Three amazing defensive quarters by the Sonics.
The help defense was as good as I have seen.
10 block shots is an amazing number. You don't blokc your guys shot you block when you come for help.
Ray and Rashard are playing at an elite level.
Cleaves was at the point during the 18-0 run
The coaches have been saying we are close defensively. If we see this or anything close this year this team will win a ton of games.
Sonics 93 Bulls 75 with 4:37 left in the 4th Quarter
The run continues.
Cleaves has been great at the point
Vlady has forced two turnovers in the back-court
Allen has hit 6 in a row
WHAT A PERFORMANCE -- IT'S BACK BABY IT'S BACK
Sonics 86 Chicago 73 with 5:55 left in the 4th Quarter.
FULL MOON – YES --- MATEEN CLEAVES HITS A 3 AND THE SONICS ARE UP 13!!!
This is as good as I have seen this team. Memory’s are short but I don’t remember many times when the Sonics have played with this type of defensive intensity. The hustle plays have been amazing. Wilkins made an insane save off Hinrich. Vlady had a steal in the back-court. Vlady then a block. Vitaly is dominating the inside. The ball movement is incredible.
The Bulls have not scored in 8 possessions.
18-0 RUN !!!!!!
Sonics 76 Bulls 69 with 8:26 left in the 4th Quarter
Duhon is on Allen to open the 4th quarter
Sonics help defense in the paint has been very good all night
Sonics open the Q with Cleaves, Allen, Wilkins,.Vlady and Vitaly
Insane energy on the floor from the Sonics.
Their defense has been outstanding. They are the teaming bodying up. They are the team pushing the Bulls out of their offense.
Weiss is off the bench conducting the defense. This is why coaches choose to have the defense in front of them in the 4th Q. On the last play Weiss changed the pick and roll defense when he saw who was running the play.
Sonics 66 Bulls 63 end of the 3rd Quarter.
Sonics close the quarter with a 6 point play. Lewis hit a 3 and was fouled. He missed the free throw and Seattle got the rebound. Cleaves drove and kicked into the corner for Vlady for a 3 – 6 POINT PLAY
Seattle’s scored 33 points in the 3rd Quarter – the same they had a halftime.
Nice job by the coaching staff to change the floor alignment and floor spacing.
Bulls 59 Sonics 58 with 2:09 left in the 3rd Quarter
Skiles went to Piatkowski. He is the best +/- player on the Bulls and spreads the floor.
However, he has to guard Lewis and doesn’t have a prayer.
Petro is impacting a lot of shots in the paint
The runs are over and now we have moved into a possession game.
This will be a grinder.
I am really curious to see how Skiles chooses how to close the game. His defensive line-up can’t score and his offensive line-up can’t match up defensively
Sonics 51 Bulls 47 with 6:12 left in the 3rd Quarter
Sonics have had great offensive execution on the last three possessions. Allen got back to back threes.
Ridnour steal and fast break lay-up ties game after Seattle was down 15.
18to 3 run to open the half.
DUCK AND TAKE COVER THE SONICS HAVE FOUND THE RANGE.
The Sonics have adjusted their floor spacing and it is making a huge difference.
Defensively the Sonics went in and out of zone for a few possessions.
Bulls 44 Sonics 39 with 10:05 left in the 3rd Quarter
Sonics open the half on a 6-0 run. They penetrated the middle and made the Bulls defense collapse. Petro and Collison got easy looks and Ridnour hit a fast break pull-up.
Bulls 44 Sonics 33 at the halftime
12 points in the 2nd Quarter – FOR THE TEAM
The Sonics scored on their final two possessions of the half out of their offense. Those were the second and third field goals of the quarter out of the offense.
The Bulls defense is good but it is not that good. This is absurd.
The first game back from the road trip adage is being bounced around at halftime.
Rashard Lewis might be one of the poorest at closing out on a shooter and affecting his shot.
Early in the game Ray was as selfish as I have ever seen him and that may have set the tone.
In addition, the Sonics were having a hard time getting good looks out of the offense and instead of staying with it they quit running the offense and then went 1 on 1 and they couldn't beat the Bulls.
Bulls 42 Sonics 27 with 1:10 left in the 2nd Quarter.
