Seattle News Tribune: Sonics take rest, beating in Houston

<a href="http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/sonics/story/4793676p-4412055c.html"><font size="+1"><b>Sonics take rest, beating in Houston</b></font></a>

FRANK HUGHES; The News Tribune
Last updated: April 21st, 2005 08:56 AM


HOUSTON – Who knew that a 28-point blowout could be reason for celebration?
Apparently that’s what the prospect of going to the playoffs does for a team’s psyche.

In their regular-season finale, the Seattle SuperSonics rested most of their key players for their upcoming playoff run, dropping a 106-78 decision to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center Wednesday night.

But unlike the previous night, when Sonics coach Nate McMillan was displeased with the effort by his players, he said Wednesday’s shellacking – with Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Danny Fortson and Antonio Daniels on the bench resting various injuries while the Rockets’ Tracy McGrady did the same – was more a function of who was missing and not what was missing.

“If you play the game the right way, I can handle the outcome,” McMillan said. “Tonight, it wasn’t difficult at all. I’m not sitting here saying losing is cool. But we played hard with the combinations that we had.”

That the Sonics ended the season on a meaningless two-game losing streak did not matter much to a team that is going to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Game 1 of the first round is scheduled Saturday night against Sacramento at KeyArena.

“We are just excited, proud to have the opportunity to play,” McMillan said. “We want to have fun with this.”

The Sonics finished the season 52-30, their best record since winning 61 games in 1997-98.

Ray Allen ended the season as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 23.9 points a game, while Lewis was second at 20.5. Reggie Evans led the team in rebounds (9.4), and Luke Ridnour led in assists with 5.9 a game.

Ridnour, in his second season, and Nick Collison, a rookie, were the only two players to participate in all 82 games this season. Jerome James played in 81 and Evans in 79.

Even as the game was a runaway, McMillan was unable to suppress the competitiveness that had him play his main players longer than he wanted to Tuesday night.

When Ridnour got tangled with Bob Sura in the first quarter and was called for an offensive foul, McMillan jumped all over referee Rodney Mott.

The next time down the court, McMillan continued to complain to the officials. Steve Javie, a notoriously touchy referee, told McMillan, “I’m not going to listen to that all night.”

“I don’t give a (darn),” McMillan said.

“Bang, there’s one right there,” Javie screamed as he issued McMillan a technical foul.

Javie was not even that kind to James, who was later ejected in what was probably his final regular-season game as a Sonic.

In the third quarter, James fouled Sura on a jump shot. Sura told James that it was a bogus foul, and while he was standing two feet away from Javie, James yelled some choice words at Sura. First technical.

James continued to debate the call with Javie, and it wasn’t long before James was tossed, going out the wrong tunnel to get to the locker room. He eventually found it because he walked out of it after the game.

The Sonics were competitive for a quarter, trailing 28-24 after one.

But with a lineup of Mateen Cleaves, Ronald Murray, Vitaly Potapenko, Collison and Damien Wilkins, the Sonics did not score for the first five minutes of the second quarter, when the Rockets reeled off 13 straight points to take control.

In the second half, Javie issued double technicals to Evans and Jon Barry for barking at each other.

After he doled them out, Javie walked to the scorer’s table and captured the feeling in the arena when he proclaimed, “Everybody gets a night off in the 82nd game but me, huh.”


<b>GAME IN REVIEW</b>

ROCKETS 106, SONICS 78

Key stats: The Sonics allowed the Rockets to shoot 54 percent, including 69 percent from 3-point range. The Rockets made 11-of-16 3-pointers. Reserve Mike James had four of them on his way to a game-high 24 points.

Star of the game: Sonics rookie Robert Swift played a season-high 17 minutes and looked like a different player. He was active, he was blocking shots, he even sank a swooping hook over Dikembe Mutombo. Swift finished with 10 points, three rebounds and four blocked shots and could barely contain his smile after the game as teammates congratulated him.

Turning point: In the second quarter, the Sonics could not score for the first five minutes while Houston ran off 13 straight points. The Rockets outscored Seattle 28-14, taking an 18-point lead.

Key observations: In the first quarter, Reggie Evans crumpled to the floor holding his knee after colliding with Yao Ming. He limped to the bench but returned after a timeout and played 24 minutes. ... Danny Fortson did not play because Nate McMillan told him before the game he was going to give Vitaly Potapenko some minutes.

