# Game 30: Seattle SuperSonics @ Denver Nuggets



## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

*@*









*Team Records*

*Seattle Supersonics* 12-15 @ *Denver Nuggets* 14-15

*Time:* 10:30 PM ET, Thursday, December 29, 2005
*TV:* TNT
*Location:* The Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

*Seattle SuperSonics*






































*Projected Seattle SuperSonics Starting Lineup*
*PG* - 8 Luke Ridnour 6-2 175 2/13/81 2 Oregon 
*SG* - 34 Ray Allen 6-5 205 7/20/75 9 Connecticut 
*SF* - 7 Rashard Lewis 6-10 215 8/8/79 7 None 
*PF* - 30 Reggie Evans 6-8 245 5/18/80 3 Iowa 
*C* - 9 Vitaly Potapenko 6-10 285 3/21/75 9 Wright State

*Seattle SuperSonics Reserves*
24 Mateen Cleaves PG 6-2 205 9/7/77 5 Michigan State 
22 Ronald Murray SG 6-4 190 7/29/79 3 Shaw 
77 Vladimir Radmanovic PF 6-10 234 11/19/80 4 None 
4 Nick Collison FC 6-9 255 10/26/80 2 Kansas 
27 Johan Petro C 7-0 247 1/27/86 R None

*Seattle SuperSonics Players Stats:*










*Seattle SuperSonics Head Coach:*








*Bob Weiss*

*Denver Nuggets*






































*Projected Denver Nuggets Starting Lineup*
*PG* - 24 Andre Miller 6-2 205 3/19/76 6 Utah 
*SG* - 3 DerMarr Johnson 6-9 201 5/5/80 5 Cincinnati 
*SF* - 15 Carmelo Anthony 6-8 230 5/29/84 2 Syracuse 
*PF* - 6 Kenyon Martin 6-9 240 12/30/77 5 Cincinnati 
*C* - 23 Marcus Camby 6-11 230 3/22/74 9 Massachusetts

*Denver Nuggets Reserves*
11 Earl Boykins PG 5-5 133 6/2/76 7 Eastern Michigan 
56 Francisco Elson C 7-0 235 2/28/76 2 California 
21 Eduardo Najera F 6-8 220 7/11/76 5 Oklahoma 
7 Greg Buckner G 6-4 205 9/16/76 6 Clemson 
43 Linas Kleiza F 6-8 245 1/3/85 R Missouri 
8 Earl Watson PG 6-1 195 6/12/79 4 UCLA

*Denver Nuggets Players Stats:*










*Denver Nuggets Head Coach:*








*George Karl*

*Out of game due to Injuries:*
Marcus Camby 
Kenyon Martin *questionable* 
Nene Hilario
Bryon Russell

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Sonics and Nuggets fans get in! :banana: :clap: 

Sonics fans you are all more than welcomed to express your feelings/thoughts regarding the game here. :cheers: 

This is an important game as its a divisonal game. The Sonics are nipping at the Nuggets heels. Also this game is going to be on the big show thursday via TNT. Melo will be coming off easily his most impressive offensive game of his career. Hopefully he will show up close to the same form again against the talented Sonics. We need to try and limit Ray Allen. As he has the ability to go off any given night. The inside game is very important. It's one of the reasons the Nuggets lost against the Sixers. If Camby and Martin can't go. The Soncis will have an immense advantage inside the paint. Should be a really fun and exciting game to watch.

Good Luck Sonics fans and good game. :clap: :cheers: 

Let's Go Nuggets! :banana: :biggrin: :cheers: :clap:


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

23, I read on another board that Camby may need surgery on his pinky and will be out for a little while. Is that true, or just an utter non-sense?

-Kitty


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## Chalie Boy (Aug 26, 2002)

Kitty said:


> 23, I read on another board that Camby may need surgery on his pinky and will be out for a little while. Is that true, or just an utter non-sense?
> 
> -Kitty


http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/9120740/rss :curse: 

Im a Camby fan...I have been one since his Knick days..


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

Kitty said:


> 23, I read on another board that Camby may need surgery on his pinky and will be out for a little while. Is that true, or just an utter non-sense?
> 
> -Kitty


Thanks for informing us Kitty, and you're right he will be out. Such a shame Camby will be out for awhile now it seems. Going to be very difficult ont he Nuggets rest of the way with out Camby.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

Time to put Camby on the Injured list as well now.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

Chalie Boy said:


> http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/9120740/rss :curse:
> 
> Im a Camby fan...I have been one since his Knick days..


Chalie Boy thanks for that article find regarding Camby. Come back and post anytime here as well.


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

Well guys, the Sonics will lose....believe me, they will lose. This team is just playing bad, bad, ugly basketball. they are at .500 at home, they get blown out on the road, they're just pathetic. No matter how much the Nuggets are struggling or not struggling, I just cannot see the Sonics even having a chance to win tomorrow. 

