Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Peja ( A- ) -- started off the game cold offensively, but making a number of nice little dump off passes for assists -- that critical creating for others aspect that is not always there for Peja. But tonight made a definite contribution to our unselfish passing attack. Grabbed a few rebounds as well for an unusually well rounded start to the game, and thought he made a couple of nice plays in the second quarter when things got rough -- hitting a tough (and forced) three to save us from an ugly possession where we were clearly rattled, and making a good aggressive drive when we needed to stop the roughhouse momentum Seattle was building up. Played a more conventional Peja game thereafter, stopped boarding, few assists, but caught major offensive fire in the third, albeit oddly really only from three point land. Every time he was left alone on the perimeter, he drained the three. But any attempt to get closer, lay it up, whatever, was normally a miss. His rookie opponent nearly matched him in points, but not so much from bad defense as just hustle and movement. Rarely squared Peja up and took him, but scored on switches, fast breaks, scramble plays etc.
Thomas ( B ) -- very efficient offensively the whole game, but really most of his offense came on broken plays, fast breaks, loose balls etc. Did not see much of the jumper at all just -- two early misses, and two more in the 4th (whihc means he hit EVERYTHING that wasn't a jumper) -- and rarely actually tried to take a defender to the hoop. Just went to the front of the rim with or without the ball and good things happened. Got really crunched on the boards by Reggie Evans, who scrapped and clawed and mucked his way to yet another big board game against us. Grabbed some boards to fill out his stat sheet in basically extended garbagetime in the 4th, but while the game was still on it was only 3 or 4 for him to a dozen for Evans. Was still tempted to give him the "+" to his B for efficiency, but Evans dirty work was one of the few reasons the Sonics even kept it close, and I don't want to give too big of a bump for numbers put up after the game was long decided.
Skinner ( B- ) -- numbers aside, really not very effective again. Some hustle, but generally outdone on that front by Evans up front. Again looked too small to contend with a big center on defense, as Jerome James of all people began to really work him in the third, and the sooner we get him back to his more natural PF, the better. Played some minutes of extended garbagetime in the 4th and picked up some numbers, but just not an impact game (saw him fiddling with his thumbs a few times, so again wonder how much he is being hampered). Couple of solid passes as well, and no misses, so still a B-.
Mobley ( B+ ) -- solid effort tonight throughout, although there were patches where Ray Allen ALMOST took over and you were wondering where Cat was. But never quite, and in the end more or less matched Allen's night. Along with Peja caught major fire in the third and had one of those stretches where the basket must have looked the size of the ocean. 21, 3, 4 -- kind of a standard good efficient scoring guard night. The way we were shooting, did not need to score more. But felt at times that he could easily have dropped 30 if he had felt like it.
Bibby ( B ) -- the best of our many passers tongiht, but it really was a team effort/philosophy this time out. Still having real problems with his jumper, but we were so democratic tonight that there wasn't much pressure on us. Had some problems with Ridnour's penetration again, but never anything serious enough to endanger us.
Songaila ( A- ) -- came in the game and the jumper looked great from the very beginning. Kept right on scoring throughout his minutes and was able to take advantage of the Sonics trying to run some small ball lineups and guard him with a rookie SF (Wilkens).
Evans ( B ) -- not a big statistical game, but thought he came in in the second quarter and made an immediate impact for us on the glass, where our big guys were being overmatched. Flying block in the final two minutes was a lot of fun as well -- he REALLY got up.
House ( A ) -- I mean really, at this point, how much better can a limited talent guy like Eddie House run the team off the bench? Pod person or robotic clone, right now he is playing so far over the head of the real Eddie House that there's no point in even trying to pretend its the same guy. Hitting absolutely everything he puts up, and beginning to really make good passes as well. Loses his plus for getting too fast in the early and mid-4th and losing conrol of the tempo. rick called a good timeout though to settle him down, and he came back out and started smoothly stroking jumpers once again.
Williamson ( B- ) -- fell victim to Danny Fortson in the second quarter, lost his temper, which is of course the purpose of much of Fortson's antics, and never retuirned. That was surprising, but I actually liked it. Enough is enough, and if Rick is finally going to take a stand with all of our guys complaining and losing their cool, good for him. It plays right into a Fortson's hand, and who knows, maybe Rick managed to send a message tonight. Before getting tossed, had actually done a good job of muscling up with Fortson.
Adelman ( C ) -- Goes without saying that this was one of our best offensive games of the season. Reminiscient of the Cavs game in many ways, including the first real separation taking place during the second quarter when our reserves hit the floor running. Thought Rick made the right, if tough, call in pulling Corliss and never bringing him back after he lost his cool vs. Fortson. Much like Brad, when you lose your cool vs. Fortson, Danny wins. That's the whole point of his antics. But Rick really REALLY pissed me off tonight with an asinine decision, or series of decisions in the fourth, when because of an apparent attempt to either run up the score, send a message to the Sonics, or just rampant insecurity, he kept our starters in untilt he 2 minute mark depsite leadig the entire 4th quarter by 20+ points. Just ugly. And stupid. All it takes is one turned ankle, and *poof* there goes the last hope we have for the playoffs. Made me as mad as any of his small-balling ever has. Nobody got hurt (although Cat once again did his nightly limping thing) so I'm just making a partial huge drop here. But if somebody major gets hurt, I'm giving him an F and calling for his head. If you're not playing garbagetime in this one, you're never going to play it.
