SIMULBLOG FOR SONICS V. RAPTORS

RAPTORS 121 SONICS 113 --- FINAL SCORE
I am not sure if this lose is so bad that you re-evaluate what the team is trying to do in the game but it is close.
The Sonics blew back to back possessions in the final minutes.
Hill went to Wilkins as a defender and he ended up getting a key shot which is a killer.
Morris Peterson took Ray Allen out of the the scoring.
Allen only had two shot attempts in the entire 4th Quarter
The Raptors 33 of 36 from the line

Raptors 109 Sonics 108 with 2:58 left in the 4th Quarter
Sonics have 1 stop in the last 7 possessions.
The Sonics can't lose this game.

Sonics 104 Raptors 101 with 5:24 left in the 4th Q
Luke enters and makes two great offensive plays
Chris Bosh is 15 of 15 from the free throw line. He has 25-11 -- WOW
Allen is 1 of 1 in the 4th and Lewis is 0 for 1.

Sonics 98 Raptors 95 with 8:48 left in the 4th Quarter
The Sonics have only been stopped once in the Quarter
The Raptors are in the bonus at the 10:00 mark
The Washington Generals play better defense then these two teams
Sonics have Murray, Allen, Lewis, Nick and Reggie on the floor.

Sonics 88 Raptors 88 at the end of 3 quarters
The old phrase is first one to defend will win. In this game it will be the first team to play bad offense will lose. Because I can promise no one will defend. With Reggie and Flip in the game we are vulnerable to be the team.
Luke Ridnour has been very very good tonight.
Reggie Evans is the most selfish player with his quest to rebound. He won’t rotate or help defensively if it ruins his rebounding position. He also won’t leave the post to clear space for an offensive player.


Raptors 77 Sonics 74 with 4:56 in the third Quarter
Reggie Evans comes in for Petro
Hill furiously removed Vlady from the floor after another putrid defensive possession. I will be shocked if he starts the next game.

Raptors 68 Sonics 66 with 9:18 left in the 3rd Quarter
More corner three's. The board in the locker-room says no CORNER THREES
Hill just yelled at Petro. Make him use his right hand. Talking about defending Bosh.


Sonics 63 Raptors 59 at the Half
Allen is 6 of 10 – nice to have him back
We have the defense we anticipated
Both teams will occasionally play defense on the initial defensive assignment but they can’t sustain it at all. There is limited help and limited effort after the first moments.
No team has lead by more then 6.
The Sonics are getting killed on the corner 3


Sonics 63 Raptors 59 at the Half
Allen is 6 of 10 – nice to have him back
We have the defense we anticipated
Both teams will occasionally play defense on the initial defensive assignment but they can’t sustain it at all. There is limited help and limited effort after the first moments.
No team has lead by more then 6.
The Sonics are getting killed on the corner 3


Sonics 48 Raptors 44 with 5:49 left in the 2nd Quarter
Sonics need Nick Collison to be able to score in the post on second string power forwards. Really if he can’t do that he becomes a bit player. He is one of two on Villanueva.
Detlef Schrempf has been hired as a part time assistant coach.
Sonics have gotten out on the break off Raptors misses and Wilkins has been the benefactor.


Sonics 31 Raptors 30 at the end of 1st Quarter
61 points in the first quarter. What you would expect from the two worst defensive teams in the NBA and for that matter two worst teams in years.
Coincidence? After Flip entered the game the Raptors scored on 6 of their next 7 possessions.
Jalen Rose has 11 points. Flip is guarding Rose.


Raptors 26 Sonics 23 with 1:40 left in the 1st Quarter
Petro was +3 in his first stint
Sonics are -6 in the 3 minutes Ray Allen is off the floor. This team is more dependent on Ray then any team in the NBA is on their star. Statistically, the Sonics with Allen on the bench the Sonics are the worst team in the NBA.


Sonics 17 Raptors 11 with 6:23 left in the 1st Quarter
Raptors are doubling Rashard in the post as the Sonics anticipated
Seattle Seahawks jerseys litter the crowd
Raptors give up a lot of points off turnovers and the Sonics under Hill have not been forcing turns. This will be key. The Sups already have 4 points off turns.
Petro starts on Bosh. This is what the Sonics really need is a big who can guard a 4 or a 5 in the post early in game. James did that last year for the Sups


STORYLINES
1) Which defense is worse?
2) Can the Sonics be + in the +/- in with the young bigs
3) Vlady hello

MIKE HOLMGREN PRESS CONFERENCE RE-CAP

• Locklear will play. Holmgren says he talked with Sean and that he feels comforatbale that Locklear should play. The question that is left unanswered is when the Seahawks talk about the story they know or what they have been told do they go any deeper then Sean Locklear.

• About Carolina = “They don’t have any weaknesses, they are very sound and they have some special players.”

