SIMULBLOG FOR SONICS V. ROCKETS

Sonics 92 Rockets 80 with 4:52 left in the 4th Quarter
Seattle is not great right now but Houston is not good enough offensively to make a run at the Sonics
Wilcox has 20 points and 20 rebounds tonight – 9th Sonics player to accomplish this


Sonics 83 Rockets 70 with 8:17 left in the 4th Quarter
Ming fouls out on the first possession of the quarter
This is one of those games where we have Ray Allen and you don’t. Allen is making a play every time the Rockets make a run he makes a play
Wilcox has 21 rebounds
Stomile Swift is awful


Sonics 78 Rockets 66 -- at the end of 3 Quarters
Sonics offense slumped but the defense held it together.
Van Gundy is going to gamble and play Ming with 5 fouls to open the quarter
Wilcox has 20 rebounds
Allen has been burying the 3 and is now the #2 all time 3 point shooter in NBA history


Sonics 67 Rockets 51 with 5:58 left in the 3rd Quarter
Yao Ming picks up his 5th foul at the 6:28 mark of the game
Ray Allen has 8 straight for the Sonics.
Rockets are forced to try to go small against the Sonics
Wilcox now has 17 points and 19 rebounds
Ray Allen is bombing the 3 he is 1 short of Dale Ellis for all time #2 spot.


Sonics 56 Rockets 41 - - at the half
Very good performance by the Sups
Defensively the Sonics have been very solid – the halftime defensive rating is 90
11 fast break points is really good in a relatively slow game’
Great work on the defensive glass today as let Seattle get out and run
Wilcox has been just unreal.



Sonics 47 Rockets 35 – with 3:08 left in the 2nd Quarter
Chris Wilcox is amazing tonight. He has 15 points and 13 rebounds. If it is possible he has been better then the numbers. His shots have been in the post and not all dunks. His rebounds have been tough in traffic boards with Yao Ming around. In addition, he has two blocks which not usually a part of his game. He has defended well also. He is unquestionably the best player on the floor.
Ray Allen has been great as well. 10 points.
The Sonics are not hitting the 3


Sonics 32 Rockets 21 – at the end of 1 Quarter
Watson closes the quarter hitting a buzzer beating three
Sonics hit 60% for the quarter
Lead by Wilcox who had 12 points and 8 rebounds


Sonics 24 Rockets 13 with 2:39 left in the 1st Quarter
Official Tommy Nunez is having a really tough night. At one point both Hill and Van Gundy were yelling at him so much that Dick Bavetta had to ask both coaches to stop. The next trip he blew another call and it was as though Hill felt sorry for him rather then yelled at him.
Ridnour has three turnovers in the first quarter
Sups are 11 of 18 from the field, the Rockets really are struggling at 4 of 15
Juwan Howard tore up Seattle last time and tonight he is 0 for 5.
Seattle is in serious foul trouble with Swift and Moore both with 2 and no Collison, Fortson or Petro.


Sonics 18 Rockets 11 with 5:26 left in the 1st Quarter
Swift with the assignment on Yao Ming committed two fouls by the 9:14 mark
Great start for the Sonics offensively. The Rockets are not a good offensive team therefore they will not be able to keep up with a good offensive night
Chris Wilcox has been very active –6 points and 6 rebounds


Storylines
1) Houston's putrid offense against the Sonics defense
2) Yao Ming
3) Sonics lack of player to guard Ming
4) Allen 3 point shooting