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Notes: Ostertag: Now you see him, now you don't
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Wednesday, April 27, 2005
SEATTLE - Rick Adelman has seen the Greg Ostertag metamorphosis before. The big man plays huge one playoff game, only to shrink like no 7-foot-2 man should a game later.
Two years ago, Adelman was watching the center from the opposing bench, as the Utah Jazz needed all of Ostertag's career playoff-high 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 107-104 Game 3 victory over the Kings.
His breakout performance gave Utah its only win in the first-round, five-game series. Then, Ostertag vanished. In his next two games and 74 minutes against the Kings, he scored a combined two points.
Fast forward to Game 1 Saturday night against Seattle. Ostertag's seven points and six rebounds in 17 minutes were key in the Kings' near-comeback from a 21-point deficit.
"We were basically playing five defenders against Utah, having Vlade (Divac) help against (Utah forward Karl) Malone and (point guard John) Stockton, and that gave Greg chances to get boards and shots where it opened up," Adelman said of the 2003 game. "But over the course of the series, it wasn't consistent, so you take a chance (with Ostertag)."
Ostertag hardly had a chance for a repeat act in Game 2 at KeyArena, playing just nine minutes in Seattle's 105-93 victory. He had no points and two rebounds.
A security blanket
No one is more ready to head back to Sacramento than the Maloofs.
Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof and their mother, Colleen, beefed up their security for Game 2 because of an incident that occurred after Game 1. Their protectors were everywhere, trailing the Maloofs' every step, bathroom breaks included.
Witnesses said Sonics fans taunted the Maloofs as they exited through a courtside tunnel seconds after Seattle's win, with the situation escalating but never getting physical. When the fans came too close for the Maloofs' comfort, their security intervened.
"I think they'd had too much to drink," Gavin Maloof said. "I don't think they'll bother us now."
Not fine with him
Cuttino Mobley wouldn't mind if the NBA office never bothered him again.
Mobley was fined for the second time this season after Game 1, the latest infraction being his obscene gesture to Sonics fans late in the fourth quarter when his three-pointer pulled the Kings to within one point. Mobley paid the NBA $15,000 this time and $10,000 for complaining about officiating in February, and was told by the league in January that he couldn't wear a skull cap during postgame interviews.
"Fifteen thousand dollars?" Mobley said. "That was bull. We were all having fun. It wasn't no angry thing."
It's not easy being green
The Sonics might have been in first place in the Northwest Division this season, but they remain No. 3 in the Emerald City's popularity standings behind baseball's Mariners and football's Seahawks. There were 900 tickets remaining the morning before Game 2.
For Sonics fans staying at home, they didn't see the half of it. The Seattle branch of Fox Sports Net planned to air the Kings-Sonics game in a dual format alongside the Mariners-Texas Rangers baseball game that started two hours and 25 minutes before.
TNT aired the postseason game in full view.
Wilkens still game
Longtime NBA coach Lenny Wilkens, who was fired by his hometown New York Knicks earlier this season, immediately returned to Seattle - his adopted hometown and the site of his greatest career achievement: the 1978-79 NBA championship.
Wilkens, who coached a roster that featured Paul Silas, Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma, Gus Williams, Freddie Brown and current Sonics president Wally Walker, among others, remains a popular figure in the area. Wilkens sponsors numerous charitable events, including an annual celebrity golf tournament that benefits a children's foundation. Currently, he's working as an analyst for the Kings-Sonics series for Fox Sports Network.
"I did some television work these past several months, and a lot of it was in the studio," said Wilkens, who also guided the 1996 U.S. Olympic team to the gold medal, "but I really enjoy being in the arena for the games."
And as it turns out, his experiences with the Knicks did nothing to tarnish his affection for the game or dim his hopes of finding another position, preferably in the front office of a West Coast club.
Et cetera
The Kings' loss in Game 1 might be bigger than it first appears. In NBA history, the home team in a seven-game series that won the opener has claimed 204 of 235 series.
* The running joke with Bibby is that he's a born shot-blocker. He showed it in the first quarter of Game 2, swiping the ball from Reggie Evans on a would-be easy layup.
* Roy Williams, coach of the NCAA champion North Carolina Tar Heels, was in attendance and received a round of applause. Williams coached Sonics forward Nick Collison at Kansas.
KING FOR A DAY
BOBBY JACKSON Still instant offense. In a valiant effort, he posted 17 points in just 23 minutes, helping to spark the team's comeback. However, he was running on fumes in the game's final moments.
QUESTION POSED
WHY DIDN'T RICK ADELMAN PUT HIS STARTERS BACK IN WHEN THE SUBS STARTED TO TIRE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER? Even Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson of the TNT crew were scratching their heads over this one. Sure, sending a message is one thing, but not when there's still a chance at winning. You could see that the gutty reserves were running out of steam in the final minutes, but Adelman stubbornly refused to make a move to any of his starters. It would have been interesting to see if Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby or Cuttino Mobley could have made a difference with the game on the line. On the other hand, they barely made a difference for the first three quarters.
THE BIG NUMBER
46 - The combined number of points from the five Kings starters. Only one - Mike Bibby made it to double figures (16).