• Rocky Bernard, Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram did not practice today and are very sore.

• Comparing Smith to Moss – “If there is a difference it is how the teams use both athletes. Moss was going downtown a lot. Smith they use him in more ways, he gets more touches, in a lot of different ways.” Athletically, they are both fast. Smith for his size is very strong and has very strong hands.

• The loss of Foster – “It is not that dramatic. Foster is very expolsive. He has great speed. Goings is a different style, tough guy and he is going to go where the play is designed.”

• Comparing Peppers and Strahan – “They area not similar. They have different body types and different experiences. Peppers is taller and bigger. He presents a different set of problems. The players are quite different. But they are both players that you have to start with when you figure out your plan.

• Holmgren called this the best line he has had in the free agency era

• On Marquand Manuel – “I looked at him as a solid safety. I looked at him as a special teams player who did a lot things, then he is our strong safety and calling all the plays. He has had a phenomenal year.

• On the D-Jack touchdown – “That is an athletic play.”

• Peter Warrick will be the punt returner and Bobby Engram will come in if there are any issues.

• I asked him about Jerry Rice and what teams did to shut him out of a game and he referenced what he did to Rice as the Head Coach of Green Bay.

Locked on Sports: Heroes or goats? Players will decide

Locked on Sports: Heroes or goats? Players will decide: "Sunday, we will be watching history unfold. What happens on Qwest Field will forever be remembered.

How will it be remembered?

Will it be the 'The Block,' after Walter Jones levels a Carolina defender, freeing Alexander?

Or the 'The Rookie,' after Lofa Tatupu dominates from his middle linebacker position?

Could it be 'The Carry,' after Alexander pounds the left side of the line for another short-yardage conversion featuring Seattle's Pro Bowl linemen. Maybe 'The Team,' when the Hawks piece together another performance spotlighting every roster spot."

ALEXANDER THAT IS ENOUGH OF THE COUGH SYRUP

All signs point to that Alexander is going to play. And he better play and he better play well. The only good thing about his concussion is that no one is talking about his game last week. His 6 carries were awful. I mean terrible. Each time he tried to do too much, the spotlight went on and the Alexander reverted back to the old Alexander. I was convinced that when the national spotlight came on his ego would drive him to run like no man has ever run. Instead, he freaked.
Holmgren was polite about it in the press conference, “if he stayed with the play he would have walked in – he is going to kick himself when he sees it.”

This is how he was on every one of his runs. He tried to do too much. He tried to be the hero rather then follow the play.

Here is the scary thing. In 3 playoff games Alexander has not been good, in fact he has been poor. 3 games – 44 carries and just 94 yards. That is awful.
Last time Alexander faced Carolina he crushed them 32 carried for 195 yards.

All year Alexander has proven ever skeptic wrong and he has improved in every area if he is going to get himself to the biggest stage he better play within himself on Sunday.

WILL I EVER SEE JIMMY WILLIAMS AGAIN

Yesterday Holmgren said, “We going to make some changes on that” in regards to punt returning. Good because I don’t want to see Jimmy Williams returning another punt all season. In fact I haven’t wanted him there for the last 7 weeks. It is a big hit to give away the 7 or 8 yards on every drive by deciding all you want to is ball possession and to fair catch each time, but if that is what it takes I am all for it. The risk of Williams is high and the reward is close to minimal. That makes it an easy decision.
If the Hawks don’t go to the Super Bowl because Jimmy Williams muffs a punt I am going to lose it.

CAN CAROLINA GO DALLAS ON THE HAWKS

All the talk is that Carolina is going to go Dallas on the Seahawks. They are going to play bump and run with their corners, who are both great and they are going to bring the safety into the box.
It all sounds good but here is why it won’t work. One is the two deep balls to D-Jack change everything. Now if the Panthers want to bring the safeties in the box to stop the run they have to know that the Hawks have the option of going deep on the sidelines and that is an option they haven’t had all year.
Secondly, the Panthers don’t have a Roy Williams or a Sean Taylor at safety. The defensive position you must have if you are going to stymie the Hawks is a dominating safety that can cover all sorts of ground. He has to be able to support on the run and get sideline to sideline in the pass defense.
That is the one area where Carolina is not special.

QB PLAY WINS IN THE PLYOFFS

Before the playoffs started Mike Holmgren was asked what are the key things to a playoff win. First he said health and the Hawks dodged that bullet. Second he said the play of our your quarterback.
Matt Hasselbeck is in a zone. He is clicking the way Young did when he carried the 49ers the way Farve did when he carried the Packers heck the way Montana did when he carried the 49ers. Hasselebeck is playing at a different level. He is calm, he is collected, he is handling pressure. He never seems flustered.
Heck, on Saturday the offensive game plan was in shambles early – 3 and out after 3 and out and he keep everything together and made special play after special play.