Live From the Press Box - Sonics vs. Detroit
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 Comeback Falls Just Short
Final: Detroit 107, Sonics 103
The only time the Sonics led tonight was 2-0. They then gave up 12 unanswered points, falling behind by as many as 23. However, they never quit and rallied to tie the game with two and a half minutes remaining in the game. Unfortunately, from there the veteran Pistons came up with the big plays they needed to hold the Sonics off and pull out the victory.
The Sonics showed no quit whatsoever tonight in a situation where they could have folded. They got great production from the bench, which combined for 52 points and 26 rebounds. Kurt Thomas' return was everything the Sonics hoped it would be, as he had 10 points and seven rebounds and made big plays down the stretch. Alas, tonight it just wasn't quite enough.
The Sonics now head out on the road for a five-game road trip that opens Tuesday in Orlando. SUPERSONICS.COM will have complete coverage throughout the road trip. The Sonics return here to KeyArena on Friday, Nov. 23 - the day after Thanksgiving - when they'll host the New Jersey Nets on Friday Night Live presented by Miller Genuine Draft. 
Get your tickets now for that game!
Pistons Take Control
Fourth Quarter: Detroit 103, Sonics 99
The momentum was all on the side of the Sonics when Antonio McDyess threw away an entry pass after the timeout and the Soncis took possession in a tie ballgame. However, they could not convert and Rasheed Wallace hit a very difficult turnaround on the other end to give the Pistons the lead. After two empty Sonics possessions, Rip Hamilton pushed the lead to four with a jumper from the right elbow and the Sonics will have to get scores quickly now with 45.9 seconds left.
New Ballgame
Fourth Quarter: Detroit 99, Sonics 99
Nothing fires up the Sonics offense quite like me writing that it has sputtered a bit. They came out of the last timeout on fire, outscoring the Pistons 11-4 to even the ballgame at 99 apiece with 2:32 to play. Kurt Thomas deserves huge credit for his role in the run. The last two Sonics possessions have been pick-and-rolls with Thomas screening for Luke Ridnour. On one, Thomas found Damien Wilkins in the corner for a three-pointer. On the next, he kept the ball and hit the elbow jumper to tie it. In between, all he did was draw a charge on a call that could have gone either way.
Looking for Scores
Fourth Quarter: Detroit 95, Sonics 88
The Sonics still have plenty of time left with 4:59 on the clock, trailing Detroit by seven points. However, they need to get their offense jump started, having scored just once on their last five possessions. Defensive rebounding has also been an issue, but the Sonics have been forcing misses.
Costly Triple
Fourth Quarter: Detroit 94, Sonics 86
The Sonics had really cut down on the Pistons from behind the three-point line, holding them to just one make in nine second-half attempts ... until a moment ago, when Rasheed Wallace got an open look from the top of the key and knocked down his third triple of the night to push Detroit's lead to eight points with a little over seven minutes to go. The Pistons are +25 tonight with Wallace on the floor.
Making a Game of It
Fourth Quarter: Detroit 86, Sonics 82
You have to love the resiliency the Sonics have shown tonight. Down almost from the opening tip, they have rallied to get, briefly, as close as two points in this fourth quarter. The Pistons now have a four-point advantage with 8:56 to play and Jason Maxiell heading to the free-throw line.
Kurt Thomas' night might be done after 14 minutes of action. If so, it was an excellent Sonics debut. Thomas provided the steady hand and scored six points, including a difficult baseline jumper with a hand in his face and the shot clock running out a moment ago.
Sonics On the Run
End Third Quarter: Detroit 81, Sonics 73
The Sonics closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run to get back within eight pints of Detroit entering the final period. They've had a lot of success with a lineup featuring veterans Wally Szczerbiak and Kurt Thomas, semi-veterans Delonte West and Chris Wilcox and rookie Jeff Green. That group will start the fourth quarter on the floor. Detroit has three starters - Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace.
Worth noting: This run has come with the Sonics playing almost exclusively zone defense. It has been a very active zone that has forced some turnovers.
Sonics Hanging Around
Third Quarter: Detroit 81, Sonics 68
There have been a few moments where it looked like the Sonics were in danger of taking a knockout punch, but they've done an excellent job of rallying at those points to stay within the 10-15 point range. They're close enough to Detroit to make things very interesting if they get hot.
Kurt Thomas has played a little over 11 minutes tonight in his Sonics debut. If we needed a reminder about the value of "veteranism," to borrow the term coined by Flip Murray when his Cleveland team was playing against Detroit in the playoffs three years ago, Antonio McDyess has provided it. I haven't mentioned McDyess yet, but he's got 15 points and 10 rebounds and has made a number of crucial little plays for the Pistons.
Sloppy Second Half
Third Quarter: Detroit 72, Sonics 57
Nearly midway through the third quarter, our score for the period is Detroit 8, Sonics 5. Not a lot of scoring so far. The Sonics have been very active on defense, forcing four Pistons turnovers, but have been a little disorganized at times with their own offense. Sonics center Robert Swift will not play the rest of the night because of tendinitis in his right knee. Nick Collison stepped up to replace him in the starting five at the start of the second half.
Great shooting by Alonzo, the young fan who participated in the Kids at the Key shootout tonight. The budding sharpshooter had plenty of range to hit a three-pointer from the top of the key.
Green Energizes Green and Gold
Halftime: Detroit 64, Sonics 52
Sonics rookie Jeff Green had a huge second quarter for the Sonics. Green's energy off the bench really changed the game. He scored 13 of his 15 points in the period. Green is 5-for-9 from the field at halftime, hitting all five of his free-throw attempts. He's added five boards. The Sonics are +9 with Green in the game tonight and outscored Detroit 20-9 to end the first half.