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12795777p-13646436c.html
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Wednesday, April 27, 2005
SEATTLE - Rick Adelman has seen the Greg Ostertag metamorphosis before. The big man plays huge one playoff game, only to shrink like no 7-foot-2 man should a game later.
Two years ago, Adelman was watching the center from the opposing bench, as the Utah Jazz needed all of Ostertag's career playoff-high 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 107-104 Game 3 victory over the Kings.
His breakout performance gave Utah its only win in the first-round, five-game series. Then, Ostertag vanished. In his next two games and 74 minutes against the Kings, he scored a combined two points.
Fast forward to Game 1 Saturday night against Seattle. Ostertag's seven points and six rebounds in 17 minutes were key in the Kings' near-comeback from a 21-point deficit.
"We were basically playing five defenders against Utah, having Vlade (Divac) help against (Utah forward Karl) Malone and (point guard John) Stockton, and that gave Greg chances to get boards and shots where it opened up," Adelman said of the 2003 game. "But over the course of the series, it wasn't consistent, so you take a chance (with Ostertag)."
Ostertag hardly had a chance for a repeat act in Game 2 at KeyArena, playing just nine minutes in Seattle's 105-93 victory. He had no points and two rebounds.
A security blanket
No one is more ready to head back to Sacramento than the Maloofs.
Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof and their mother, Colleen, beefed up their security for Game 2 because of an incident that occurred after Game 1. Their protectors were everywhere, trailing the Maloofs' every step, bathroom breaks included.
Witnesses said Sonics fans taunted the Maloofs as they exited through a courtside tunnel seconds after Seattle's win, with the situation escalating but never getting physical. When the fans came too close for the Maloofs' comfort, their security intervened.
"I think they'd had too much to drink," Gavin Maloof said. "I don't think they'll bother us now."
Not fine with him
Cuttino Mobley wouldn't mind if the NBA office never bothered him again.
Mobley was fined for the second time this season after Game 1, the latest infraction being his obscene gesture to Sonics fans late in the fourth quarter when his three-pointer pulled the Kings to within one point. Mobley paid the NBA $15,000 this time and $10,000 for complaining about officiating in February, and was told by the league in January that he couldn't wear a skull cap during postgame interviews.
"Fifteen thousand dollars?" Mobley said. "That was bull. We were all having fun. It wasn't no angry thing."
It's not easy being green
The Sonics might have been in first place in the Northwest Division this season, but they remain No. 3 in the Emerald City's popularity standings behind baseball's Mariners and football's Seahawks. There were 900 tickets remaining the morning before Game 2.
For Sonics fans staying at home, they didn't see the half of it. The Seattle branch of Fox Sports Net planned to air the Kings-Sonics game in a dual format alongside the Mariners-Texas Rangers baseball game that started two hours and 25 minutes before.
TNT aired the postseason game in full view.
Wilkens still game
Longtime NBA coach Lenny Wilkens, who was fired by his hometown New York Knicks earlier this season, immediately returned to Seattle - his adopted hometown and the site of his greatest career achievement: the 1978-79 NBA championship.
Wilkens, who coached a roster that featured Paul Silas, Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma, Gus Williams, Freddie Brown and current Sonics president Wally Walker, among others, remains a popular figure in the area. Wilkens sponsors numerous charitable events, including an annual celebrity golf tournament that benefits a children's foundation. Currently, he's working as an analyst for the Kings-Sonics series for Fox Sports Network.
"I did some television work these past several months, and a lot of it was in the studio," said Wilkens, who also guided the 1996 U.S. Olympic team to the gold medal, "but I really enjoy being in the arena for the games."
And as it turns out, his experiences with the Knicks did nothing to tarnish his affection for the game or dim his hopes of finding another position, preferably in the front office of a West Coast club.
Et cetera
The Kings' loss in Game 1 might be bigger than it first appears. In NBA history, the home team in a seven-game series that won the opener has claimed 204 of 235 series.
* The running joke with Bibby is that he's a born shot-blocker. He showed it in the first quarter of Game 2, swiping the ball from Reggie Evans on a would-be easy layup.
* Roy Williams, coach of the NCAA champion North Carolina Tar Heels, was in attendance and received a round of applause. Williams coached Sonics forward Nick Collison at Kansas.
KING FOR A DAY
BOBBY JACKSON Still instant offense. In a valiant effort, he posted 17 points in just 23 minutes, helping to spark the team's comeback. However, he was running on fumes in the game's final moments.
QUESTION POSED
WHY DIDN'T RICK ADELMAN PUT HIS STARTERS BACK IN WHEN THE SUBS STARTED TO TIRE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER? Even Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson of the TNT crew were scratching their heads over this one. Sure, sending a message is one thing, but not when there's still a chance at winning. You could see that the gutty reserves were running out of steam in the final minutes, but Adelman stubbornly refused to make a move to any of his starters. It would have been interesting to see if Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby or Cuttino Mobley could have made a difference with the game on the line. On the other hand, they barely made a difference for the first three quarters.
THE BIG NUMBER
46 - The combined number of points from the five Kings starters. Only one - Mike Bibby made it to double figures (16).
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12795777p-13646436c.html
