ducks
10-16-2005, 05:07 PM
Sonics burned by Suns
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
The suspense in last night's Sonics exhibition home opener appeared to evaporate the minute the short-handed Phoenix Suns walked off the bus parked in the belly of KeyArena.
Already without forward Amare Stoudemire, who is out for the next four months after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee, they left guard Steve Nash, last season's league MVP, back home because he contracted a cold virus.
With Shawn Marion the lone returning starter from last year's 62-win team on the court, the Sonics were on their way to an easy victory before Suns newcomer Raja Bell led a spirited third-quarter comeback and erased a 16-point deficit.
After coach Bob Weiss appeared ready to punch the cruise-control button and watch his reserves get extended minutes on the court, he summoned his starters to play longer than they had intended during a hard-fought, 114-113 defeat that dropped Seattle to 0-2 in the preseason.
Weiss expected his starters would play their normal minutes in the first half and told them that they'd play in the fourth quarter, but no one expected what they endured.
"Yeah, we knew we'd go a little longer than we did in the first game, but I don't think anybody thought we'd go that much," Rashard Lewis said. "I played [32] minutes, which is a little long for a preseason game, but we had to."
The Sonics seemingly took control of the game midway in the third quarter after they unlocked a 78-78 tie and outscored Phoenix 12-4. Luke Ridnour scored nine of his 18 points during the streak, including a nifty hesitation move on which he faked a behind-the-back pass on a fast break that froze his defenders and allowed him room to convert a layup.
"The thing is with Phoenix, they are never down," Ridnour said. "They play their game no matter who is out there, and they hit some shots."
The Suns connected on 13 of 31 three-pointers and scored at least 25 points in every quarter. In the final period, the Suns erased an 94-87 deficit and outscored Seattle 27-19.
Bell did most of the damage, scoring a team-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting.
"I'll give it to him," Ray Allen said. "He had a heck of a night making shots with a hand in his face."
One of Weiss' preseason goals was to improve the Sonics' defense, but after taking a step forward in the exhibition opener in Portland, Seattle took two steps back last night.
Phoenix tied the score at 99 before both teams took turns surging ahead in the final minutes.
Allen hoisted a desperation three-pointer that brought the Sonics to 114-113 with less than 40 seconds remaining. A solid defensive effort on the ensuing possession forced a turnover and left the Sonics with 4.7 seconds to steal the game.
Ridnour drove to the middle and ran into resistance before lofting an off-balance shot that never had much of a chance and failed to hit the rim as time expired.
"The ball was supposed to go to me or Ray, but things broke down and Luke had to take the best shot he could get," Lewis said.
Overshadowed in the defeat were strong performances by Allen (28 points), Lewis (19 points) and Ridnour (10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals) and solid bench contributions from Damien Wilkins (nine points) and Alex Scales (seven points).
Bell led a Phoenix starting lineup in which everyone scored in double figures. Jones had 18 and Marion added 12.
"This team can score points," Ridnour said. "That's never been our problem. We've got to get stops when we need them. That's been our problem and something we got to get right."
Notes
• C Vitaly Potapenko (hamstring) said he would skip at least the next two games and hasn't ruled out missing the entire preseason.
"It's feeling better each day, but coach Weiss, he told me to take care of it and not come back until it's ready to go when the games really count," he said. "I can't give an exact date [on when he'll return]. I would like to play in the preseason, but it's more important that I play in the regular season."
• F Danny Fortson (turf toe) was unable to play, forcing Noel Felix into the rotation. Reserve C Mikki Moore missed the game with a sore left knee. Gs Rick Brunson and Mateen Cleaves and F Roger Powell did not play.
SUNS 114, SUPERSONICS 113
PHOENIX (114) — Jones 6-13 3-3 18, Marion 5-4 1-2 12, Thomas 4-8 2-2 10, Barbosa 5-11 2-2 13, Bell 11-16 0-0 26, Jackson 3-6 1-1 9, Grant 3-5 3-3 9, House 4-8 2-2 12, Diaw 1-4 3-4 5. Totals — 42-85 17-19 114.
SEATTLE (113) — Evans 2-5 3-4 7, Lewis 8-15 0-1 19, Swift 0-2 0-2 0, Allen 10-20 5-5 28, Ridnour 6-12 5-6 18, Collison 3-6 2-3 8, Murray 2-5 3-4 7, Radmanovic 1-5 4-4 6, Wilkins 4-7 1-2 9, Petro 0-0 0-0 0, Scales 2-3 2-4 7, Noel 2-3 0-0 4. Totals — 40-83 25-35 113.
Phoenix 27 25 35 27 — 114
Seattle 29 37 28 19 — 113
Three-point goals — Phoenix 13-31 (Bell 4-7, Jones 3-8, House 2-3, Jackson 2-5, Marion 1-3, Barbosa 1-4, Diaw 0-1), Seattle 8-20 (Lewis 3-5, Allen 3-9, Ridnour 1-1, Scales 1-1, Wilkins 0-1, Radmanovic 0-3). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — Phoenix 42 (Marion 10), Seattle 36 (Ridnour 7). Assists — Phoenix 28 (Barbosa 7), Seattle 25 (Ridnour 7). Total fouls — Phoenix 28, Seattle 22. Technicals — Bell. A — 11,188.
Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or [email protected]
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
The suspense in last night's Sonics exhibition home opener appeared to evaporate the minute the short-handed Phoenix Suns walked off the bus parked in the belly of KeyArena.
Already without forward Amare Stoudemire, who is out for the next four months after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee, they left guard Steve Nash, last season's league MVP, back home because he contracted a cold virus.
With Shawn Marion the lone returning starter from last year's 62-win team on the court, the Sonics were on their way to an easy victory before Suns newcomer Raja Bell led a spirited third-quarter comeback and erased a 16-point deficit.
After coach Bob Weiss appeared ready to punch the cruise-control button and watch his reserves get extended minutes on the court, he summoned his starters to play longer than they had intended during a hard-fought, 114-113 defeat that dropped Seattle to 0-2 in the preseason.
Weiss expected his starters would play their normal minutes in the first half and told them that they'd play in the fourth quarter, but no one expected what they endured.
"Yeah, we knew we'd go a little longer than we did in the first game, but I don't think anybody thought we'd go that much," Rashard Lewis said. "I played [32] minutes, which is a little long for a preseason game, but we had to."
The Sonics seemingly took control of the game midway in the third quarter after they unlocked a 78-78 tie and outscored Phoenix 12-4. Luke Ridnour scored nine of his 18 points during the streak, including a nifty hesitation move on which he faked a behind-the-back pass on a fast break that froze his defenders and allowed him room to convert a layup.
"The thing is with Phoenix, they are never down," Ridnour said. "They play their game no matter who is out there, and they hit some shots."
The Suns connected on 13 of 31 three-pointers and scored at least 25 points in every quarter. In the final period, the Suns erased an 94-87 deficit and outscored Seattle 27-19.
Bell did most of the damage, scoring a team-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting.
"I'll give it to him," Ray Allen said. "He had a heck of a night making shots with a hand in his face."
One of Weiss' preseason goals was to improve the Sonics' defense, but after taking a step forward in the exhibition opener in Portland, Seattle took two steps back last night.
Phoenix tied the score at 99 before both teams took turns surging ahead in the final minutes.
Allen hoisted a desperation three-pointer that brought the Sonics to 114-113 with less than 40 seconds remaining. A solid defensive effort on the ensuing possession forced a turnover and left the Sonics with 4.7 seconds to steal the game.
Ridnour drove to the middle and ran into resistance before lofting an off-balance shot that never had much of a chance and failed to hit the rim as time expired.
"The ball was supposed to go to me or Ray, but things broke down and Luke had to take the best shot he could get," Lewis said.
Overshadowed in the defeat were strong performances by Allen (28 points), Lewis (19 points) and Ridnour (10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals) and solid bench contributions from Damien Wilkins (nine points) and Alex Scales (seven points).
Bell led a Phoenix starting lineup in which everyone scored in double figures. Jones had 18 and Marion added 12.
"This team can score points," Ridnour said. "That's never been our problem. We've got to get stops when we need them. That's been our problem and something we got to get right."
Notes
• C Vitaly Potapenko (hamstring) said he would skip at least the next two games and hasn't ruled out missing the entire preseason.
"It's feeling better each day, but coach Weiss, he told me to take care of it and not come back until it's ready to go when the games really count," he said. "I can't give an exact date [on when he'll return]. I would like to play in the preseason, but it's more important that I play in the regular season."
• F Danny Fortson (turf toe) was unable to play, forcing Noel Felix into the rotation. Reserve C Mikki Moore missed the game with a sore left knee. Gs Rick Brunson and Mateen Cleaves and F Roger Powell did not play.
SUNS 114, SUPERSONICS 113
PHOENIX (114) — Jones 6-13 3-3 18, Marion 5-4 1-2 12, Thomas 4-8 2-2 10, Barbosa 5-11 2-2 13, Bell 11-16 0-0 26, Jackson 3-6 1-1 9, Grant 3-5 3-3 9, House 4-8 2-2 12, Diaw 1-4 3-4 5. Totals — 42-85 17-19 114.
SEATTLE (113) — Evans 2-5 3-4 7, Lewis 8-15 0-1 19, Swift 0-2 0-2 0, Allen 10-20 5-5 28, Ridnour 6-12 5-6 18, Collison 3-6 2-3 8, Murray 2-5 3-4 7, Radmanovic 1-5 4-4 6, Wilkins 4-7 1-2 9, Petro 0-0 0-0 0, Scales 2-3 2-4 7, Noel 2-3 0-0 4. Totals — 40-83 25-35 113.
Phoenix 27 25 35 27 — 114
Seattle 29 37 28 19 — 113
Three-point goals — Phoenix 13-31 (Bell 4-7, Jones 3-8, House 2-3, Jackson 2-5, Marion 1-3, Barbosa 1-4, Diaw 0-1), Seattle 8-20 (Lewis 3-5, Allen 3-9, Ridnour 1-1, Scales 1-1, Wilkins 0-1, Radmanovic 0-3). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — Phoenix 42 (Marion 10), Seattle 36 (Ridnour 7). Assists — Phoenix 28 (Barbosa 7), Seattle 25 (Ridnour 7). Total fouls — Phoenix 28, Seattle 22. Technicals — Bell. A — 11,188.
Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or [email protected]