The Sonics have done some things well tonight. They have really cut down on their turnovers, committing only five of them in the first half. In particular, they have been hurt by poor shooting (41.7% from the field) and an inability to close down the three-point line. Detroit hit 6-of-11 (54.5%) from beyond the arc in the first half.
Stuckey Returns in Street Clothes
Second Quarter: Detroit 51, Sonics 32
Rodney Stuckey, a product of Kentwood High School and Eastern Washington University, returns to KeyArena tonight for the first time as an NBA player. Stuckey was one of two first-round picks by the Pistons and figures to play a big role, but he is currently sidelined after breaking three bones in his left hand during the team's final preseason game. I chatted with Stuckey before tonight's game about his return.
How many friends and family do you have in attendance tonight?
Only 10.
Is it frustrating to miss your return home due to injury?
Not at all. I got hurt - it's part of basketball. I'm out right now; I'll be back soon. I can't wait to get started.
How were things going before you broke your hand?
Training camp went really well. There's just a lot of things that I learned. I'm still learning things every day. Who I have around me - Tayshaun, Billups, Lindsey Hunter, Rasheed, even to the front office, Joe Dumars. Just having all them around me, I'm always learning every day.
Were you a Sonics fan growing up?
No. When I was growing up, it was all about watching the Chicago Bulls. I was watching Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, those guys do what they did.
Stuckey has obviously had to give up rooting for the Bulls now that they are fierce Eastern Conference rivals. We look forward to seeing him back on the court before long and helping the Pistons bench.
Difficult Matchup
Second Quarter: Detroit 43, Sonics 28
The Sonics made their way within 10 at 36-26 a moment ago, but since then Detroit has used a 7-2 run to push the lead back to 15 points. Two of the scores have come from forward Rasheed Wallace, who is a touch matchup for most teams. At 6-10 and playing either power forward or occasionally center, Wallace has the ability to step all the way out to the three-point line. Yesterday, Assistant Coach Scott Brooks emphasized the importance of jumping out to defend Wallace, but he's gotten free for a couple of three-pointers tonight. Of course, the ability of his teammates helps force teams to leave Wallace open whether they want to or not.
Rejection
End First Quarter: Detroit 35, Sonics 20
Great defensive hustle play by the Sonics late in the first quarter. The Pistons had a fast break with Flip Murray motoring toward the bucket, but Kurt Thomas got back and Jeff Green joined him, flying in to swat away Murray's layup attempt at the rim. Delonte West finished the first quarter with a score, coming off a pick-and-roll with the clock running down to bank home a runner. Still, the Sonics have some work to do in the second quarter to get back in the game.
Hey, I think Squatch might be cheating in the Kids at the Key game of musical chairs. Still, young Sonics fan Scout, wearing a Luke Ridnour jersey, got the best of him in the final round.
Rip City
First Quarter: Detroit 31, Sonics 16
Richard Hamilton's hot shooting has carried the Pistons in the early going. The masked man has 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. As a team, Detroit continues to hit a remarkable 72.2% from the field. The Pistons starters have gone the distance, and all of them have at least three points so far.
After the last timeout, Detroit forward Rasheed Wallace stopped by the Sonics bench to say hello to P.J. Carlesimo, his head coach in Portland early in both of their NBA careers. The two of them shared a laugh before getting back to business.
Sluggish Sonics Start
First Quarter: Detroit 12, Sonics 2
All Pistons in the early going of this game. Detroit has opened up with 5-of-7 shooting, getting six points from Chauncey Billups, to take a commanding 12-2 lead. P.J. Carlesimo has taken a quick timeout to try to get his team going.
Part of tonight's Kids at the Key festivities - a special junior announcer, Paris Williams, who did a great job of introducing the Sonics starting five.
Ridnour Gets Shot as Starter
Pregame
As anticipated, Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo has made a change to the starting lineup for the Sonics, moving Luke Ridnour back into the starting role at point guard. Ridnour is no longer wearing a facemask to protect his nose and now he'll got a stretch to see what he does as a starter.
"He's going to get a bunch of games where he'll start and we'll see after that - evaluate and see what we've got," Carlesimo said before tonight's game. "Delonte (West) will be the first guy off the bench."
For this period, Earl Watson will take the role of third point guard Ridnour had early in the season.
"Earl could end up getting more minutes than expected or may not play at all, depending on how the game plays," Carlesimo explained.
Carlesimo made sure to note that the change wasn't specifically tied to Watson's performance. "If anything," Carlesimo said, "he's coming off one of his best games."
With the depth of three experienced players at the point, however, Carlesimo wants to give everyone a fair chance to play regularly.
The Sonics will in fact have veteran Kurt Thomas in the lineup tonight after missing the first six games with a strained right hamstring. He's available for limited minutes. Robert Swift will start at center.
Signing On
Pregame
It's the first Sunday night at KeyArena of the 2007-08 season, and you know what that means - Kids at the Key Sundays presented by Aquafina and B97.3. We'll have kid-themed activities as part of the game presentation throughout the evening. Right now, plenty of youngsters are proudly touting their Sonics retro lunchboxes presented by Aquafina that the first 10,000 fans receive tonight. On the court, the Detroit Pistons are making their only visit of the season to KeyArena. The 2004 NBA champions are hoping to return to the Finals and have gotten off to a 4-1 start this season.
