LIVE BLOG - GAME 2 SONICS V. KINGS

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2-0 SERIES LEAD FOR THE SUPERSONICS

SONICS 105 KINGS 93 FINAL SCORE
It has been a long time since Key Arena bounced with the Super - Sonics chant
Great win. They won it with defense in the 3rd and by withstanding the run in the 2nd Q.
Ray Allen kept carring the mail all night long.
Jerome James has done it again. Back to back huge nights.
Nick Collison had a very strong outing.
Luke Ridnour's box score won't wow you but his game was terrific.

SONICS 100 KINGS 92 with 1:49 left in the game.
The Sonics have stopped executing. The picks aren't being set.
Nate is going nuts on the sideline about the lack of execution. He keeps screaming "go" to remind guys to set the pick for the pick n roll.
I might be wrong about pushing this group to far. They are able to get out and run and Seattle can't keep up. But once they are in the half court they have no idea where to go.

SONICS 98 KINGS 85 with 4:33 left
Adelman is making a mistake. His bench got him back in the game and now he is pushing them out of their comfort zone. That is bad coaching

SONICS 95 KINGS 85 with 5:54 left in the game.
Out of the time-out the Sonics go to James in the post. And he scored over Skinner.
Bobby Jackson is on Ray Allen. It didn't work in Game 1
Sacramento is getting out in the open floor every trip.
Lewis shot looks wrong.
Seattle is flat out lazy right now.

SONICS 90 KINGS 79 with 8:13 left in the 4th.
Nervous time. The Kings have opened the 4th quater with a 17 to 2 run.
They are doing it with Evans, House, Jackson, Songalia and Skinner. No starters.
The Sonics just dropped their guard something they haven't done all night.
The Kings are running. They are getting easy looks and the Sonics have stopped moving offensively.
The Sonics are trying to get the knock punch instead of playing basketball.
This is the same thing they did in the 3rd quarter the other night.

REACTION TO COMMENTS

Sundodger says said...

So I actually have a question:


Why were the Sonics the team everyone wanted to face in the playoffs?

Everyone has forgotten that this team was nearly unbeatable when it played well early in the season. They have their swagger back after tonight.


SONICS 90 KINGS 72 wiht 9:51 left in the game
The owners of the Kings, the Maloofs, just left the building. This is with 11:00 left in the game.
The Maloffs will be on Frank Hughes Sonics Access show on 950,KJR this Saturday.
Sonics have dropped their guard and the Kings are getting easy buckets

SONICS 3rd QUARTER STATS
Pace of Play: 75 trips (this is very fast)
Offensive Efficiency: 119 (133 in the 3rd Q)
Defensive Efficiency: 86 (outstanding)
Offensive Rebounding %: 25%
Defensive Reboudning %: 75% (vastly better than Game 1)
Free throws: Sonics 25 to 7 advtange.
Turnover%: 12%
Forced To%: 15% (24% in the 3rd quarter is amazing)


SONICS 88 KINGS 62 end of 3rd quarter
What a line-up by Nate: AD, Lewis, Vlady, Fortson and Nick.
This is a butt-kicking
The Sonics scored on 17 of 24 possessions in the quarter
The Sonics stopped the Kings on 16 of the 24 possessions of the quarter.
Seattle dictating the game from the 1st moment of the 3rd quarter and never relented.
I go back to the end of the 2nd quarter when the Kings made what seemed like a run and the Sonics answered. It may have ripped their heart out of the game.
AD's 3 % drops off dramatically if he is not shooting from the corner.



SONICS 82 KINGS 57 with 1:55 left in the 3rd quarter
GREAT DEFENSE
The Sonics have stopped the Kings 8 of the last 9 possessions and 7 straight.
For the quarter they have stopped the Kings on 13 of 19 possessions.

MITCH IN THE MORNING
The way this game is going I will be able to have Bigger Dance breakdown and analysis of the Sonics dancers.

SONICS 80 KINGS 57 with 3:00 left.
VLADY BREAK-AWAY DUNK -- THIS IS A DOMINATION !!!!!

SONICS 78 KINGS 57 with 3:16 left 3rd Q
Nate comes out of the time-out will a full court press to try to grab the energy of the game back.
Nate has matched Adelman's small line-up with his own: Luek, Ray, Lewis, Vlady, Nick
Seattle must play small and slow
Seattle needs to take advantage of being in the bonus since the 8:00 mark of the 3rd.
Seattle has scored on 11 of 16 possessions in the quarter

SONICS 70-51 with 7:13 left
Adelman's answer is to go small. Let's see what happens. What is interesting here is last game he went big.

