Want to enjoy the electricity of at KeyArena 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 quotes, analysis and observations from the game. E-mail Kevin at sonicsconnection@sonics-storm.com. Make sure to keep coming back or refreshing so you get the latest content.
Sonics Topped in Opener
Final: Denver 120, Sonics 103
The final score won't reflect how truly competitive tonight's game was. The Sonics were within six into the fourth quarter before Denver caught fire from behind the arc and the Sonics offense went quiet. For an opener against a quality opponent that will contend to win the Northwest Division, there were things to like. The Sonics showed what they can do during the second quarter, running, scrapping and passing their way to a lead as large as seven.
The areas where the Sonics remain a work in progress are probably not a surprise. They have to do a better job of holding on to the basketball. They had 21 turnovers tonight, and it's hard to win like that. Defending the three-point line has also been stressed by P.J. Carlesimo and that won't change after tonight. Denver was 11-of-27 from downtown and blew the game open from beyond the arc.
The Sonics will get a chance to work on those areas and show their improvement tomorrow night, when they host the Phoenix Suns on Opening Night. It's sure to be a great time at the Key, as the Sonics face one of the favorites to win the championship. In addition to Opening Night festivities, the first 10,000 fans will receive Sonics t-shirts courtesy of Comcast. I hope you'll join us tomorrow - 
click here if you're still in need of tickets.
Nuggets Explode
Fourth Quarter: Denver 106, Sonics 90
Denver has blown the game open on an 11-1 run. Just as you'd expect, all 11 points have been scored by Linas Kleiza and Eduardo Najera. Kleiza has a pair of three-pointers and is up to five on the night, accounting for virtually all of his 16 points. At least Kleiza is a three-point shooter, however. Najera came into tonight with just 14 threes in his career; he made only one all of last season. Tonight he's hit two triples. You figure it out.
Role Players Stepping Up for Nuggets
Fourth Quarter: Denver 95, Sonics 85
The difference between the Denver Nuggets in the first half and since halftime as they've opened up a 10-point lead. The first-half offense was largely Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson - they combined for 32 of the team's 59 points. Anthony in particular has stayed hot - he's got 29 points tonight - but other players are hitting big shots. In this fourth quarter alone, Linas Kleiza has a three-pointer - his third of the night - and Yakhouba Diawara and Mike Wilks have scores.
Marcus Camby has also helped the Nuggets draw even with the Sonics on the glass. He's got 10 boards on the evening. Johan Petro leads the Sonics with nine rebounds in a very strong effort for him off the bench.
Nuggets Lead to the Fourth
End Third Quarter: Denver 86, Sonics 81
Denver closes out the third quarter of play with an 8-2 run to take a five-point lead to the final period of play. We saw the Sonics lose a little bit of focus during that stretch. They turned the ball over and did not get back well on defense. When they have played well tonight, they have eliminated those mistakes. Will they be able to do that in the fourth quarter? We'll see.
Back in the Lead
Third Quarter: Sonics 79, Denver 78
We saw a lot of resiliency from the Sonics during the preseason, and that has carried over tonight. This team is not likely to go into a hole when the opposition makes a run. Denver went up as many as eight during this third quarter, but the Sonics have railed to reclaim the lead with 3:04 left in the third quarter. Delonte West continues to be a major spark for the Sonics. He put them ahead by stealing a pass and taking it coast to coast for a dunk. West has 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting, four assists and no turnovers.
The Sonics have nearly doubled up the Nuggets in bench scoring, 25-13.
Out of the Locker Room Slowly
Third Quarter: Denver 63, Sonics 58
Not the start P.J. Carlesimo and company wanted for the second half. The Sonics have not executed and Denver has scored the first four points of the half, prompting a quick timeout by Carlesimo.
One-Point Game at the Half
Halftime: Denver 59, Sonics 58
The Nuggets regained the lead late in the second quarter, and the Sonics trail by one as we go to the break. Still, a very positive and productive first half of basketball for the Sonics, who held Denver to just 24 points and 7-of-19 (36.8%) shooting during the second period play of play.
The Sonics are getting offense from a variety of sources. Three players - Damien Wilkins (19), Chris Wilcox (12) and Delonte West (11) have scored double-figures. The team has done a great jof of sharing the basketball, assisting on 15 of the 22 first-half field goals.
