SIMULBLOG FOR SONICS V. BULLS

Sonics 101 Bulls 97 – FINAL SCORE
Good win for the Sups
This team desperately needed a win, but the Bulls have lost 8 in a row and really looked poor. I am not sure this convinced me the world will be greatly different.
They play the final portion without Ray Allen
Sonics did allow 57 points in the 2nd half after a brilliant defensive 1st half.
Ridnour was much better
Reggie, Danny and Vitaly don’t play
Petro and Swift play 39 of the center minutes


Sonics 93 Bulls 87 with 2:19 left in the 4th Quarter
Ray Allen will not return
Sonics are running everything through Lewis in the post

Sonics 88 Bulls 84 with 4:24 left in the 4th Quarter
Petro fouls out with 32 minutes and 9 rebounds.
Swift has 7 minutes 5 fouls
Bulls have scored on 10 of 14 possessions in the 4th Q


Sonics 82 Bulls 75 with 8:01 left in the 4th Q
The Bulls had the ball on two possessions with a chance to make it a one possession game and failed on both
Sonics put the Bulls in the penalty at the 9:14 mark
Ray Allen goes to the locker-room with an eye injury.
Flip enters for Allen
Sonics are playing tight. They have lacked confidence all season.


Sonics 79 Bulls 73 with 10.01 left in the 4th Quarter
Reggie Evans and Danny Fortson have not played
Swift struggling against Othella Harrington and picks up fouls 3,4,5
In the first two possessions the Sonics young centers commit three fouls which puts the Sonics in jeopardy of getting into the penalty early.


Sonics 77 Bulls 68 at the end of 3 quarters
The Sonics answer a 7-0 wun with an 8-0 run of their own.
The combo of Wilkins and Murray on the floor together doesn’t work.
Sonics allow 28 points in the 3rd Quarter.
Scott Skiles went with the end of his bench and may have left them in too long.


Sonics 68 Bulls 56 with 3:52 left in the 3rd Quarter
The Bulls are beginning to get dribble penetration
The Sonics ball movement is far superior tonight.
Petro is surviing and not getting into foul trouble.
Sonics lead 64-52 when Allen goes out.


Sonics 62 Bulls 48 with 7:47 in the 3rd Quarter
The Sonics are playing well.
Hill has talked about having his big men run the floor and he believes both Swift and Petro can out run other bigs. Petro just did and got a follow dunk.
The Sonics are really pushing the tempo.
Ridnour is creating more tonight then he has all season.


Sonics 51 Bulls 40 at the half
The Sonics have only allowed 40 points in the 1st half. They allowed 38 in the 1st Quarter the other night.
The Sonics floor spacing while running the floor is strong tonight. This may all be amazing for Rashard’s game. He is only 2 of 7 but this team is being built around his talents under Bob Hill
Sonics explode in the final few minutes of the half. They close on a 13-3 run.
They have a 20-5 advantage at the free throw line.
Very good first half.
They are pushing the ball up the floor and going to the rack.


Sonics 36 Bulls 35 with 2:%9 left in the 2nd Quarter
The Sonics are doing a great job sealing the paint.
The two 7 footers seems to be having an impact on the defensive end
The Sonics offense has lost its flow. While Flip was on the floor the Sups didn’t seem sure what they were trying to do.
Petro and Swift have played all the center minutes.


Sonics 31 Bulls 25 with 8:10 left in the 2nd Quarter
This is a good match-up for Petro and Swift with Chandler out and the only centers for Chicago Sweetney and Harrington
Swift has really been working hard and has changed his body fat in the last 3 months from 14% to 7%. His time with Dwiight Daub the Sonics strength and conditioning coach has been extensive.
Swift just missed a turnaround jumper in the post but it looked smooth.
The Sonics defensive close outs are much better


Sonics 24 Bulls 24 at the end of 1 Quarter
We have seen Rashard in the post more and we just say the lock and lob that Bob Hill talked to us about in the post-game interview last week.
Kirk Hinrick is lighting Seattle up
Robert Swift scored
The Sonics length in the paint with Swift and Petro has been successful in the 1st Quarter.
Hill is working Lewis. Remember Allen is out of the game with 2 fouls.


Sonics 10 Bulls 10 with 7:30 left in the 1st Quarter
The first play of the game was what Bob Hill dreamed of. Lewis in the post. He gets doubled and kicks it out to the top to Vlady who hits a three.
The defense does not look noticeably different
Chicago is not a good offensive team and that is obvious.
Ray Allen checks out with 2 fouls with the Sonics trailing 10-8. This has been the Sonics biggest problem this year. Playing without Allen. They have averaged being outscored 1 point every two minutes.


Storylines
1) Bob Hill's debut
2) Vlady as a starter
3) The team back in Luke's hand
4) Petro and Swift