SIMULBLOG FOR SONICS V. BOBCATS

Sonics 97 Bobcats 87 with 2:46 left in the 4th Quarter
Ray Allen just hit one of those special threes and it puts Seattle back up 12 just when you began to get nervous.
Charlotte can only score at the line and the Sonics are in the penalty and fouling.

Sonics 90 Bobcats 79 with 6:02 left in the 4th Quarter
Seattle in the penalty at the 8:06 mark
Seattle has done a great job of taking care of the ball.
The Bobcats don’t have a single player with a game that translate to the half court game.
The only one is Melvin Ely
Weiss has had a solid night with his rotation.


Sonics 90 Bobcats 74 with 8:30 left in the 4th Quarter.
Sonics have 4 team fouls with 9:15 left in the 4th Quarter
Flip Murray is having a solid night which is really important because without Brunson Murray is going to have to be the guy.
Murray moved the ball well tonight and was not so one dimensional.
Great steal by Vlady put together a large 4 point swing and kept the Sonics in control


Sonics 83 Bobcats 70 at the end of 3 Quarters.
Vlady is not right still and this is the guy that this team must have to be unique.
Ridnour hits two nice shots late in quarter
The Bobcats status as an expansion team is really evident when they go to the bench.
More so when they are without their first round pick Sean May



Sonics 76 Bobcats 65 with 3:18 left in the 3rd Quarter
Fantastic run by the Sonics – 9-0
The Sonics got back to back fast break buckets.
The offensive execution has been very good. Mainly when Lewis has been in the post.
The key to the game is upcoming. When Allen goes to the bench how do the Sonics react.
Lewis is unguardable tonight.


Sonics 63 Bobcats 58 with 7:27 left in the 3rd Quarter
Luke has take 4 of the Sonics 6 shots in the Quarter and he has missed all of them
Official Tony Brothers is having a bad night. Weiss has been working on him every time down the floor for the last 4 minutes. Then Brothers missed a call and got the wrath of the Bobcats.
This was a big play. The Sonics lead 59 to 56 and Knight ran into Ridnour and no foul was called and the Sonics went the other way for a lay-up to go up 61-56. Then a Tech followed but the Sonics missed the free throw.
The Bobcats have all the momentum.


Sonics 56 Bobcats 46 at the half
Sonics go on an 8-0 run with 6 of those points coming on the fast break
Sups force 7 turnovers in the 2nd Quarter for a good defensive quarter.
Rashard Lewis has 19 points and looks awesome.
Very good shot distrubution by the Sups in the first half, Lewis 13, Allen 11, Radman 5.

Sonics 48 Bobcats 44 with 3:01 left in the 2nd Quarter
Off the Topic – Nate Robinson started tonight for the Knicks and played 35 minutes.
Nate had 14-3-2.
The Bobcats are great in transition. When they get out they get 2. They are brutal in the half court
Ray Allen’s strength is not dribbling and he is getting the ball too much early in the shot clock and it allows the defense to put all of its focus on Allen and it is resulting in some turnovers.
The Bobcats are shooting 56% they might not be able to do that in a gym by themselves.


Sonics 44 Bobcats 36 with 5:16 left in the 2nd Quarter
Melvin Ely has a really good low post game for the Bobcats
The Sonics offensive ball movement has been very good
Seattle has gone to a zone and it is causing the Bobcats a ton of trouble.
The Bobcats are committing a ton of turnovers and the Sonics are getting out and going.
The Soncis have done a great job of keeping the Bobcats out of transition
Luke Ridnour left with a slightly sprained ankle


Sonics 30 Bobcats 24 at the end of 1 Quarter
Lewis carries the load with 5 of 6 shooting and 11 points
For the most part the Sonics have done a very good job of keeping the game in the half court and the Bobcats can’t score in the halfcourt.
Okeafor has no jump shot. He is amazingly limited for a guy who won rookie of the year.
Ray Allen went to the bench with the Sonics up 4. One of our storylines is how they do with Allen on the bench.


Sonics 18 Bobcats 9 with 5:53 left in the 1st Quarter
Sonics come out on fire. Hitting their first 6 shots.
Nick Collison gets two fouls by the 8:00 mark. That has always been my concern with Collison is whether or not he can avoid foul trouble as a starting power forward.
Petro replaces Collison.
Sonics are working on containment defensively. Trying to avoid the penetration.
Gerald Wallace and Kareem Rush may have a tough time guarding Lewis and Allen.


STORYLINES
1) The Bobcats can't score the Sonics can't defend
2) Sonics turnovers. The bobcats average forcing 20% of opponents possesions as turnovers.
3) Can the Sonics survive without Ray Allen on the floor.


Some numbers that make you saw wow
In the last 5 losses the Sonics have allowed 187 free throws
In the last 6 games opponents have shot 38 of 78 from 3.
In the last 3 games the Sonics have allowed 105 free throws.
The average defensive efficiency in the NBA is 102. If you allow more then 109 you are in a lot of trouble. In all but 3 games the Sonics have had a defensive efficiency that was over 109. That makes it just about impossible to win.

INACTIVES
Sonics inactives: Mikki Moore, Rick Brunson and Danny Fortson.
Bobcats inactives: Sean May