Thomas ( B ) -- very efficient offensively the whole game, but really most of his offense came on broken plays, fast breaks, loose balls etc. Did not see much of the jumper at all just -- two early misses, and two more in the 4th (whihc means he hit EVERYTHING that wasn't a jumper) -- and rarely actually tried to take a defender to the hoop. Just went to the front of the rim with or without the ball and good things happened. Got really crunched on the boards by Reggie Evans, who scrapped and clawed and mucked his way to yet another big board game against us. Grabbed some boards to fill out his stat sheet in basically extended garbagetime in the 4th, but while the game was still on it was only 3 or 4 for him to a dozen for Evans. Was still tempted to give him the "+" to his B for efficiency, but Evans dirty work was one of the few reasons the Sonics even kept it close, and I don't want to give too big of a bump for numbers put up after the game was long decided.
Skinner ( B- ) -- numbers aside, really not very effective again. Some hustle, but generally outdone on that front by Evans up front. Again looked too small to contend with a big center on defense, as Jerome James of all people began to really work him in the third, and the sooner we get him back to his more natural PF, the better. Played some minutes of extended garbagetime in the 4th and picked up some numbers, but just not an impact game (saw him fiddling with his thumbs a few times, so again wonder how much he is being hampered). Couple of solid passes as well, and no misses, so still a B-.
Mobley ( B+ ) -- solid effort tonight throughout, although there were patches where Ray Allen ALMOST took over and you were wondering where Cat was. But never quite, and in the end more or less matched Allen's night. Along with Peja caught major fire in the third and had one of those stretches where the basket must have looked the size of the ocean. 21, 3, 4 -- kind of a standard good efficient scoring guard night. The way we were shooting, did not need to score more. But felt at times that he could easily have dropped 30 if he had felt like it.
Bibby ( B ) -- the best of our many passers tongiht, but it really was a team effort/philosophy this time out. Still having real problems with his jumper, but we were so democratic tonight that there wasn't much pressure on us. Had some problems with Ridnour's penetration again, but never anything serious enough to endanger us.
Songaila ( A- ) -- came in the game and the jumper looked great from the very beginning. Kept right on scoring throughout his minutes and was able to take advantage of the Sonics trying to run some small ball lineups and guard him with a rookie SF (Wilkens).
Evans ( B ) -- not a big statistical game, but thought he came in in the second quarter and made an immediate impact for us on the glass, where our big guys were being overmatched. Flying block in the final two minutes was a lot of fun as well -- he REALLY got up.
House ( A ) -- I mean really, at this point, how much better can a limited talent guy like Eddie House run the team off the bench? Pod person or robotic clone, right now he is playing so far over the head of the real Eddie House that there's no point in even trying to pretend its the same guy. Hitting absolutely everything he puts up, and beginning to really make good passes as well. Loses his plus for getting too fast in the early and mid-4th and losing conrol of the tempo. rick called a good timeout though to settle him down, and he came back out and started smoothly stroking jumpers once again.
Williamson ( B- ) -- fell victim to Danny Fortson in the second quarter, lost his temper, which is of course the purpose of much of Fortson's antics, and never retuirned. That was surprising, but I actually liked it. Enough is enough, and if Rick is finally going to take a stand with all of our guys complaining and losing their cool, good for him. It plays right into a Fortson's hand, and who knows, maybe Rick managed to send a message tonight. Before getting tossed, had actually done a good job of muscling up with Fortson.
Adelman ( C ) -- Goes without saying that this was one of our best offensive games of the season. Reminiscient of the Cavs game in many ways, including the first real separation taking place during the second quarter when our reserves hit the floor running. Thought Rick made the right, if tough, call in pulling Corliss and never bringing him back after he lost his cool vs. Fortson. Much like Brad, when you lose your cool vs. Fortson, Danny wins. That's the whole point of his antics. But Rick really REALLY pissed me off tonight with an asinine decision, or series of decisions in the fourth, when because of an apparent attempt to either run up the score, send a message to the Sonics, or just rampant insecurity, he kept our starters in untilt he 2 minute mark depsite leadig the entire 4th quarter by 20+ points. Just ugly. And stupid. All it takes is one turned ankle, and *poof* there goes the last hope we have for the playoffs. Made me as mad as any of his small-balling ever has. Nobody got hurt (although Cat once again did his nightly limping thing) so I'm just making a partial huge drop here. But if somebody major gets hurt, I'm giving him an F and calling for his head. If you're not playing garbagetime in this one, you're never going to play it.
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