SONICS 70-51 with 7:13 left in the 2nd Quarter.
Wow!!!! They are playing great basketball. They are getting to every play. The Kings are a boxer that has just been hammered. The Sonics have the Kings look for the easy way out and nothing is easy against the Sonics right now.
A 15-7 run to open the half.
This is the team that was so dynamite early in the season,

SONICS 65 KINGS 51 with 8:04 left in the 3rd quarter.
I will promise you the Nate reminded his team how they lost focus offensively in the last game. They got quick in Game 1.
Jerome James is playing like a man possessed. It is unreal. He is killing the Kings. He took Ostertag to the middle and on the next trip he powered over Thomas and then drop stepped for a 8 foot jumper.
Kings are making frustration plays.


RESPONSE TO COMMENTS.

jhathaway said...

Ray is not getting enough touches.

The Sonics have made that a focus of the opening part of the 2nd half.


SONICS 60 KINGS 46 with 9:52 left in the 3rd quarter
Seattle opens the half dictating the energy. This is very impressive.
Reggie Evans has knocked Kenny Thomas out of this game with his physical pressence.
If Seattle wins this series they may have just won it in the first 3 minutes of this half.
Opening play of the second half was the adjustment off the pick n roll that Weiss told us about in the pre-game.
Luke is really guiding his shot. He is playing great, but he has to make some shots.
Rashard needs to get going -- he is playing passively offensively. He needs to go at Peja, who has slow feet.

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SONICS HALFTIME STATS
Pace of Play: 49 trips (this is very fast)
Offensive Efficiency: 112 (120 in the 2nd quarter)
Defensive Efficiency: 90 (outstanding)
Offensive Rebounding %: 25%
Defensive Reboudning %: 79% (vastly better than Game 1)
Free throws: Sonics 16 to 7 advtange.
Turnover%: 12%
Forced To%: 10% (needs to pick up)

SONICS 55 KINGS 44 at the Half.
Largest lead of the game for the Sups
Great job by the Sups to hold off the Kings run. They made their move and Seattle stayed right with them.
Huge play by Damien Wilkins to grab the offensive rebound off a missed free throw. This got an extra possession at the end of the half.
Will Miracles never cease? James scores back to back buckets in the post. To quell the run. He is being guarded by Corliss Williamson, how is much smaller.
Bibby half court field goals have both come when Lewis got switched on him.

SONICS 47 KINGS 39 at 3:17 left in 2nd quarter.
Ray Allen just took Mobley to the rack and Miller was playing a zone in the middle to double him. If he scores on that you are screwed as an opponent.
Fortson checks out after playing the best 10 he has played in months.
Look-out -- Peja and Bibby have combined for 9 straight points.
Allen answers with a sick curl jumper -- that is a stud.
This is the Kings run in the first half -- Bibby and Peja are rolling. How Allen and Lewis respond will be big.
Allen leaves the floor. Can Seattle hold the Kings off?

SONICS 42 KINGS 31 with 5:04 left in 2nd quarter
7-0 run sparked by the Sonics transition.
The Kings look deflated and are not as intense defensively right now.
Bibby can't get room in the half court to get looks. He ahs no baskets in the half court his only two field goals are in transition.

REACTION TO COMMENTS
Ron Lov says ...

The Sonics are playing very poor off of screens on defense. Are they suppose to be hanging back and giving open looks? If the Kings were hitting the open jumper it would be a much closer game.

I really haven't noticed that. I think they are playing well in the half court. But I will keep an eye on it.

SONICS 38 KINGS 31 at 5:49 left in the 2nd Quarter
Nice line-up on the floor for the Sups: AD, Ray, Lewis, Vlady and Fortson
Allen missed a 3 on the best ball movement of the series. It is a good sign. It makes you wonder if the Kings are beginning to struggle defensively to stay with Seattle's shooters.
I will say it again. Keep Sac in the half court and they really aren't very potentant.
I talked with a Scout before the series and he said I would be shocked that they struggle to score and he was correct.


SONICS 30 KINGS 25 at 8:50 in 2nd quarter
Rashard will re-enter. The Sonics struggled in game 1 when Allen was on the bench. They are ok so far tonight.
Luke is having a brillant game but he has missed three looks that he needs to make. If those fall this would be his coming out party.
The Kings still have no answer for the Sonics pick n roll. The Sups are getting into the paint with ease.

SONICS 28 KINGS 25 at 10:00 in 2nd quarter
Ridnour's quick hands have saved the Sonics three baskets.
Miller is back in for Sacramento
Seattle opens the 2nd quarter with Ray Allen and no Rashard Lewis. Not sure how long this can last. Keep an eye on the score. It was 26-22 to start the quarter.

