Live From the Press Box - Sonics vs. Portland
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Sonics Silence Blazers
Final: Sonics 99, Portland 87
An excellent victory by the Sonics tonight against a Portland team that needs to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Sonics led this game from start to finish and by as many as 19 points. Portland made a bit of a run in the fourth quarter to get within single-digits, but after the Sonics went small and got Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox back in the game, they finished the Blazers off.
Six Sonics in double-figures tonight, including three reserves. Those three - Luke Ridnour, Mickaël Gelabale and Damien Wilkins - were all on the court for the entire fourth quarter and deserve a great deal of credit for their play. The real story tonight, however, is defense. The Sonics limited Portland to 37.2% shooting and cut off the three-point line to the Blazers, who were 4-of-18 from downtown tonight. Hard for Portland to win without those threes.
After taking tomorrow off, the Sonics will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. The Lakers have been rolling lately, including a big win at Phoenix on national TV on Wednesday. With newcomer Pau Gasol complementing Kobe Bryant in the L.A. lineup, the Lakers have to be considered a strong threat to win the championship. 
Get your tickets now and be here at the Key Sunday!
Time for Execution
Fourth Quarter: Sonics 96, Portland 82
With 2:06 left and a 14-point lead, the Sonics will win this game if they execute and hit their free throws down the stretch. The only reason the Blazers are even this close is the performance of Travis Outlaw, who has been outstanding off the bench all night long. Outlaw has 24 points - two shy of his season high. Outlaw is still far from his career high, however; he scored 36 points against Indiana last April.
Wilkins Hits the Floor Hard
Fourth Quarter: Sonics 90, Portland 74
On a strong take to the basket, Sonics swingman Damien Wilkins was hit just before hitting the rim. The contact, which drew a foul, knocked him off balance and Ridnour started to tumble over as he fell, bracing himself with his hands. It was a hard fall and Wilkins was on the ground for a while, necessitating a timeout. However, he was able to get up and it looks as if he will stay in the game to shoot the two free throws.
Sonics Putting Blazers Away
Fourth Quarter: Sonics 90, Portland 72
With 5:42 left to play, the Sonics have opened their lead up to 18 points, making it difficult for the Blazers to come back at this point. They've done it with an unconventional lineup: Luke Ridnour and Mickaël Gelabale in the backcourt, Damien Wilkins and Jeff Green at forward and Chris Wilcox in the middle. Everybody on the floor has made big plays during this run. Gelabale in particular has been a revelation, getting to the basket on a gorgeous drive that was reminiscent of something out of the Brandon Roy playbook. Remember, Gelabale was a great clutch performer for the Sonics last season when Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis were out of the lineup.
Funny ... I referenced Stevie Ray Vaughn's song "If the House is a'Rocking" earlier tonight - now it was played during that timeout.
Small Lineup Pays Dividends for Sonics
Fourth Quarter: Sonics 82, Portland 68
With the Blazers exploiting the mismatches I wrote about in my last post, P.J. Carlesimo decided to counter by going small, putting Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox in the game in place of Nick Collison and Francisco Elson. At the same time, the Sonics went into a 2-3 zone. That quieted Travis Outlaw, who has now been replaced in the Portland lineup by LaMarcus Aldridge as Portland has gone big. The Sonics have gotten big scores from their perimeter players, with Luke Ridnour hitting a couple of shots and Mickaël Gelabale driving in control for a runner. He's scored double-figures for just the second time this season.
This has not been Brandon Roy's night; the Blazers All-Star is just 3-of-13 from the field. However, as this game has bogged down into a half-court affair, it is still Roy that Portland has been going to time and again in the fourth quarter.
Swift Suffers Torn Meniscus
Fourth Quarter: Sonics 71, Portland 62
We just received a press release from the Sonics PR Department updating Robert Swift's status. Swift has torn the meniscus in his right knee. The text of the release:
SEATTLE, Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 – Seattle SuperSonics general manager Sam Presti announced today that third-year center Robert Swift suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during last night’s game at Portland. The extent of the injury was revealed in an MRI performed today. He will be re-evaluated by Dr. Steve Lombardo in Los Angeles.
“Robert is an important part of the Sonics, and we will continue to support him throughout this rehabilitation process,” Presti said.
Swift has appeared in eight games this season after a long rehabilitation during the off-season. The 7-1 center suffered a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a pre-season game last year on Oct. 25, 2006. Last night’s injury and last season’s ligament tear are not related.
