Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by AC

Awesome preview. Looks like a repeat of the Towns/Okafor debate.

Yeah, it really is between Ayton and Brown. Ayton looks like he'll be a freakin beast -- High, high hopes for that kid, but Brown could easily be just as beastly five years down the line. Seeing how those two careers play out will be extremely interesting. The draft is pretty top-heavy, though, so if you finish outside the lottery you're gonna struggle finding guys who'll be an immediate impact in year one.

[trekfan]

This wasn't much a game to watch as the Mavericks, 4-7 entering the game, are too reliant on hot shooting and little else. Defensively, they struggled this game guarding Morris and Westbrook, and offensively the only guy who could knock down anything was Kris Middleton, who was lights out on the floor and absent as a defender.

The first quarter was the only part of this game where you thought maybe, maybe, the Mavericks had a chance to do something, but then their woeful bench came in and promptly lost any chance for the Mavs to close the gap as Seattle's super-bench, led by Gortat and Newman, just ate Dallas alive.

Just about every Sonics player had himself a game here, none more so than Newman and Lin from deep -- both players were just lights out off the bench from beyond the arc and it was great to watch ... for a Seattle fan. Unfortunately for Dallas, the season looks to be a long one. Bojan Bogdanovic AKA Bogdog was injured the game before and news came down before today's battle that he's done for 6-8 months with a torn ACL. Bogdog, essentially, played ten games this season and won't play another, Dallas' big signing in the offseason being a complete non-factor.

This was a cakewalk for Seattle for the most part, and the Sonics are now 8-3, tied with OKC for best record in the West.







Around the NBA

The Hornets are now 10-1 (WHAT?!) after defeating the Magic, 78-74, in a brawl. Charlotte has now beaten nine teams straight and its only loss comes at the hands of the Sonics earlier in the year.

The Bulls are now 7-3 after their most recent win (against Cleveland) but are now missing Butler, Wade, and Dwight with injuries -- all three are expected to be back in some capacity within the next week or two, but Chicago is paying the price for trusting so much of their team to three players.

The Pacers are now 3-8 (?!!?), losers of five in a row, as they struggle to adjust to the presence of Derrick Rose. Rose, Ellis, Turner, and Favors are all scoring well, but George looks lost out there (only 17.5 PPG so far) and Frank Vogel's seat is starting to give him burns. Indiana may be among the first to move someone between Ellis and Favors (both expiring contracts after this season) once we pass December 15th.

The Suns are now 6-3, with rookie Ivan Rabb just killing it: 17.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG on 48 percent shooting. All this is without Devon Booker as well, out with a sprained wrist for another two weeks, and PHX looks like a surprise playoff contender early.

Speaking of surprises, we have a Kings sighting! The Kings are 6-5, winners of six straight behind the hot shooting of Brandon Ingram and George Hill. It's a real team effort out in Sactown, as there isn't a 20+ point scorer on the team (yet) and the bench is really doing well. It's unlikely they can keep it up, but this is the best stretch of games the Kings have put together in at least two years -- a very positive development.

Not so positive -- the Warriors. They sit at 3-7, losers of four straight, and are offensively challenged; the Warriors are scoring only 95.7 PPG as a team and are allowing 99.1 PPG, making it not pretty out in Golden State. The team has weathered some tough things since their title year, but this slow start is by far one of the toughest. Rumblings of a potential trade of Harrison Barnes are growing louder by the day.

[BlindSideNZ]

Absolutely loved the draft preview. Your attention to detail is second to none trek. Throughly looking forward to seeing where this year goes. May even have to put some emphasis on a second team if your sonics continue their dominance.

Just a thought?

Although I'm sure you have something lined up. Either way I continue to look forward to reading this.

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlindSideNZ

Absolutely loved the draft preview. Your attention to detail is second to none trek. Throughly looking forward to seeing where this year goes. May even have to put some emphasis on a second team if your sonics continue their dominance. Just a thought? Although I'm sure you have something lined up. Either way I continue to look forward to reading this.

A second team? Ehh. I'm getting challenged in most games, but I tend to break away during the final quarter (as good teams do). I suppose I could do a second-team, but I'm about the Sonics -- winning is boring sometimes, but that's part of the challenge of maintaining great teams like the Spurs or the Lakers (of old) or the Celtics (of old). There are just times in that franchise's history where those teams are perennial contenders.

