Game Thread: Miami Heat @ Seattle Supersonics

[Det the Threat]

After losing 3 in a row, the Sonics will play their last game of this month at home against the worst team of the league, the Miami Heat. The Heat changed their roster by trading Shaquille O'Neal for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Phoenix Suns.

The Sonics might be without a true point guard in this one, as Earl Watson is recovering from the flu, while Luke Ridnour injured his hamstring on Wednesday against the Nuggets. If both can't go and no other point guard is signed, then Mikael Gelabale would've to shoulder the load at the point guard position.

When and Where?

Friday, February 29th, 7:30 p. m. PT, Key Arena, Seattle, Washington

This game will be broadcasted by FSN NW in HD





Starting Lineups:

Seattle Supersonics


Miami Heat


Important Role Players

Seattle Supersonics


Miami Heat




Team Leaders

Kevin Durant 19.2 PPG & 1.04 BPG & 1.02 SPG
Nick Collison 8.8 RPG
Earl Watson 6.7 APG


Dwyane Wade 24.4 PPG & 7.0 APG & 1.78 SPG
Shawn Marion 10.6 RPG
Alonzo Mourning 1.75 BPG

Key Matchup


Chris Wilcox

vs.


Udonis Haslem

Just for the looks




Questions:
Will Green and Durant be able to keep up with Marion and Wade?
Can Wilcox give us solid numbers against Haslem?
Do we have to rely on Gelabale as our only option at pg?
Will we play with more intensity after being embrassed by the Nuggets on Wednesday?


Discuss and Go Supes Go!

[wiff]

Davis, Iverson and Wade in three games have fun KD.

So I'm glad the Sonics are playing the Heat because I have been thinking about making an off topic thread about the Heat but I can make my point here.

First off why on Earth are the Heat so bad? After all they have Wade who many people consider a top 5 player in the league.

Look how the Heat compare to the Sonics from last year. Sure they just got Marion so the jury is out a bit but they still are bad.

PG Watson and Ridnour = Banks and Williams
SG Ray Allen < Wade (in most people's opinion)
SF Lewis < Matrix
PF Wilcox = Haslem
C Nick > Blount

Bench

Petro and Wilkins = Davis and Wright

Coach Boob Hill < Pat Riley

Plus the Sonics were without Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis for a huge chunk of the season yet they still won 31 games in the West.

The East is horrible this season and the Heat can't get a win.

So last night as I was forced to watched the Heat on TNT for the 16th time this season. Reggie Miller said something that I have to agree with.

He said something to the effect of "if you switch Kobe Bryant with Dwayne Wade on Miami's current team, Kobe Bryant gets that team to the playoffs". I agree with that.

He also said no way does Kobe lose 26 out of 28 games on that team. Again I agree.

Wade is a good player no doubt but how much of that championship had to do with Shaq (The old Shaq, not an old Shaq)? I use to love Wade but he seems to me he is looking like a lucky TMAC.

Frequently hurt, had the fortune of playing with Shaq when Shaq could still ball, but Wade can't carry the load by himself. If TMAC played with Shaq when TMAC led the league in scoring and healthy while he was in Orlando he would have had a great shot at a title too.

Let's just say my love affair has ended with Wade, how can you be an All-Star when your team has 9 wins?

Basketball is a game where one player can dominate the game. If Wade is truely a top 5 player he should be able to squeeze out more than ten wins by now. Maybe I wrong but, I can't figure out how the Sonics won 31 games with tons of injuries yet Miami can't buy a win.

[AbdicatedReign]

Wade isn't healthy. Not even close. The fact he's still averaging what he is with no explosiveness or jumping ability is a testament to his ability. He's recovering from off-season surgery and wont be 100% till next season. I agree that with this year's Kobe, he makes that team better. But, last year's Kobe (when he too was coming off surgery) wouldn't do much better because he was pretty much what Wade is now. Expect Wade to be back to form next season.

[Dick Tate]

Wade isn't healthy. Not even close. The fact he's still averaging what he is with no explosiveness or jumping ability is a testament to his ability. He's recovering from off-season surgery and wont be 100% till next season.

I agree. I like the guy alot. Even though he isn't 100%, he's still getting 9 FTAs/gm this season. I love that.

So why do the Heat suck? It's the Ricky Davis factor, imo. That guy has left a path of destruction in his wake. Also, once the season went south, Riley has managed to tank to keep the team near the bottom, similar to the year they landed Wade.

And since i'm ending this post on my common theme... this one is a definite must-lose game on the remaining schedule. This could be one butt-ugly encouter as the tank masters go at it.