Here Come the Blazers
End Third Quarter: Sonics 71, Portland 60
As we head to the final 12 minutes of play, the Blazers will do so with momentum running in their favor. They outscored the Sonics 9-4 down the stretch of the third quarter to get back within 11. Travis Outlaw has been at the center of the run. Outlaw has 16 points tonight off the bench, shooting 5-of-10 from the field. He's taken advantage of a contrast in skills in his matchup with bigger Francisco Elson, making a couple of jumpers over Elson. But Elson recovered to force consecutive misses thereafter.
With the Dunking Ushers having finished showing off their ability to sky high in the air for dunks, we'll start the fourth quarter as the Sonics look to hold the Blazers at bay.
Completing the Roster
Third Quarter: Sonics 67, Portland 51
By the next time they take the floor, Sunday against the L.A. Lakers at the Key, the Sonics hope to have everyone they acquired in yesterday's three-team trade available. Forward Donyell Marshall was scheduled to fly into Seattle late tonight, though he told Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo an accident on the way to the airport could delay him. Adrian Griffin and Ira Newble are due in Saturday morning. After arriving, all three players will need to complete their physicals. The challenging part of this deal is that there are 11 players in all who have to go through physicals, so it could take a while, but by Sunday the process could be complete. Then it's a matter of seeing who is ready to contribute.
"With all four of these guys, the more significant thing is how much they've been playing in their other places and what kind of condition they're in and things of the nature," said Carlesimo. "To that extent, Ira is clearly the one who has been playing the most and the most in condition."
Defense Stifles Blazers
Third Quarter: Sonics 61, Portland 44
Sometimes watching teams in person you get a better sense for them than you can firing up League Pass and watching on TV. Seeing the Blazers up close for the first time all year last night, I marveled at their capacity for making the extra pass to get open looks from the perimeter - something which owes in large part, I suspect, to Brandon Roy's unselfishness.
Tonight, the Blazers have been looking to make those same passes but they simply haven't resulted in high-quality looks because the Sonics have done such a good job of rotating and getting in position to cut those shots off. This might be, so far, the best defensive performance for the Sonics this season. Portland has just six points in six-plus third-quarter minutes and is at 32.7% from the field right now.
Sonics Control First Half
Halftime: Sonics 52, Portland 38
Hard to find much to complain about during that first half for the Sonics. They'll take a 14-point lead to the locker room, holding Portland to 33.3% first-half shooting. Chris Wilcox put the exclamation point on the half in the final seconds, with Luke Ridnour leaving the ball to Wilcox for a thunderous one-hand finish in transition. The Blazers got a Travis Outlaw three-pointer - his second after I mentioned Portland was o-for-downtown - to close first-half scoring, but the Sonics still are in command.
In addition to their outstanding defense, the Sonics got balanced scoring in the first 24 minutes of play. Six Sonics, including two reserves, scored at least six points. After we enjoy the acrobatic feats of Duo Design, it will be back to business as the Sonics try to put together another strong half.
Sonics Defense
Second Quarter: Sonics 46, Portland 29
I think, in terms of everything I've talked about tonight, I've given short shift to the defensive effort by the Sonics. They have limited Portland to 29 points on 30.6% shooting from the field. The Blazers have yet to hit a three-pointer in six attempts. If you go back to the second half of last night's game, the results are striking. In three minutes shy of the equivalent of a full game, the Sonics have allowed Portland just 70 points (while scoring 93 themselves). That's impressive work.
We've seen the Sonics really make strides at the defensive end of the court over the last month and I don't anticipate that the moves they have made over the last two days will do much, if anything, to derail that progress.
Contributions from the Bench
Second Quarter: Sonics 44, Portland 27
While the Sonics have gone back to their starting five, they have to like the play they got from their bench, particularly their wing players, during this first half. In addition to Damien Wilkins' seven points, Mickaël Gelabale has contributed eight, knocking down a pair of three-pointers in as many attempts.
Quietly, Gelabale has developed into a comfortable perimeter shooter. He hasn't attempted a lot of threes this year (just 14 total, albeit in limited playing time), but has made them at a 57.1% clip (8-of-14). If Gelabale is hitting from three-point range, that makes it all the easier to keep him on the floor to provide the other good things he gives the Sonics - his ability to move without the basketball, his passing and his defense. I'm really looking forward to seeing Gelabale get regular minutes the rest of the way.