Hitting the Glass
Second Quarter: Sonics 54, Denver 51
The Sonics have gotten great production during this second quarter on the offensive boards. They have seven offensive rebounds in the quarter to just eight defensive boards for Denver. That means they've been almost as likely to recover their own miss as the Nuggets. That's going to create a lot of second-chance points. After a missed free throw, Chris Wilcox and Johan Petro did a great job of keeping the ball alive multiple times.
Damien Wilkins has the touch tonight from three-point range. He's hit 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and leads the Sonics with 16 points. He's added six rebounds as well.
Defense Creating Offense
Second Quarter: Sonics 48, Denver 44
Another notable sequence for the Sonics where defense turned into offense. Delonte West blocked a shot and the Sonics bolted in the other direction for a break finished by a Chris Wilcox flush. West had a very nice run at both ends of the court, including 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and some fine perimeter defense. The Sonics were +14 during his time on the court.
During this timeout, Rocky's Junior Dunkers took the court. That's right, youngsters plus trampolines equals dunks. Good to see the kids getting up. I think two of them were sporting Allen Iverson/Carmelo Anthony elbow sleeves.
The Sound of Silence
Second Quarter: Sonics 42, Denver 38
The Sonics have silenced the Pepsi Center crowd with an excellent start to the second quarter, outscoring the Nuggets 11-3 in the period. The Sonics are really playing at a high level defensively right now, marred only by three defensive 3 second violations. At the other end, the rookies have gotten into the act, with Kevin Durant nailing a three-pointer followed by a Jeff Green score plus the foul. Great run here for the guys on the second unit.
Ws are Wild
End First Quarter: Denver 35, Sonics 31
The majority of the scoring for the Sonics in the first quarter came from their Ws - Delonte West, Chris Wilcox and Damien Wilkins combined for 26 of the team's 31 points. Just imagine when Earl Watson gets in the act ... .
Liked this sequence to end the first quarter. Damien Wilkins ripped the ball away from a driving Nuggets player. Delonte West led the fast break the other direction and the ball ended up back in his hands for a layup to get the Sonics within one. Linas Kleiza's three-pointer provided the final score of the first quarter.
We saw some zone at times from the Sonics in the period, including a 3-2 look. And Jeff Green, as anticipated, is getting some run at power forward in a smaller unit. Wally Szczerbiak had an interesting comment to the media yesterday, saying he anticipates Green becoming more effective at that position instead of small forward later in his career.
Sonics Rally
First Quarter: Denver 29, Sonics 28
After struggling on defense over the first six minutes and change, giving up 25 points, the Sonics have clamped down and limited Denver to four in the last three and a half minutes. The defense has gotten ore active and has had the luxury of keeping the Nuggets in the half court thanks to good execution on offense. Anthony has stayed hot, scoring 13 points.
Delonte West was the first player off the bench for the Sonics. He's now been joined by Wally Szczerbiak and Johan Petro. We'll see how the bench integrates into the game.
Nuggets Take Early Lead
First Quarter: Denver 17, Sonics 10
Quick start for the Sonics, who led 6-2, but the Nuggets have rallied to take a seven-point lead at our first timeout of the young season. In the huddle, Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo is presumably reminding his charges about the importance of transition defense. The Sonics got better in that regard during the last week of the preseason, when they faced Golden State and Phoenix, but a couple of turnovers and quick shots have translated into easy scores at the other end for the Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony has taken advantage, scoring six points.
Rookies Ready
Pregame
Tonight marks the NBA debut of Sonics rookies Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, and if there are any real nerves, it wasn't apparent before the game. Durant did admit he was a little nervous. Denver Nuggets Head Coach George Karl will start out with Carmelo Anthony defending Durant, the kind of assignment Anthony apparently relishes.
I'm sure I've read about this before, but never experienced it - an "altitude warning" before tip-off. All the better to remind the opposing team that we are in fact a mile high. I don't think the Sonics are worried. Durant was asked about playing at Colorado and said he noticed it the first couple of trips up and down the floor, but not at all once he got his second wind.
Signing On
Pregame
DENVER - On My cab right from the hotel to the Pepsi Center, my taxi driver asked if I was off work early. "No," I answered, "this is work." Well, sort of. There's nothing like being in Denver for the nationally-televised Sonics season opener to remind you how special this gig really is. It beats working for a living.
The crowd is filtering into the arena right now and excxitement is growing as tip-off nears. Happy Halloween to everyone out there - there are plenty of costumed fans in attendance tonight, making for a fun atmosphere. It should be a good one, so stay with us all night long for the latest.