If anything, with all the winning and the less games I'm playing (I've played four total now, which means only 16 left to go for the regular season), it gives me more time to focus on the storyline, which has taken a backseat in this dynasty more than any other dynasty I've ever done. I've never won this much this early before in a dynasty, so maintaining it is just as much a challenge anything else (one could make the case it's more of a challenge -- imagine all the hours the Spurs have put in over the last 15+ years to be as good a franchise and team as they have been).

We'll be checking in with the other side, OKC, soon on their strategy to overcome the Seattle menace (as Clay would put it).

And thank you for the compliments on the Draft preview! Yeah, that was a bit longer than I thought it'd be, but it was fun. I'll probably do a 2nd round steals preview as well, just to further flesh it out, down the line as we approach the end of the season.

As always, thanks for keeping the faith. Game 1 of the season series vs. OKC will be up (hopefully) in the morning. It was fun.

Well, for Seattle anyway. ;D

[BlindSideNZ]

Hey I'm all for the story side of things don't get me wrong at all.

Now that you've said it. I do agree that trying to stay at the top is quite possibly actually much harder than getting there.

So with that in mind disregard my previous statement lol.

Go sonics!

[trekfan]

Perfection is rarely so beautiful, but the SuperSonics were absolutely the prettiest bell at this ball. They move to 10-4 after the destruction they wreaked upon OKC (dropping OKC to 10-4 and second in the conference) and, if this is any indication of how the Thunder might do in a playoff series, this is a good thing for the Sonics.

Let's start with the obvious: this game was a B-I-G game for one Russell Westbrook (still waiting on that bad*ss nickname!). Russ had a score to settle with a team that refused to pay him Durant money, with a team he had poured his heart and soul in for nine years. Russ played like it from the opening tip -- it was time to prove them wrong.

He did it in just about every way he could, including from beyond the arc. The Sonics were a team on a mission, led by their general in Westbrook, and they got out to an early eight point lead by the end of the first. And then the second quarter arrived, with the two squads sending in their subs.

As has been the case for most of the league this year, the bench units of teams usually have one regular starter in them -- a move that, in recent seasons, has become more common place in a copy-cat league -- and this game was no different. The Sonics bench usually found themselves with either Noel or Morris on the floor with them and this game it was Markieff.

'Kieff had a field day. He literally didn't miss from the field -- none of his shots missed. He went 10-10 overall, 3-3 from deep, 3-3 at the line and only had two fouls. He was an absolute monster and, as had been theorized for two years now, his stretch-four abilities unlocked the Sonics offense to its full potential. The second quarter was led by him and his deep shooting, and it didn't stop with just him -- everyone had the touch from beyond. Lin, Newman, and Lance all hit in this quarter.

It buried OKC under an avalanche of triples and the Thunder went down big in the half. But the second half saw a much better effort from OKC as Druant and Ibaka went to work, playing heavy minutes in order to dig the team out of the hole they put themselves in. Unfortunately, Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter helped shoot the Thunder right back into that hole.

Kanter and Oladipo were about as accurate from the field as a blind man trying to shoot the basketball on roller skates. That is to say, they were freakin' horrible. Kanter went 3-7, not terrible, but he was absent. Oladipo tried to shoot his way around the Sonics defense, but Lance and Newman were very, very good against him. He finished 2-15 from the field with 7 points, 6 assists, and 3 boards.

There was no fourth quarter comeback for the Thunder as Russell took over, slammed the door, poured gasoline in the window, lit a match, and watched the Thunder burn as he drank Mountain Dew. He was named player of the game for his play and his statline (one rebound short of a triple-double) but he had a big assist from 'Kieff, who had his best game as a Sonic and probably his best game ever overall.







Around the NBA

Tough loss for the Nuggets, who fall to 6-7 after dropping one to the 76ers (sitting okayish at 7-6). The Nuggets losing the game didn't matter so much as them losing Mudiay, who suffered a bad landing on a dunk and was carried off the court. He's out for the next 2-4 months with a lower-leg fracture, his season possibly done, and with it might go Denver's hope for a decent year. The point guard reigns are passed to Norris Cole now, who isn't a scrub, but isn't Mudiay.

Speaking of losses, the Clippers are piling them up -- DeAndre Jordan has been absent the last three games with a sprained knee and he aggravated it traveling with the team, meaning he's out for the next 2-4 weeks. The Clippers backup big, Ian Mahinmi, went down last game with a left humerus fracture (that's a thing in the human body, apparently) and he's out for the next month or two. The Clippers are starting Henry Sims at center and sit at a dismal 5-9 on the year. Not a great look for Lob City right now.

