Live From the Press Box - Sonics vs. L.A. Lakers
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.
Great Effort Falls Short
Final (OT): L.A. Lakers 123, Sonics 121
After Kobe Bryant gave the foul the Lakers had to give, the Sonics took another timeout. Wally Szczerbiak had a tough time inbounding the ball but found Kurt Thomas at the top of the key. Two defenders went to Thomas, who kicked to Nick Collison in the corner all alone. Collison left the jumper just a little bit short as the buzzer sounded, and the Lakers escaped with a victory. Outcome aside, you can't fault the effort by the Sonics, not one bit. They played terrific unselfish team basketball tonight and were one play away from winning this game in either regulation or the overtime session. The KeyArena crowd was into all night, and even if the outcome wasn't what they wanted, this was still an exceedingly entertaining basketball game.
Lots of impressive numbers for the Sonics. Collison had 24 points and 18 boards, both of them season highs. Luke Ridnour was brilliant off the bench, handing out 11 assists in 24 minutes. That ties the most by any Sonics player this season. Jeff Green played terrific defense on Kobe Bryant, who needed 44 shots to get his 48 points, and had 14 points and seven rebounds. Kurt Thomas and Chris Wilcox both finished a rebound shy of double-doubles, and Earl Watson handed out nine assists. Wally Szczerbiak scored 18 points and kept the Sonics in the game in the second quarter.
The Sonics will look to take the momentum of a strong performance with them as they hit the road for a four-game trip that begins Wednesday in the Big Easy. They'll be back here at the Key a week from then, hosting the Houston Rockets. Hope you'll join us for that one - you won't want to miss it if it's anything like tonight's game.
Kobe Gives Lakers Advantage
Overtime: L.A. Lakers 123, Sonics 121
After a stop, the Lakers called timeout with 20.3 seconds left to play. Phil Jackson drew up a common play - get the ball to Kobe Bryant and isolate him. Bryant worked against Jeff Green, who has done a terrific job tonight, but this time Bryant was better. He dribbled into a fadeaway jumper that tickled the twine with 4.3 seconds left to play, giving the Lakers a 123-121 advantage. The Sonics will still have a chance to tie or win after this timeout.
Still Even
Overtime: L.A. Lakers 121, Sonics 121
After 51 minutes and 20 seconds, still all even. The Sonics were up four and clearly had momentum when referees ruled that Kurt Thomas was fouled going up just before the shot clock expired on a great Kevin Durant feed. However, Thomas missed both shots and Kobe Bryant has followed with consecutive fadeaway jumpers to tie the game and rosue the spirits of the Lakers. After a timeout, the Sonics will take over.
We're Headed to OT
End Regulation: L.A. Lakers 115, Sonics 115
48 minutes won't be enough to decide this one. The Sonics isolated Kevin Durant, whose jumper was off. The Lakers rebounded with 5.9 seconds left and immediately took timeout. They got the ball to Kobe Bryant, predictably, and the Sonics responded with what looked to me like a box-and-one defense with Jeff Green on Bryant. Durant switched onto Bryant after a pick but Green stayed with him and Earl Watson came over to help. Watson poked the ball away and Green recovered in time to fling a desperation attempt toward the basket, but it wasn't close, sending us to the extra session.
Foul trouble shouldn't be an issue for either side. Ronny Turiaf has five fouls, but the Lakers have been using Kwame Brown in the middle down the stretch.
Tied With Possession
Fourth Quarter: L.A. Lakers 115, Sonics 115
With 21.8 seconds left in this game and the shot clock off, the Sonics will take possession after this timeout with a chance to go ahead. Kevin Durant tied it for the Sonics off of - what else? - a Ridnour feed, after Ridnour's miss resulted in a loose-ball foul that sent Luke Walton to the free-throw line. The other Luke gave the Lakers a three-point advantage nullified by the Durant triple. The Lakers isolated Kobe Bryant at the top of the key against Jeff Green, but Green played great D and Bryant's miss nestled in Nick Collison's hands.
How 'bout that for a pair of rookies?