Quotable: “We won 52 games. I don’t think anybody expected us to win 52 games. I am proud of what we accomplished.” – Sonics coach Nate McMillan.

 

<a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/221027_sonx21.html"><b><font size="+1">Sonics close with whimper, yet smile</font></b></a>
Regulars get extra rest for postseason opener

By DANNY O'NEIL
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Thursday, April 21, 2005

HOUSTON -- It took a little extra effort to spot some of the stars in Seattle's regular-season finale against the Rockets.

Three of them were dressed in street clothes as Rashard Lewis, Ray Allen and Tracy McGrady all sat out last night's game at the Toyota Center.

The Sonics saw stars all night, though, knocked for a loop in a 106-78 loss to Houston in which they trailed by as many as 39 points.

As a lopsided loss it was surpassed only by Seattle's the 30-point dud in the season opener against the Clippers. It was the Sonics' eighth loss in their final 10 games and the fifth time this month they lost by 10 or more points.

So why was coach Nate McMillan satisfied instead of steamed? Why were players looking ahead to brighter days instead of wringing their hands with the playoffs just three days away?

"I know we're capable of playing well," forward Nick Collison said. "It doesn't really matter, I don't think, because once we get into those (postseason) games, it will be a different story."

Are the Sonics (52-30) limping into the playoffs? Actually, they were trying to reduce the limps that have slowed them the past three weeks, giving key players one final day's rest before the playoffs start Saturday against Sacramento.

Seattle was missing five of its top six scorers against a team that had won six in a row, and the result was entirely predictable, especially since Houston (51-31) made 11 of 16 3-point attempts.

"I was concerned, going up against a top defensive team and you're missing 50, 60 points of your offense," McMillan said. "But we got some good movement and we had some guys make some shots to keep it respectable."

That's right, the coach who values effort first and foremost was satisfied, not steamed, despite his team never being closer than 18 points in the second half.

Must have been the afterglow of making the playoffs for the first time in three years. Certainly this is a more satisfying feeling than when Seattle won its regular-season finale each of the past two years to end back-to-back losing seasons.

"We are coming onto the big show, and nothing else matters but this weekend," guard Ronald Murray said.

Murray led Seattle with 22 points. Houston's Mike James scored a game-high 24 points off the Rockets' bench. Yao Ming -- the only one of the four All-Stars at last night's game who played -- had 13 points and six rebounds, but didn't play in the fourth quarter.

Murray started in place of Allen, and Damien Wilkins started in place of Lewis. Antonio Daniels was on the injured list for one last day's rest, and Danny Fortson did not play so McMillan could give time to Vitaly Potapenko and rookie Robert Swift.

Despite missing three of their regulars, the Sonics stayed close for one period, trailing by just four points entering the second quarter. That's when the game took a turn.

Seattle did not score for the first 4:56 of the second quarter, missing its first six shots of the period. Houston scored the first 13 points of the period and led by double figures the rest of the way.

This was a game for Seattle to look ahead, but not just to the playoffs. It was a glimpse into the future as Swift got the most playing time of his rookie season.

He scored 10 points in 17 minutes, making all four field goals he attempted. He also blocked four shots, including one by Yao.

Not bad for a 19-year-old chosen right out of high school, who'd played only 13 minutes all season, totaling five points.

Most impressive, he scored six points in the second quarter when he was matched up first against Dikembe Mutombo and then against Yao.

"Nervous was an understatement," Swift said. "The more I thought about it, the more I realized that if Yao Ming is not in the game then Mutombo is. It's going to be one of the two."

Swift blocked Yao's shot once, fouled him twice and Mutombo never did get to wag his finger after blocking one of Swift's shots.

Collison wasn't as fortunate. He had a pair of shots blocked by Mutombo.

Swift came in for the final nine minutes of the game, and the first time he touched the ball attempted a turnaround over Mutombo. Swift was fouled, but nearly made the shot. Instead, he made two free throws. He blocked a shot by Torraye Braggs in the final four minutes of the game. With 1:50 to play, Swift made a sweeping right hook over Mutombo.

"He looked like it wasn't something he thought about as he made the move," McMillan said. "He had confidence."

The question now shifts to the Sonics' confidence, considering the recent rash of losses.


ROCKETS 106, SONICS 78