Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return
Sonics Clip Pelicans in Game 4 Win
May 17th, 2016
By Vonny Lee
And so ends the season for the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite a playoff-best performance for Anthony Davis (44 points, 15 boards, and four assists on 16-of-20 shooting), the Pelicans could not survive the Sonics.
Seattle started the game by getting out to a large lead and not looking back, pounding the ball inside and setting up Ray Allen for shot after shot in the first half. Seattle's shots were falling, especially for the starters, and they took a 12-point lead into halftime.
In the second-half, Anthony Davis revved up, scoring 30 of his 44 in that half alone as the Pelicans attempted to mount a comeback. In the first few minutes of the third, they went on a 7-0 run and narrowed the gap to five. Things got more interesting as the quarter went on, as Seattle's usually reliable bench unit could not hit a shot to save their life. Lin and Landry, in particular, struggled on wide open looks and only managed to remain effective thanks to the free-throw line.
Seattle managed to secure an eight-point lead heading into the fourth, but Davis was still eating them alive from inside and Lionel Hollins made a switch, putting Hollis-Jefferson on Davis, sending Allen to SF and Lin to SG, with Jack and Gortat out there playing the one and the five.
The move didn't slow Davis down much, but gave Jefferson a much needed boost offensively and he let loose, scoring eight of his 18 points in the fourth alone, a dynamo off-ball cutter to the hoop.
NOLA got into foul trouble early because of it and the fouls would doom them, as Seattle went inside and got the calls, got to the line, and hit enough of their free-throws to keep the Pelicans in check. Davis managed to get a little help from Holiday (15 points, eight dimes) and Evans (a disappointing 12 points) but their bench did them no favors and the question of whom to start beside him -- Asik or Ajinca -- has yet to fully be answered. Though Ajinca again got the start, he was ineffective at stopping Gortat, especially in the fourth, and his play in the series will be one of the many things NOLA has to look at in the offseason.
Jefferson was named player of the game for his clutch play in the fourth.
For the Pelicans, their season has ended and ended in one of the most devastating ways possible: watching another team celebrate a conference championship on their own floor.
For Seattle, this result was the best they could have hoped for. After the last two rounds, both of which have been difficult in their own ways, they are now the first team to make the Finals. They're only four wins away from taking home Seattle's first title since 1979 and making new owner Max Newman look like a genius. Whatever the result of the next series, this season has been better than anyone could have predicted.
Sonics Clip Pelicans in Game 4 Win
May 17th, 2016
By Vonny Lee
And so ends the season for the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite a playoff-best performance for Anthony Davis (44 points, 15 boards, and four assists on 16-of-20 shooting), the Pelicans could not survive the Sonics.
Seattle started the game by getting out to a large lead and not looking back, pounding the ball inside and setting up Ray Allen for shot after shot in the first half. Seattle's shots were falling, especially for the starters, and they took a 12-point lead into halftime.
In the second-half, Anthony Davis revved up, scoring 30 of his 44 in that half alone as the Pelicans attempted to mount a comeback. In the first few minutes of the third, they went on a 7-0 run and narrowed the gap to five. Things got more interesting as the quarter went on, as Seattle's usually reliable bench unit could not hit a shot to save their life. Lin and Landry, in particular, struggled on wide open looks and only managed to remain effective thanks to the free-throw line.
Seattle managed to secure an eight-point lead heading into the fourth, but Davis was still eating them alive from inside and Lionel Hollins made a switch, putting Hollis-Jefferson on Davis, sending Allen to SF and Lin to SG, with Jack and Gortat out there playing the one and the five.
The move didn't slow Davis down much, but gave Jefferson a much needed boost offensively and he let loose, scoring eight of his 18 points in the fourth alone, a dynamo off-ball cutter to the hoop.
NOLA got into foul trouble early because of it and the fouls would doom them, as Seattle went inside and got the calls, got to the line, and hit enough of their free-throws to keep the Pelicans in check. Davis managed to get a little help from Holiday (15 points, eight dimes) and Evans (a disappointing 12 points) but their bench did them no favors and the question of whom to start beside him -- Asik or Ajinca -- has yet to fully be answered. Though Ajinca again got the start, he was ineffective at stopping Gortat, especially in the fourth, and his play in the series will be one of the many things NOLA has to look at in the offseason.
Jefferson was named player of the game for his clutch play in the fourth.
For the Pelicans, their season has ended and ended in one of the most devastating ways possible: watching another team celebrate a conference championship on their own floor.
For Seattle, this result was the best they could have hoped for. After the last two rounds, both of which have been difficult in their own ways, they are now the first team to make the Finals. They're only four wins away from taking home Seattle's first title since 1979 and making new owner Max Newman look like a genius. Whatever the result of the next series, this season has been better than anyone could have predicted.
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