Remember Kevin Pelton has another blog going at supersonics.com

1ST QUARTER STATS
Pace of Play: 25 trips (this is way too fast)
Offensive Efficiency: 104
Defensive Efficiency: 85
Offensive Rebounding %: 20%
Defensive Reboudning %: 80%
Free throws: Sonics 9 to 0 advtange.
Turnover%: 16%

SONICS 26 KINGS 22 at the end of 1 quarter
Great defense from Vlady on the final possession on Mobley.
Vlady looks great. He is in rhythm hitting his shots and is a force in this game

SONICS 22 KINGS 20 at 1:36 left in the 1st Q
The Kings are getting almost all of their points in transition. Bibby is 2 for 4 and both of those on fast breaks. The Soncis have to curtail the running game by rebounding on the offensive glass and the Sonics have just 1 offensive rebounding.
Danny Fortson just enterted.

SONICS 20 KINGS 18 at 2:00 left in 1st Q
No three attempts in the first 7:30 of the game
Ridnour is doing an unbelievable job on Bibby. He is attached to him.
Ostertag's picks are noticably less good then Miller's.
Miller checked out at the 6:00 mark. Despite Adelman saying he has no limitations I have to imagine they have a limit on him they are not sharing.
Reggie Evans just blew back to back defensive assignments, allow Peja a lay-up and Thomas a jumper.


REACTION TO COMMENTS
From DJ

I expect either Vlady if he is allowed to play enough minutes or Nick Collison are the most likely candidates to step up and produce more than they are expected to produce. That would mean 12 and 6 from either player

Vlady's minutes are limited to 20 for today's game. Collison looked nervous in game 1.

SONICS 11 KINGS 10 at 5:35 left in 1st quarter.
The last play was one of the adjustments the Sonics have made off the double of Rashard, when he is doubled they are looking for a pick n roll at the top and the Kings won't have enough defenders.
Lewis has missed to rise and fires over Peja that were big misses. Peja is forcing him to take the 16 footer when he straightens up. He has to make that shot.
Ray Allen is forcing a bit and has turned it over twice.
Seattle must keep the pace down the Kings are not executing well in the half court.

SONICS 10 KINGS 8 at 7:00 left in 1st quarter
Miller's picks at much better than Brian Skinner's and it is giving Sac's shooters more room.
Lewis at Peja draws an early foul. One of things people in the NBA talk about is the that officials call it close early. Lewis got jabbed on it in Game 1. If the Sonics can get #2 on Peja early it would be huge. In Game 1 Sacramento needed Peja on the floor.
Sacramento has only 1 field goal off the hald court offense, they have 2 on the fast break and one on a second chance. If Seattle keeps them in a half court they will be ok.


ANOTHER BLOG
Kevin Pelton hosts a blog that is very good. Just click here.

TIP-OFF NOTES
Seattle adjustments
Offensively
1) Look for the Sonics to start their pick n rolls a little bit to the right side of the floor. The Kings are forcing it to the left side of the floor and this should give the Sonics more room.
2) Off the Rashard double team look for a pass to the top and a pick n roll with Reggie setting the pick. The trick here is that nobody is guarding Reggie at this point so the Sonics ball handler should get a lane to the basket.

Defensively
1) They are anticipating a bunch of cross court passes to the weak side.


STARTING LINE-UPS ARE IN
Sacramento: Brad Miller will start

STARTING LINE-UPS NEWS
I just spoke with Rick Adelman and he was very hidden about his starting line-up. He says he has to speak with Brad Miller. He did say that Brad Miller will start eventually and tonight might be the night. I anticipate that he will start tonight.


KEY STATS FOR GAME 2
· Defensive Glass : Seattle allowed the Kings to get 42% of their offensive rebounds. They only average 29% during the regular season. This has to be improved. The Sonics huge advantage is on the glass in this series and they didn’t do a good enough job in game 1 of the series.
· Free Throw Attempts. This has been an advantage for the Sonics in every match-up with the Kings. In game 1 the Sonics shot 28 free throws to the Kings 15 and in the regular season the difference was 36-25 Sonics advantage. The Kings are #24 in the NBA in free throw attempts.
· Offensive Efficiency: In the regular season the Sonics averaged 115 offensive rating against the Kings. In the regular season the Sonics averaged 109, #2 in the NBA. In game 1 of the playoffs they had just a 101 rating. I don’t believe that they will ever hit the 115 in the playoffs but they need to get close to the season average. The Kings defense in the regular season only held people to 107.
· Pace of Play: This is my bread and butter all season long. Game 1 was 87 trips. This keeps the Kings in the half court and the Kings are not a very good half court executing team right now. The Sonics average just 90 trips a game while the Kings average 96. If the Sonics can stay under 90 they are golden. Under 93 trips and they are in good shape. Over 93 and we will be tied going to Sacramento.