Out East, the Orlando Magic are facing a worst-case scenario decision; the team is sitting at just 3-7, struggling, and neither Eldrid Payton or Aaron Gordon are really performing well -- both are up for contract extensions, one won't get it, and the Magic, after making the playoffs last season, have seemingly taken a step back in the worst way. Skiles still has the support of his ownership, but the Magic players are beginning to point fingers. Someone between Payton and Gordon has to go, and the Orlando front office has an unenviable decision to make.

The East standings are a crowded mess in the middle, but clearer up top as the Cavs (sans Mosgov, Love, and David Blatt now) are 11-5, racing to reclaim the first spot in the conference from the 12-4 Hornets. LeBron is doing his usual thing, but the real story is Kyrie, who's averaging 28.3 PPG on 54 percent shooting (46 percent from deep). He's knocking down everything he sees and the duo are keeping the lackluster Cavs ahead of the pack.

[trekfan]

November 27th, 2017

His foot moved up and down under the table, shaking the floor slightly as he impatiently waited for the answer to his question. Sam Presti sat there, his mind working; he was one of the best in the league and Clay Bennett was never going to let the man go -- he got the job done and got it done well.

But they needed to hurt Seattle. The way that team had destroyed Kevin and the rest of the Thunder last night didn't sit well with Clay -- oh, he was angry about it, sure -- but he was more than a little concerned. Even as an early season matchup, that's a statement game for them as an organization and as a team.

And the statement they made was 'We play like *hit without Westbrook' and it was an embarrassment to everyone in OKC.

"Sam?"

"I'm considering the options." He pushed up his glasses, the gears in the man's head turning. "The next time they have any free agent free is the summer of 2019. They've locked up everyone till then."

Clay stomped his foot, sending the table shaking a bit. "Why would he do that? He'll have a little cap flexibility and that's it next summer."

"He's shrewd, I'll give him that." There was a bit of admiration in Sam's voice. A quick glare from Clay caused the man to clear his throat. "Next summer's free agent class looks weak in comparison to recent years. There won't be the need to spend a lot of money ... he can fill in around the edges, like we can."

So, no way to hurt them next summer ... "So, how do we improve ourselves?"

"We could trade someone, but the fact is I'd rather not. Our roster is very good and is young, Clay. We could upset Kevin if we trade anyone. Removing Westbrook from the equation has caused the team to close in on their own; they won't be welcoming of a new player in the locker room if it involves trading away any of the current ones."

Clay allowed himself a small smirk at that. Westbrook's defection had angered the team, Kevin especially, and they refused to talk about him to the media; they refused to remember him at all. They were just as mad as he was and he loved that. "Then that leaves free agents."

Sam gave a small shake of his head. "Again, chemistry comes into play. There's no one out there who significantly improves us. There's JR Smith, there's Mo Williams, there's many players who have experience, but not a one is better than what we have on the roster."

Clay's fist collided with the table. "We have to do something! Did you see how we played?"

"I did. I'm as concerned as you are. But we should stay the course for now."

Clay took a breath. Sam was always the voice of reason and, in this case, he was right. Clay knew it. He just hated it. "All right, let's shift to the future -- summer, 2019. Who on Seattle comes free?"

"Hollis-Jefferson, Gortat, Morris, Stephenson, and Lin. All big players. Assuming none of them sign an extension, of course." Sam leaned back in his chair. "Out of those, the only one we'd really have a need for is Jefferson and maybe Stephenson as a backup."

"If we took Jefferson, it'd be a major blow to them."

Sam held up a finger. "They'd match him, more than likely. He'll be a hot commodity if goes free, many teams will offer him."

"But we could offer him and pair him with Durant. Jefferson can play the two -- Oladipo could be our sixth man."

"Before you go and do that, we'll need to secure Cameron's services for the long-term. He comes up for an extension that same year."

Clay nodded. "Right, right. And Kevin, too." He took a breath. "I want to hurt them that year. I don't care how, but we hurt them as much as we can."

Sam took off his glasses and cleaned them for a moment. "I believe we'll be able to. But we have to be patient."

Clay let out a sigh. He wasn't a very patient person. But if it meant dealing a major blow to Seattle, he'd try his best. He'd rather kill them with one, gut-wrenching blow than a thousand cuts, but the end result was all he really cared about. He wanted them dead and gone.

It was what they deserved.

[trekfan]

There's a saying in the NBA: Good teams can get a lead, but great teams know how to keep it. If this game is any indication, the Sonics might be a great team this year. The new-look Sonics and Heat both entered the game at near the top of their respective conferences: Miami sat at 10-6 and in third place out East, Seattle at 13-5. This is that rare inter-conference series that actually means something, as neither Miami nor Seattle really like one another after the Polish Miracle of 2016.