Bryant Gives Lakers the Lead
Fourth Quarter: L.A. Lakers 113, Sonics 112
A cold-blooded dagger of a triple off of the inbound gives the Lakers a one-point advantage and Bryant 40-plus points for the second time this season. Still 1:21 left on the clock, plenty of time for the Sonics with the KeyArena crowd boisterous behind them.
Frenzied Action
Fourth Quarter: Sonics 112, L.A. Lakers 110
Wow, what wild action we are seeing on both ends of the court during this fourth quarter. The Sonics scored on their first five possessions coming out of the timeout to take a two-point lead that they maintain with 1:32 to play. Luke Ridnour had a hand in four of the five scores, assisting on three of them and scoring on an unbelievable runner off glass. He's got 10 assists now tonight in 19 minutes of action. Nick Collison was on the receiving end of one of the assists (plus the foul) and scored off of a Jeff Green feed. He's got a season-high 22 points, 20 in the second half.
The Sonics have certainly made Kobe Bryant work, forcing him into two straight misses. But he was fouled going for his own rebound on the latter miss, giving the Lakers the ball after this timeout. Kevin Durant returns to the game for Wally Szczerbiak after this timeout and Earl Watson is in at the point.
Lakers Reclaim the Lead
Fourth Quarter: L.A. Lakers 103, Sonics 100
A Jordan Farmar driving score made the Lakers the first team to 100 tonight and gave them their first lead of the fourth quarter. As we head to this timeout with 5:22 left on the clock, it's a three-point Lakers advantage, though Wally Szczerbiak is headed to the free-throw line. The Sonics have an advantage as they are in the bonus with a long ways left to play. Meanwhile, they have committed just one team foul themselves.
The Sonics come out of the timeout with a lineup of Luke Ridnour, Szczerbiak, Jeff Green, Nick Collison and Kurt Thomas. Presumably because of his minutes restrictions, Ridnour has been resting throughout the fourth quarter and it will be interesting to see what kind of energy he gives the Sonics with fresh legs. Green is also fresh to defend Bryant.
New Heroes Emerging
Fourth Quarter: Sonics 95, L.A. Lakers 92
Tonight's game has truly been a testament to the depth assembled by the Sonics. It seems like every few minutes or so, a different player steps up to play a key role for the team. During the early fourth quarter, it's been Nick Collison, who has a pair of putback buckets to reach his eighth double-double of the season. He's got 16 points and 12 rebounds and has looked really athletic tonight, including a big block on Javaris Crittenton a moment ago. Earl Watson is one assist and Chris Wilcox one rebound away from joining Collison with double-doubles.
Kobe Bryant remains on the bench for the Lakers. We'll watch how long Phil Jackson allows him to rest during this fourth quarter.
Sonics Hanging On Headed to the Fourth
End Third Quarter: Sonics 91, L.A. Lakers 87
Kobe Bryant had a good look at a three-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer, but it was off and the Sonics will take a four-point margin to the final period of play. Six Sonics have scored double-figures tonight and the team is shooting 52.8% from the field. For the Lakers, it's primarily been the Kobe Bryant show, though it's hard to score 87 points without contributions from multiple players.
Let's look quickly at how the Lakers have played without Andrew Bynum tonight. Kwame Brown and Ronny Turiaf have generally split minutes down the middle, but with Vladimir Radmanovic out, that's forced both guys and Lamar Odom to log heavier minutes than usual. "And this is how the dominoes start to fall on teams," explained Phil Jackson pregame.
Brown and Turiaf have combined for 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting, but only six rebounds. Even with Bynum pulling down 10 boards a night, the Lakers have been below-average on the glass, and the Sonics have had the clear rebounding upper hand tonight. Nick Collison and Chris Wilcox have nine boards apiece.
Sonics Take the Lead
Third Quarter: Sonics 85, L.A. Lakers 83
It's hard to believe that this is the same Sonics team that scored just 70 points on Friday, a mark they blew by midway through this third quarter. Of course, it's not the same team. The additions of Luke Ridnour and Chris Wilcox have made a huge difference. Wilcox has 10 points and six rebounds, making 5-of-6 from the field, and Luke Ridnour has handed out six assists off the bench. A Wally Szczerbiak three briefly gave the Sonics the lead, and they've reclaimed it thanks to an elusive Kevin Durant layup in transition as he slid past a defender and twisted to the basket.