The Key is a'Rocking (So Don't Come Knocking)
Second Quarter: Sonics 39, Portland 23
KeyArena is loving the way the Sonics are playing tonight. They have kept up or even increased their energy during the second quarter, outscoring Portland 10-4 to extend their lead to 16 points on a Chris Wilcox follow tip dunk. Wilcox was mired in early foul trouble last night and never got anything going, but he's already got six points and four rebounds and has been a much bigger part of tonight's game.
The Sonics have had success from three-point range during this second quarter and are 3-of-4 from beyond the arc tonight. Damien Wilkins has a three amongst his seven points off the bench to go along with five rebounds.
Double-Digit Lead
End First Quarter: Sonics 29, Portland 19
With Jarrett Jack's three-pointer at the end of the first quarter coming just after the buzzer and being waved off by officials, the Sonics will take a double-figures lead to the second quarter of play. The Sonics just seemed quicker to loose balls than Portland was during the first quarter. That led to transition looks as the Sonics shot 50-plus percent in the period.
Center Francisco Elson , who arrived in Seattle yesterday, got in the game to make his Sonics debut late in the first quarter, doing a good job of contesting a Channing Frye shot in the post. I asked P.J. Carlesimo before tonight's game about what we could expect from Elson in terms of learning the Sonics system.
"Expectations would not be reasonable, but what he's got going for him is a lot of the defensive things are going to be similar," Carlesimo said. "We do a lot of things similar to the way the Spurs do them. We do some different, but a good chunk of the system is similar to the way the Spurs defend it. On the defensive end, I think he'll be OK.
"On the offensive end, the whole league pretty much runs a lot of similar plays; it's just a matter of what you call them in different places. We didn't go over A to Z with him this morning, but A, we don't have a huge menu to begin with; and B, we didn't want to confuse him by throwing 25 plays at him and saying, 'Try to remember those.' If he does play, we'll stay with a narrower menu."
Aldridge Coming Up Big
First Quarter: Sonics 17, Portland 10
The Sonics still hold a seven-point lead, but inevitably the Blazers have found their footing. A big reason why is the play of LaMarcus Aldridge, who is running the floor and has a couple of dunks amongst his eight points on 4-for-6 shooting. The Sonics are getting strong play in the middle from Johan Petro, who has hit both of his shot attempts and has six points and two boards. You also had to love the effort of Jeff Green flying downcourt to block what looked to be an easy Brandon Roy layup in transition.
The Sonics continued celebrating Black History Month with rookie Kevin Durant talking about the significance of the month on SonicsVision. "The importance of it is just to know where we came from," Durant said, noting the leaders who sacrificed for the benefit of those who have come after them.
Fast Start for Sonics
First Quarter: Sonics 8, Portland 0
Tonight's game is barely two minutes old, but the Sonics have already raced out to an 8-0 lead. A lot of Portland fans have made the drive up I-5 to support their team (including a group in Section 125 leading organized cheers), which seems to have lit a fire under Sonics fans to be even louder than usual in showing their support. There's an energy in the building right now, and it seems to have transferred to the Sonics.
In four possessions, the Sonics have four scores, including a pair of dunks. Chris Wilcox has finished one alley-oop and would have had a second one with a better pass. The Sonics have four stops on the defensive end of the floor and own all the momentum. No wonder Portland Head Coach Nate McMillan called timeout almost immediately.
Swift Update
Pregame
Well, for now, there really isn't one. Sonics center Robert Swift underwent an MRI on his ailing right knee this afternoon, but Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo had yet to get the results when he spoke to the media.
"He's not playing tonight, not playing in the near future," said Carlesimo. "Probably more of an announcement later."
Carlesimo passed along that Swift had felt a pop in his knee before leaving last night's game in Portalnd during the first quarter and heading to the locker room.
Signing On
Pregame
It feels like just yesterday I was watching the Sonics take on Portland, probably because that was just yesterday. We've changed venues tonight, as the Sonics host the completion of the home-and-home set. It's a back-to-back, but both teams are equal in terms of fatigue and travel, having both flown up to Seattle after last night's game. The Sonics came up just short last night; will home-court advantage push them over the top? It should be a great one, so stay with us for live updates throughout the game.