& Luke may not play tomorrow---he's been throwing up & been nauseated ever since he took an elbow in the sternum against Dallas last Friday---he might fly to Denver from Seattle, but that's up in the air right now as to when he returns. 

I'm just hoping the Sonics don't get embarrased on national TV. Thank f***ing God that Minny game wasn't on ESPN or TNT....eek, that would have been humiliating. If & when the Nuggets win, I hope it's at least close, & hopefully Carmelo doesn't drop 50+ on our horrific defense.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

myELFboy said:


> Well guys, the Sonics will lose....believe me, they will lose. This team is just playing bad, bad, ugly basketball. they are at .500 at home, they get blown out on the road, they're just pathetic. No matter how much the Nuggets are struggling or not struggling, I just cannot see the Sonics even having a chance to win tomorrow.
> 
> & Luke may not play tomorrow---he's been throwing up & been nauseated ever since he took an elbow in the sternum against Dallas last Friday---he might fly to Denver from Seattle, but that's up in the air right now as to when he returns.
> 
> I'm just hoping the Sonics don't get embarrased on national TV. Thank f***ing God that Minny game wasn't on ESPN or TNT....eek, that would have been humiliating. If & when the Nuggets win, I hope it's at least close, & hopefully Carmelo doesn't drop 50+ on our horrific defense.


Sheesh, I take it the Sonics had a bad game tonight ?

This game will probably be close with all the injuries the Nuggets have had.


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

23AJ said:


> Sheesh, I take it the Sonics had a bad game tonight ?
> 
> This game will probably be close with all the injuries the Nuggets have had.


Actually I'm being honest. We have awful guard play & injuries. Luke doesn't look probable, & Flip was 1-12 FG tonight with 1 assist & is injured with two dislocated fingers; he's inconsistent enough when he's healthy, he's a lot worse when he's injured. Rashard led the team in assists----with *3*....yeah, it's pretty damn bad.

Yeah, I sound awfully pessimisitc. I've done the math....unless the Sonics score 110+ points, they aren't likely to win.

In 6 of their 12 wins, they have scored 110+ points. They have also won 4 scoring in the range of 105-110. They have only won 2 scoring less than 105. 

In 13 of their losses, they've given up 100+ points, and in 2 losses they've given up less than 100 points. 

& up in mile high, with the lack of energy they play with anyway, I just do not see the Sonics winning. Maybe they surprise me & put forth a good effort, I don't know, but right now I do not see the Supes winning.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

myELFboy said:


> Actually I'm being honest. We have awful guard play & injuries. Luke doesn't look probable, & Flip was 1-12 FG tonight with 1 assist & is injured with two dislocated fingers; he's inconsistent enough when he's healthy, he's a lot worse when he's injured. Rashard led the team in assists----with *3*....yeah, it's pretty damn bad.
> 
> Yeah, I sound awfully pessimisitc. I've done the math....unless the Sonics score 110+ points, they aren't likely to win.
> 
> ...


Wow are you really questioning the Sonics effort ? Usually I think teams can stink it up pretty bad, but I usually never question teams effort. Most of the times I see teams getting blown away because they are over matched. I could really see how the Sonics would of been over matched by a T-Wolves team that is playing really well right now.

Thats the one thing if the Sonics play with effort the game against the Nuggets should be close. You have a superstar in Ray Allen just like the Nuggets in Melo, However where the Sonics have a clear advantage especially if K-Mart can't play is in the paint. I'm just hoping Melo/Miller are 2 big guns will have a great game tonight and push the tempo on the Sonics. Tough to hear about Luke, but can't say I'm too sorry about it. Since thats been the Nuggets curse this season, one injury after another.


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

they put forth effort on offense (most nights), but not defense.....Reggie always puts forth a good effort, but one man can't win it. They did beat Minny at home earlier this season (& believe me, home is no advantage for Seattle this season; 8-8), so they are/were capable of beating Minnesota, if they started out with some energy on the defensive end....they gave up 30 pts in the first qtr, mostly because of turnovers---7 in the first alone. So tonight, the offense was horrendous, because we didn't have a PG running the show, rather 2 SG's & a SF/SG. 

Rashard, Ray, Flip are not good defenders; Flip has to be the worst out of them all. They cheat screens, they leave men wide open, they forget to rotate, it's pretty bad. Vitaly is slow as hell, & fast guards can slash right through the paint & draw fouls on all our bigs with ease. That's one of the reason's why I liked the Minny matchup initially....they don't really have that fast guard that breaks down the defense & kills the Sonics. They did it other ways & the Sonics helped lose this as well with 22 turnovers that led to 28 Minny pts. & the Wolves aren't a great offensive team. 

