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TONIGHT'S NOTES |
This is the seventh time in Sonics history that they have taken a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series. They are 6-0 all-time in that situation.
The last time the Sonics had a 2-0 lead in a series was the 1996 Western Conference Finals vs. Utah. The Sonics won the series in seven games.
Sacramento last trailed 2-0 in the 2001 Western Conference Semifinals vs. the L.A. Lakers. They were swept in that series.
The series now moves to Sacramento for Game 3 Friday at 7:30 p.m. on KONG 6/16.
Ray Allen led the Sonics with 26 points. Allen is averaging 27.0 points in the series.
Jerome James scored his playoff career high for the second straight game with 19 points. James shot 9-for-11 from the field and added nine rebounds.
James scored double-figures for the second straight game. James only scored double-figures in consecutive games once in the regular season (3/4 and 3/6). James is averaging 18.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in the series.
The Sonics bench combined for 35 points and 19 rebounds.
Bobby Jackson led the Kings with 17 points, scoring 10 in the fourth quarter.
Mike Bibby (16) was the only Sacramento starter in double-figures. The Kings bench combined for 47 points, including all 31 in the fourth quarter.
Peja Stojakovic grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, but scored only nine points.
The Sonics outscored Sacramento 33-18 in the third quarter. After trailing by 26 after three quarters, Sacramento opened the fourth quarter on a 17-2 run.
Through the third quarter, Seattle shot 53.3% from the field.
The Sonics outscored the Kings 24-13 at the free-throw line.
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April 26, 2005
SONICS COACH 
NATE MCMILLAN:
On 
Jerome James' performance:
I thought he played a nice game. He played under control; he took his time in the post. He was the one guy they weren’t double-teaming. They double-teamed
Ray (Allen) and
Rashard (Lewis), but Jerome they allowed him to have single coverage tonight and he did a nice job of taking advantage of his post position. This season he has done a better job of staying out of foul trouble. The last two games he has done a good job of moving his feet and getting body stops. A lot of times Jerome likes to try to block the shot as opposed to getting his body in front of the ball. He is moving quicker from block to block. He’s running the floor, he’s clogged the paint, and he’s given us a defensive presence in the paint as well as scoring at the offensive end.
On the Sonics:
We’ve come out these first two games and played solid. I think it starts at the defensive end of the floor. You got to get stops. Defensively, we were able to get stops which allowed us to get out into transition and get some easy baskets. I thought for three quarters we did a nice job of playing early or playing late. If we don’t have anything early, we want to play late and force Sacramento to defend with ball movement, setting screens, making hard cuts, and working to get a high percentage shot. We did that and were able to build a 20- or 25-point lead. Then we got a little careless. We started to relax a little bit on the defensive end. We allowed those guys to run free, then our shot selection on the offensive end of the floor we stopped moving. We just stopped being aggressive on the offensive end of the floor. As we showed, if we don’t stick with our rules, the game changes.
On the Kings comeback:
It was similar to Game 1. We stopped doing the things that was working for us. They were able to get into the paint; they were able to run free. They got good looks at the basket. Offensively, we stopped running and started to stand and ball watch. They were the more aggressive team at that time. Playoff basketball swings. One bad possession, one bad stop, one breakdown on the defensive end, it changed the whole rhythm of the game.
GUARD RAY ALLEN:
On the Sonics:
We faced adversity throughout the year. Most people said that the minute something would happen to us we’d go down. We had some injuries; we hit some bad stretches where we played some bad teams. But I thought mentally we were always on the same page. Regardless of who was on the floor we also knew what we had to do. We have a good starting five to get things started and those guys come off the bench and inject a lot of energy. We’re playing how we know how to play.
CENTER JEROME JAMES:
On his performance:
I’m finally coming into my own. This is what they’ve been expecting from me from day one. It’s just nice to be able to finally give it to them. I’ve had veteran leaders like Ray and Rashard consistently in my ear, night in and night out, practice, game, pregame, postgame, telling me what I did wrong. Those guys are depending on me and I’ve come to love my teammates and they’ve come to love me and I don’t want to let them down.
SACRAMENTO COACH RICK ADELMAN:
On the game:
We lost our composure and didn’t play well at either end. That caused things to just snowball. On the same token, my group in the fourth quarter competed. They got after it on both ends of the court. They pushed it up and got us back in the game. We have to do a better job as a team. You've got to play together and we did not play together in that third quarter.
On benching his starters in the fourth quarter:
They weren’t going back in. I mean why should I? That other group was doing all the work. I don’t care if we are going back to Sacramento or not, if we allow them to be the aggressors all night long in everything they do then we won’t win this series, let alone win a game.
On his team:
I am extremely disappointed; we have a group out there that should be much better than that. You can’t do it by yourself. I really felt like we tried to do it by ourselves. Every time things went bad we were looking at the officials and everything else but ourselves. That’s not going to get it done. I never would have thought after two days of practice that this ever would have happened. I’m really disappointed.
On finding the right combination of players:
I think you are always looking for a different combination when you are down 26 points. The whole thing really started snowballing in the latter part of the second quarter. They were the aggressors there and they carried on through the third quarter. I said to the team, 'You can’t allow this thing to go in their direction. In the start of the third quarter you have to bring it down.' In the start of the third they went right up to 17 or 18 and the doors opened.
On the Sonics:
I don’t want to hear about changes …you've got to compete. This team is going to push and shove on the boards. It’s the playoffs and no matter what anybody says it’s going to be more physical the regular season. It’s not supposed to be but it is and they were the aggressors. They were pushing and shoving and we looked at it. We know it and we need to respond.
FORWARD PEJA STOJAKOVIC:
On the game:
We should have learned and it didn’t look like we learned anything. I don’t know what happened to us. No defense, no offense. Our bench should be an example to us. We need to go home and play with a lot more energy and passion.
On 
Vladimir Radmanovic's performance:
He came out and got it started. He going to spread the game for them and give them another option.
GUARD CUTTINO MOBLEY:
On James:
Jerome had a good game again. I don’t think we are playing as aggressive as we should.
2004-05 Postgame Quotes/Notes Archive