On SonicsVision, the Sonics wish a Happy Birthday to Seattle's Biggest Sports Fan, Big Lo. I think he'd ask for a Sonics win as a present.
Back and Forth We Go
Third Quarter: L.A. Lakers 75, Sonics 74
I've been lucky enough to sit courtside at a majority of the games at KeyArena so far this season, but I've got a slightly different position tonight - on the far end of the media table on the baseline near the visiting bench. It's slightly closer to the action in the paint and, for whatever reason, has a much different and much more energetic feel to it. You couldn't have picked a better game to have this kind of vantage point.
The Lakers have opened up a lead a couple of times, but the Sonics have quickly rallied and for most of the night we've been separated by five points or fewer. Kobe Bryant is putting on a show tonight, but the Sonics are matching him as a team. They've shown great energy, with Green really leading the way with his effort, driving hard and defending Bryant at the other end. A moment ago, he got on the ground to tie up Bryant for a loose ball, and the two players will jump it up after the timeout.
Special Teatro Zinzani Performance
Halftime: L.A. Lakers 64, Sonics 62
During halftime, fans saw a special presentation by members of the cast of
Teatro Zinzani, the three-hour whirlwind of international cirque, comedy and cabaret artists that is performed just off the Seattle Center campus right near KeyArena. Before the game, headliner Thelma Houston, best known for her 1977 hit "Don't Leave Me This Way," gave a stirring rendition of the National Anthem.
Sonics Rally Within Two
Halftime: L.A. Lakers 64, Sonics 62
The Sonics finish out the first half with a 9-2 run, bringing them within two points as the teams head to the locker rooms. It's safe to say this is the best offensive half the Sonics have enjoyed in a while. In fact, it's only two points off their best first half of the season. They shot 54.3% from the field. The Lakers, at 48.0%, weren't quite as hot but made up the difference with just two turnovers and by getting to the free-throw line regularly.
The Sonics will surely be looking to tighten up their defense in the second half. The interesting thing is that Kobe Bryant, who scored 21 first-half points, had just one assist. It seemed like hew was doing more to set up his teammates; maybe he had some hockey assists that weren't captured in the numbers.
It's been a wide-open, exciting game so far and the KeyArena crowd is enjoying the action.
Lakers Open it Up
Second Quarter: L.A. Lakers 62, Sonics 53
Kobe Bryant is back in the game for the Lakers and has picked up where he left off, scoring six points in the last three minutes-plus. A 6-0 Lakers run has given them a nine-point lead with 2:24 left in the first half. The Lakers have 34 points in the period; the most the Sonics have allowed in any quarter this season is 38. a big reason is that the Lakers have taken exceptional care of the basketball, turning it over just two times tonight.
The Sonics need to return to their early offense and ball movement. The ball has slowed down on the perimeter the last couple of possessions.
Sonics Have an Answer
Second Quarter: L.A. Lakers 49, Sonics 45
Nice stretch for the Sonics here, as they've quelled the L.A. uprising and gotten back within four points. Wally Szczerbiak has got it going for the Sonics, scoring nine of his 11 points in the second period. Szczerbiak is 5-for-7 from the field. Still, Phil Jackson has to feel awfully good that he's going to end this stretch with Kobe Bryant on the bench having gained at least three points on the Sonics (Kurt Thomas is headed to the free-throw line for two shots after the timeout). Ronny Turiaf has been the surprising offensive force for the Lakers. He's scored double-figures just six times this season, but has 12 so far tonight.
Luke Ridnour is running the show, handing out seven assists. I neglected to mention that his first assist of the evening was the 1,608th of his Sonics career, moving him past Dick Snyder and all alone into 10th place in franchise history. Congrats Luke!