That was a game till the very end. This one ... wasn't so much. The Heat battled the Sonics fiercely in the first half -- Chris Bosh was ENFUEGO, the man was putting on an MVP worthy show in the first half. He got steals, he got blocks, he got big boards and bigger shots, he showed off the versatility that makes him such a lethal weapon. The Sonics were disturbed by his play -- they had lost to Memphis two nights before thanks to a similarly stellar effort from Marc Gasol and this looked like a repeat.

In the first half, the Sonics piled up 10 turnovers and flustered. The bench was a mess, multiple missed shots and lazy rotations, the starters were out of rhythm, and only Westbrook finished the first half with a positive plus/minus score. Seattle was only up by three after two quarters and Miami had dictated the pace.

They would not dictate the pace in the third, when the Sonics finally saw the Nerlens Noel of last season. Noel has struggled adjusting back to playing the five, only scoring 9.3 PPG and grabbing 9.2 RPG so far this season; offensively, he's not quite as involved as he was last year and his post work needs work. But the Sonics made a concerted effort getting him involved in the third, letting him feast off the pick and roll as poor Al Jefferson was relegated to guarding him (as Bosh was guarding Morris out on the line).

Noel had a great game in that quarter, becoming the focal point of Seattle's offense and helping everyone settle down as they fed the big man and the big man took it home. Miami was down by nine entering the final frame, but they were far from done.

Chris Bosh came back alive and started knocking down triples; Dragic (who's thrived as a two again), started making those impossible shots at the rim and Miami trimmed that lead down to six, then to five, then to four midway through the final frame.

And that's when Russ decided to end it. He closed it out, it was him in the fourth, as he made his mark. He dunked, he knocked a deflating triple, he got tough layups and made some pinpoint passes as Miami couldn't get any of their guards to slow him down; the cycled through Dragic, Collison, Larkin (former Sonic), and Ellis, but not a one could stop the raging bull (is that Westbrook's nickname? This calls for a poll later!).

Miami couldn't handle that man's heat, they folded, and the Heat fans (predictably) left before the game was decided.








Around the NBA

The Milwaukee Bucks now sit at 11-6, winners of four straight, and look to finally resemble the team everyone thought they were getting two years ago. But their feel-good season took a turn for the worst as the Greek Freak went down, hard, in their win the night before against the T'Wolves. Freak had taken off for a big dunk, but collided in mid-air with Pekovic, and hit the floor. Immediately, he grabbed his leg and it just got worse from there. Giannis is out, 2-4 months, with a fractured leg and the Bucks just can't seem to catch a break. Monty Williams will have to figure out who fills in his place during the long absence, but the Bucks season might have just gone from good to bad.

The Hawks are the next team the Bucks play and their season isn't going so well -- they sit at 7-11, losers of three straight, and the divorce from Jeff Teague for the younger, German Schroder looks like a bad choice for the franchise. Schroder is struggling (scoring only 7.3 PPG on 38 percent shooting) and the team, as a whole, is just not clicking. The Hawks might have to press the panic button sometime between now and the trade deadline at this rate.

The Boogie Cousins drama continues out in Boston, where the Celtics just lost to the Kings on their home floor, 94-77, and their record sits at 10-11. Boogie reportedly blew up behind closed doors, but whatever was said didn't seem to upset any of Boston's players, which might be a problem. League sources are saying Cousins is "a near-lock" to go into free agency. Boston needs the playoffs badly this year.

Out West, the T'Wolves have problems; a loss to Milwaukee was followed by a last second loss to Philly, and the team is now 9-12. The Shabazz Muhammad sixth-man experiment seems to be killing the team's chemistry, despite how well Shabazz is doing. The T'Wolves are watching Ricky Rubio have a very down year, going only for 10.8 PPG on 37 percent shooting, and his name is in trade rumors. A move could be brewing for this team as they're just on the cusp of playoff contention.

Another team with playoff hopes is the Pelicans, who are killing it the last few games. Winners of three straight, they now sit at 12-9; their recent victories include the Spurs, Thunder, and Lakers, and they've won all games with a decently convincing margin. Anthony Davis is thriving, as well as rookie Jayson Tatum -- he's contributing a huge 20.5 PPG on 44 percent shooting, and he looks like the real-deal. If Davis ever leaves NOLA, the Pelicans have a fallback option with Tatum.