I just really don't have faith, which is bad I know. Last year they had consistency, guys knew their roles, the coaching staff figured out the formula to win (which is to slow down the game & take care of possesions, because they weren't good defensively last year, they played smarter offensively). This year they make dumb decisions on the offensive end, Ray keeps getting double teamed & has had a crappy year thus far. Rashard isn't getting enough touches....nothing is consistent. Even when they win, like the win against Boston, it doesn't feel good because they gave up 111 pts.

Hopefully it's an entertaining game & neither team shoots themselves in the feet early, so it's not a game that is done in the first qtr. I just like your team in this game because of your guard play & Melo torching teams.....& since the Sonics are one of the worst defensive teams in NBA history, I don't like the matchups.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

myELFboy said:


> they put forth effort on offense (most nights), but not defense.....Reggie always puts forth a good effort, but one man can't win it. They did beat Minny at home earlier this season (& believe me, home is no advantage for Seattle this season; 8-8), so they are/were capable of beating Minnesota, if they started out with some energy on the defensive end....they gave up 30 pts in the first qtr, mostly because of turnovers---7 in the first alone. So tonight, the offense was horrendous, because we didn't have a PG running the show, rather 2 SG's & a SF/SG.
> 
> Rashard, Ray, Flip are not good defenders; Flip has to be the worst out of them all. They cheat screens, they leave men wide open, they forget to rotate, it's pretty bad. Vitaly is slow as hell, & fast guards can slash right through the paint & draw fouls on all our bigs with ease. That's one of the reason's why I liked the Minny matchup initially....they don't really have that fast guard that breaks down the defense & kills the Sonics. They did it other ways & the Sonics helped lose this as well with 22 turnovers that led to 28 Minny pts. & the Wolves aren't a great offensive team.
> 
> ...


Good break down regarding the Sonics. Can't really comment on it to much myself as I haven't followed the Sonics since the last days of Payton in Seattle.

It's suprising to me that the Sonics are playing this bad, considering they were the horse that won the Northwest division last season.

I guess losing Nate McMillan was a bigger deal than I thought it would be.

I'm sure it wll be an entertaining game. There are mismatches for both teams. However You have some solid guys in the paint. Nuggets are going to have to rebound as a team with our bigs injuried.

Good luck by the way. It will be interesting to hear Barkleys comments at half time. :biggrin:


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

23AJ said:


> Good break down regarding the Sonics. Can't really comment on it to much myself as I haven't followed the Sonics since the last days of Payton in Seattle.
> 
> It's suprising to me that the Sonics are playing this bad, considering they were the horse that won the Northwest division last season.
> 
> ...


You know, I didn't think losing him would have an impact until 2 years from now....but obviously I was wrong....I thought that as long as Ray was in his prime, the team would be successful; now I find that is terribly wrong. Weiss is pretty much the opposite of Nate....Nate is an intense guy that demands respect; he doesn't smile on the sidelines during games, he won't keep a player in the game that is not playing scrappy, & he has been called a great motivator by players. He also does not believe in playing the "run & gun" style of offense, something the Sonics management/ownership desperately wants. (another reason, besides the $$$, why I think he left)

Weiss is laid back, smiles on the sidelines when players make errant passes (he did in the PHX game; Rashard threw a bad pass that went out of bounds & Weiss was smiling), he keeps players in that are playing horrific on both ends (i.e. Flip Murray tonight & Vitaly) & he's not a disciplinarion like Nate was. Dwane Casey would've been a perfect fit, because he's somewhat like Nate, but no, we got stuck with the worst option. & I see now that Portland has strung together some wins & are winning low scoring games.....they might pass Seattle in the division in the month of January.....

As far as our bigs go, Danny will be key----he's our best +/- guy & he seems to bring energy to the other guys off the bench.....unfortunately he got ejected tonight, & it came at the worst possible time---the Sonics had cut a 22 pt lead to 8 in the 4th, & they got a stop & Danny was double teamed in the corner with the rebound, & got called for either traveling or throwing elbows, & was upset & exploded on a ref.....then Minny went on a 7-0 run & the game was for sure done. Reggie has been ascoring a lot lately & rebounding like crazy s usual, so I expect him to have a good game. Vitaly is Vitaly; slow, unspectacular. & Nick has been getting into lots of foul trouble this year, so who knows what happens with him tomorrow. Vladimir is really streaky as well....sometimes he is a scoring & defensive machine, sometimes he gets into quick foul trouble & can't buy a shot & plays bad defense....he seems due for a good game. 

yeah, Barkley will be interesting, lol. He'll probably talk about defense & how one or both teams don't play defense, etc.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

myELFboy said:


