortson continues to have a target on his back with regards to referees. He was called for a technical earlier in this period, his fifth in the last three games.
Lead After One
End First Quarter: Sonics 26, Golden State 20
The Sonics end the quarter with a slightly less massive 18-7 advantage in rebounding. That's more impressive than it sounds (and it sounds pretty impressive) because the Sonics shot just 9-for-27 in the first half, meaning most of the rebounding opportunities were more difficult offensive rebounds. If the Sonics start hitting, they could extend this lead. On the other hand, the Warriors have to be thinking that the Sonics can't dominate them on the glass all game. Jason Richardson has provided half of the Warriors offense so far with 10 points.
Matchup Problems
First Quarter: Sonics 19, Golden State 13
While the Golden State Warriors have closed the gap on the Sonics as we go to our second timeout of the evening, they still have gotten little closer on the boards, where they're getting hammered 14-3. Golden State has had no answer for Reggie Evans, who has four rebounds but has also drawn a couple of loose-ball fouls. Warriors Coach Mike Montgomery has already tried three players in the middle, first replacing starter Adonal Foyle with Andris Beidrins and now rookie Ike Digou.
Loving the Energy
First Quarter: Sonics 8, Golden State 2
Impressive start by the Sonics, not so much because of their offensive execution or defensive intensity, but just good, old-fashioned hard work. It's 11-2 Sonics in terms of rebounding thus far; led by Reggie Evans, they've maintained complete and total domination of the glass. The Warriors aren't significantly worse on the boards, so I'm not completely convinced this is going to last, but it's fun to watch anyways.
Led by Luke Ridnour, the Sonics are also aggressively attacking in transition, which is often a good idea against teams known for their transition offense, as the Warriors are.
"We want some running tonight, but we want it at our pace," explained Bob Weiss before the game. "We don't want to get them in a run-and-gun game."
Healthy Bunch
Pregame
No news of note on the injury front for the Sonics. Reggie Evans, who missed yesterday's practice with a sprained left foot, is starting and says his foot feels fine. (Rick Brunson remains sidelined with a torn plantar fascia.) Danny Fortson is back in the lineup after missing Sunday's game due to NBA suspension, and Vitaly Potapenko remains on the Inactive List.
Signing On
Pregame
The Golden State Warriors invade KeyArena tonight, and while that phrase hasn't exactly created a lot of attention in years gone by, it should tonight. At 12-8, the Warriors are off to their best start since the 1991-92 season and are looking to snap an 11-year playoff drought. The Sonics are looking to put Saturday's loss to Sacramento behind them and move back to .500 over the course of the season. It's a matchup of a fast-paced team in the Warriors against a potent offensive one in the Sonics, so it should be plenty of fun. Stay with us all night.