Lakers Run
Second Quarter: L.A. Lakers 38, Sonics 29
You want to talk about balance? With Kobe Bryant on the bench and four reserves alongside starter Lamar Odom, the Lakers have opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run, forcing a P.J. Carlesimo timeout. The Lakers surprised the Sonics by trapping fullcourt to start the quarter, forcing a pair of earlier turnovers that turned into scores at the other end. Point guard Jordan Farmar has hit a pair of shots from the perimeter and the Lakers are now shooting 51.6% from the field.
With seven turnovers so far, the Sonics will have to do a better job taking care of the basketball.
Sonics Lead After One
End First Quarter: Sonics 29, L.A. Lakers 28
The 29 first-quarter points for the Sonics are their high since the second quarter Jan. 6 at Washington, when they also had 29 points. That's a span of 14 quarters. In fairness, they benefited from a fast pace to this game, but the Sonics shot 48.0% from the field. The lone downside on offense was five turnovers. Jeff Green was a major catalyst with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, running the floor hard and taking the ball to the hoop in the halfcourt.
This is my first time courtside for the Lakers, and it's interesting to watch Phil Jackson up close. The Lakers head man uses a custom-made chair on the road for increased comfort, leaving him sitting high above his team and the rest of his coaching staff, almost regally. What I had never noticed before is how much time Jackson spends consulting with his staff during timeouts. It's not until nearly the end of the timeout that he addresses his players.
Born to Run
First Quarter: Sonics 21, L.A. Lakers 19
P.J. Carlesimo has emphasized the need for the Sonics to return to their roots in terms of pushing the basketball upcourt and getting scores in transition, and we've seen it quickly pay dividends tonight. Led by point guard Earl Watson, the team has been exceptionally aggressive in the open court. That led to one early turnover, but it's also meant easy scores which have helped the Sonics come from behind to claim a two-point lead late here in the first quarter. After his early surge, Bryant has not scored since. Credit Jeff Green with some outstanding one-on-one play, but it's a team effort defending a player as special as Bryant.
Look Out for Kobe
First Quarter: L.A. Lakers 13, Sonics 10
With Andrew Bynum out of the lineup tonight, P.J. Carlesimo's fear beforehand was that Kobe Bryant would take Bynum's absence as reason to put together a big scoring night. So far, that's looking prophetic. Bryant has nine of L.A.'s 13 points.
Carlesimo was also asked whether he preferred to face the high-scoring Bryant or the one who involves his teammates in the game, as Bryant has most of this season. His answer was he preferred the high-scoring Bryant - with the caveat that it meant he was also taking a lot of shots. The most troublesome opponent, Carlesimo noted, was an efficient Bryant. So far, it's been somewhere in between. Bryant is 3-for-7 from the field and has used nine possessions to get his nine points. Both Kevin Durant and Jeff Green have seen time on Bryant defensively, and Carlesimo said we'd see "the kitchen sink" tonight - a number of different matchups.
Ridnour, Wilcox Return
Pregame
The Sonics will have a relatively full roster of players in action tonight as Luke Ridnour and Chris Wilcox return. That gives the Sonics a full 12-player group for only the second time since Mouhamed Sene was sent to the D-League on Dec. 23. In that game, Jan. 3 at Phoenix, Wilcox dislocated his right pinky finger six minutes in. He hasn't played since, while Ridnour has played just in that Phoenix game since Dec. 25.
Ridnour and Wilcox will both get minutes tonight. If nothing else, Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo pointed out, they need it for the sake of their conditioning. Their minutes are restricted because of their injuries, but just how much they play will be determined by how they play on the court.
Nick Collison missed yesterday's practice with a right quadriceps contusion, but he will play tonight and will remain in the starting lineup at power forward.
Signing On
Pregame
The Los Angeles Lakers are at KeyArena tonight as the Sonics complete a brief two-game homestand against one of the NBA's hottest teams. Getting balanced production to complement All-Star guard Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have won 10 of their last 11 and six in a row. However, a key piece of that success was center Andrew Bynum, who will miss tonight's game and is out for eight weeks after suffering a subluxation of his left patella in last night's win over Memphis. We're looking for an entertaining matchup between two teams that want to run, so stay with us all night long for the latest.