> You know, I didn't think losing him would have an impact until 2 years from now....but obviously I was wrong....I thought that as long as Ray was in his prime, the team would be successful; now I find that is terribly wrong. Weiss is pretty much the opposite of Nate....Nate is an intense guy that demands respect; he doesn't smile on the sidelines during games, he won't keep a player in the game that is not playing scrappy, & he has been called a great motivator by players. He also does not believe in playing the "run & gun" style of offense, something the Sonics management/ownership desperately wants. (another reason, besides the $$$, why I think he left)
> 
> Weiss is laid back, smiles on the sidelines when players make errant passes (he did in the PHX game; Rashard threw a bad pass that went out of bounds & Weiss was smiling), he keeps players in that are playing horrific on both ends (i.e. Flip Murray tonight & Vitaly) & he's not a disciplinarion like Nate was. Dwane Casey would've been a perfect fit, because he's somewhat like Nate, but no, we got stuck with the worst option. & I see now that Portland has strung together some wins & are winning low scoring games.....they might pass Seattle in the division in the month of January.....
> 
> ...


Yep sounds like Bob Weiss is the type of coach that wont be able to handle a guy like Fortson. Thats what I liked about Nate in Seattle he could handle a guy like Fortson. Plus at the time you had Jerome James. Who I like to call the garbage bag victim. After his fashion statement against the Kings last year in the playoffs. Weiss needs to be hard on his guys if he wants them to respect him. Something Karl did when he came in to Denver. He even benched Melo. Do you know where Weiss coached before Seattle ? And whats his NBA W/L record ?


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

23AJ said:


> Do you know where Weiss coached before Seattle ? And whats his NBA W/L record ?


'86-'87---San Antonio
'90-'92---Atlanta
'93---L.A. Clippers
'05- ---Seattle
=========================

--During his time in SA he was 28-54, then 31-51(3 losses in postseason---postseason, w/ that record?? eek)
--In Atlanta, 43-39 (went to playoffs, lost 3 games), then 38-44, & 43-39 again (3 more losses in postseason)
--With the Clips, 27-55
--& now with Seattle, 12-15

==========================

he claims those teams were either old teams or rebuilding teams & that he was put in bad situations.....

A lot of Sonics fans think he was hired because he's a "yes" man & the Sonics FO likes to have control, where as Nate didn't like having the FO tell him what to do, & last year, decided to run the team the way he wanted to (& obviously it worked). Plus, Ray Allen endorsed Bob Weiss, & whatever Ray wants, the Sonics FO does.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

myELFboy said:


> '86-'87---San Antonio
> '90-'92---Atlanta
> '93---L.A. Clippers
> '05- ---Seattle
> ...


Not a very impressive resume.


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## pac4eva5 (Dec 29, 2005)

melo will get 50...


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

pac4eva5 said:


> melo will get 50...


I'll take 50 for Melo, and a win for the Nuggets. :biggrin:


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

lots of Seattle TO's & no transition defense.


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## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

If Watson isn't going to defend, what good is he?


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## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

Absolutely horrible 4th quarter. 0-6 on 3's with 22 seconds to go.

Why oh why can't this team run a half court offense?


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## Phenom Z28 (Nov 22, 2004)

Melo scored his 4,000th career point tonight and currently stands at 4,002. 

It took him only 186 games to accomplish the feat.


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## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

ok so the Sonics actually won...I'm shocked. But they had to score 110+ pts to do so, which is a scary trend this team has going.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

Well well well...I'm very disappointed again in the Nuggets. I guess I haven't come to terms that we may end up losing a lot of games this season. Something inside of me keeps saying things will get better.

Andre Miller picked the wrong night to go 3 for 9 from the field. This was easily Millers worse scoring game of the season. However he managed to keep the pace up, and push the ball ending with 13 assists. Obviously our fast break is going at a good rate, however we still can't hit the open jump shot in a half court setting. Camby at least gave us a preassure release for Melo in the half court offense. With Miller struggling tonight the Sonics were able to shut down Melo in the 4th. This team desperately needs a shooter in the starting lineup with size. We have boykins, but he is just our scoring spark off the bench. We need more than that.

However even though Melo was shut down in the 4th quarter he had an over-all really good game. I really liked his defense in the passing lanes. However R. Lewis had his way with Melo in the post.

Elson had a pretty nice game tonight with 15 points 9 rebounds and 1 blocked shot.

My only complaint with Melo is his rebounding this season. He really needs to step it up. Our PG shouldnt be averaging nearly the same amount of rebounds as Melo.

Ray Allen was incredible from the 3 point line tonight. The guy can make one fake step back , and drain 3's all day. Very impressive.

This loss also hurts as it was to the Sonics a team right behind us in our division.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

*Box Score*


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

*Game Pictures*


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## Natedagreat12 (Nov 26, 2005)

hey earl's shot got N.2 On the TOP Ten today on Sports Center. I am really losing hope in these guys. They got talent that isnt being used


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