[BBen]

Teams take a long time to mesh with new acquisitions. Marion hasn't had much time to get used to the team. Look for them to improve throughout the rest of the season. Also, I'm not going to look this up cause I don't care much, but wasn't Haslem out for a while? I think he's back now too. I see us getting clobbered tonight. I watched them play the Kings and they looked like a real team.

[wiff]

Durant looks good tonight. He's seems to be looking to take it to the rack instead of settling for jumpers.

[OzThunder]

sometimes we look like a very good team on offense. Great start offensively, pretty bad on the other end. we always seem to struggle against quick guards that an drive. Baron, monta, AI, Wade. Maybe Wilks can help?

[wiff]

Man Sonics really could have used Ira Newble in the second half of this game.

[Det the Threat]

We're only 4 wins better then the Heat right now.......

Do we help the Wolves getting closer on Sunday?

[Joel Embust]

lol @ this thread..

3 pregame replies
2 gametime replies
2 postgame replies

[BBen]

It feels like we throw it in the fourth. Is it unreasonable to wonder whether the coach actually tells the players to lose?

[D5150]

are you seriously asking that question? yes it is unreasonable. and that is putting it lightly. if a coach told his players to essentially throw a game and the players had even an ounce of pride, they would refuse to go back in the game. get real would you? better yet look at your last post. you said "teams take a long time to mesh with new acquisitions".

[BBen]

You get real, life isn't nice. Players understand that rebuilding takes a bad record. If PJ can convince them that it's in their best interest to lose I'm sure it's possible that they'd do it. Of course, it's also possible that PJ just throws it with bad rotation and lackluster influence. His players never look happy on the floor and I continuously see Durant in the huddle obviously not paying attention.

[D5150]

wow, durant isn't paying attention in the huddle. thats key, because i always see players giving their undivided attention to coaches in the huddle. how does rebuilding take a bad record? the record is simply a buy product of bringing in new players, coaches, gm's, style philosophy, etc. the goal is to try and get better, not regress.

the sonics are relying on a 19 year old to carry them, they have injuries to key players, and as a team, they just are not that good. they have shown flashes, but they have a ways to go.

to suggest that a coach tells his players to loose intentionally or that pj is throwing games is just nuts. in fact some in the national media have talked about the art of tanking and have commented on memphis and boston from last season, then compared those efforts to teams like seattle. the contrast was clear, mystery injuries, crazy line-ups, etc. where are the mytery injuries for seattle this year. what about the line-ups? did they not feature two solid pro's in the rotation before they were traded? they have had to play some guys out of position because of injuries, but other wise, the rotations while not consistent (matchups, looking at different combos, etc), have not been blatently incompetent and do not suggest some intentional effort to throw games.

but you know what? no matter how reasomable an argument is, sometimes you just can't convince a person to see your side.

[Det the Threat]

PJ doesn't has to convince any of his players, cause we're just that bad and won't win in about 7 out of 10 games, with us being in a rebuild.

We also just lost the guy that brought us back in a lot of games, in Wally Z, and therefore don't have anything off the bench(scoring wise), that could help us back in games or even keep us in games, when Durant or even Wilcox go to the bench.

[wiff]

Players don't tank. Coaches, GM's and owners tank.

Earlier this season we were a bad team with a decent Vet presence. Now we a simply a bad team with lots of picks and cap space.

I can't see the Sonics winning many more games this season. I actually think Miami will end up having a better record than the Sonics will.

[D5150]

you know whats funny? earlier, when wally and kurt were getting lots of run, people were bitching because guys like petro, green and, gelly where just sitting. now that the vets are gone and petro, green, and gelly, are getting minutes, we are starting to see more of this intentional tanking talk b.s.

i don't argue the fact that some teams intentionally try to not win games down the stretch to try and improve draft position. but i totally disagree with the contention that the sonics are doing that now. tell me, what would be the point?

[jenn_gp]

I went to this game...I really thought we had this one in the bag. That blasted 4th quarter killed us again. WE looked like a team that was coming off a back-to-back, not the Heat.

And there was WAY too many Heat fans at the game last night...pissed me off.

The only good that came out from last night is that I bought a KD jersey

[BBen]

I can't see the Sonics winning many more games this season. I actually think
Miami will end up having a better record than the Sonics will.

Agree 100%.

It's funny, I end up getting off on weird tangents a lot cause D5 takes himself way too seriously and I can't resist the temptation.

[D5150]

you're right, I take myself way too seriously. you go off on tangents because you don't often know what the hell you are talking about and you argue youself right into a corner. but blame me if it makes you feel better.

edit: obviously i don't take myself that seriously. after all, i keep coming on this board and wasting my time arguing with people like you.