Boo Birds out at the Key
Seattle has lost all rhythm
Allen just got a tech free throw – maybe that can get him going. He is 2 of 9.
Seattle will close the finally two minutes with what I believe to be there best 5 – Ridnour, Allen, Lewis, Vlady and Collison.
Seattle is getting crushed on the boards.
Bulls 36 Sonics 26 with 2:45 left in the 2nd Quarter
Seattle’s first field goal out of the offense this quarter came with 3:14 left in the quarter.
Vlady re-enters with 4:00 left and gets a great look three and it doesn’t go.
The Sonics continue to have no flow.
The Sups are not a good enough defensive team to endure not scoring
This is my visual for this game. The Sonics have 1 field goal in the quarter. The Bulls are just as poor but they lead. Players are playing hot potato. The shots are brutal and the game ...
Bulls 30 Sonics 24 with 5:38 left in the 2nd Quarter
Bob only gives Vlady a 5 minute run.
Fun to watch Collison v. Sweetney. Who would you rather have. That was the decision the Knicks had while the Sonics nervously waited in their draft room wanting Collison.
Seattle has no offensive flow and it is because of the Bulls defense.
Allen is playing with the ball much more then I am used to seeing.
Sonics help defense is very good tonight
No Reggie Evans so far tonight.
This game is so ugly. Neither team can make a shot, a lay-up, a jumper, anything
Bulls 26 Sonics 21 end of the 1st Quarter
Luke made some nice aggressive drives to the basket. Gordon is a poor defender and he made him pay.
Luke missed a free throw – FULL MOON?
By the end of the quarter the contested v. uncontested shots was the 10 contested and 8 open. Four of the last 5 were uncontested. This is totally subjective and on some I just put a pass.
Big play at the end of the quarter – mid court banker for Chris Duhon counts 3.
Subs of the 1st Q
Time Substitution
2:24 Vitaly for Petro
2:24 Wilkins for Allen
2:01 Vlady for Nick
1st Q Efficiecny Sonics 103 Bulls 120
Bulls 18 Sonics 14 with 1:24 left in the 1st Quarter
Sonics are shooting just 33%.
In the Bulls second line-up they move Hinrich to the one and he matches up with Luke which should allow Allen to get more space offensively.
If this game is close late I am not sure if Skiles will be able to play Ben Gordon and lose the defense of Duhon and Hinrich.
The Bulls defense is amazing. They are in your face and they help fantastically.
Vlady is going to be key today because he stretches the floor. Ridnour just drove by his man and help came, then he went off a pick and their was more help he kept going and more help arrived. 4 players helped on his one drive. AWESOME
Bulls 11 Sonics 8 with 5:28 left in the 1st Quarter.
Allen comes out gunning. Almost selfishly. Hinrich has given him difficulty in the past. I am not sure if he was trying to send a message but it seemed out of character. Lewis took a quick 3 and it almost was in reaction to the amount of shots Allen took. Allen took 4 shots in the first 7 possessions.
I am charting open v. contested shots. In the opening 7 minutes the Sonics have contested 8 shots and allowed open looks for 4 shots. That is a good sign.
Johan Petro has done a nice job guarding Sweetney.
Storylines
1) Sonics offensive efficiecny against a great Bulls defense.
2) Ridnour the pressure of Duhon and Hinrich
3) Improved defense by the Sonics that the coaching staff insists is right around the corner.
4) Defensive system: Contain - Help -- Help the helper
Sonics inactives: Flip Murray, Robert Swfit and Rick Brunson. Brunson will practice tommorow and should be able to go on Sunday v. Sacramento. Brunson is going to vital for this team. If he can play the back-up point guard with consistency and for some extended runs the Sonics will be putting this thing back together.
How good has the offense been?
Over the last three games the Sups have improved in the following categories offensively (key word)
Efficiency rating from 93.9 to 116.2 (116.2 would be #1 in the NBA for the season)
Turnover % dropped from 16.7 to 12.0 (#2 in the NBA)
Effective Field Goal from 44.2 to 52.3 (#2 in the NBA)
Free Throws per game from 27.4 to 34 (#1 in the NBA)
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