OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Thoughts on last night, and only last night, so I will be making many assumptions.

- This team is a lot better on offense with West, and probably Luke, running the team. I will now demonstrate Earl Watson on offense:

dribble dribble dribble dribble
dribble dribble dribble dribble
dribble dribble dribble dribble
dribble dribble dribble dribble
dribble dribble dribble dribble

OH [censored] THERE ARE 5 SECONDS LEFT ON THE SHOT CLOCK.

- Jeff Green is a sexy mess of long arms and plays nice defense. Me likey.

- Durant threw up a bunch of odd shots in the paint, I assume mostly an artifcat of having Marcus Camby lurking. Mostly he looked like he was moving too fast. He's going to be so sick.

- Delonte West looks like a guy wearing a human mask. I loved what I saw of his game.

- We need Swift and Thomas healthy bad. Petro is a nightmare and Nick's so overmatched in the 5 spot.

- Wally cannot find his own shot at all and at least against a team like Denver is useless on defense.

- at first I was annoyed at Wilkins for shooting so much and dominating the ball a bit. Then I realized that he's our most consistent offensive option. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

- I don't know if Wilcox stops being agressive on the box or we stop looking for him, but he needs to be more involved in the game.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Dids, I love the homerism, and good luck in the quest for 25. I'm taking the "under" though.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

I think this team will be better than expected. This very much hinges on a healthy Swift and Thomas though.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

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I think this team will be better than expected. This very much hinges on a healthy Swift and Thomas though.

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If it hinges on the health of Swift and Thomas then they are definitely not going to be above expectations.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

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I think this team will be better than expected. This very much hinges on a healthy Swift and Thomas though.

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When your success hinges on Swift and Thomas, that's a key indicator that it's going to be a long season.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Bork + Clarknasty = instant ownage.

And for the record...

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When your success hinges on Swift and Thomas, that's a key indicator that it's going to be a long season.

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Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

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[ QUOTE ]
I think this team will be better than expected. This very much hinges on a healthy Swift and Thomas though.

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If it hinges on the health of Swift and Thomas then they are definitely not going to be above expectations.

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The prevailing assumption here is that Swift lives up to the hype. People were very excited about him before he was hurt at the start of last year. Unlike Petro and Sene, who've had a chance to prove that they're likely busts/too raw to ever develop but couldn't be called a bust because the draft was so [censored] you knew you were taking a risk even at the 10th pick, Swift hasn't really had much time to prove that he's bad. I do know he looks like he's basically doubled in size muscle wise (and saddly, hair and tattoo).

Thomas is a great fit for this team.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

I watched the game, and the Sonics looked pretty good.

They're going to get destroyed down low though.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Seattle is a training ground. This team will (edit: either be in Las Vegas or hickville) as soon as they mature to 41+ wins.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

dids please root for 29 wins. i need the help.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

I'm rooting for mid 30s. After last night I'm less sure.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Who finishes last in the NW. Portland, MN or Seattle?

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

It's a horse race to see which sinks faster, this thread or this team in the standings.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

MN last. Seattle next, then Portland.

Durant is great but it will be interesting to see how the season takes its physical toll on him as he still seems underdeveloped in that regard.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

MN has FARRRRRRRR less going for them than the Supes or Blazers.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

hmm.. not really. Longterm sure, in which it would go Blazers>Sonics>TWolves. But this season they're all really damn close. I don't think it's at all clear that the Sonics are better off this season. It all hinges on Durant being dominant. He's not yet and I don't expect him to be.

20/4/2 (a reasonable season line imo) on 40% shooting just won't cut it.

I'm almost tempted to offer a bet here, but I'm not that confident in the Wolves. Basically, I think all three teams are destined to win 18-23 games.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

kc,

Oddly, I checked a futures site and all three teams are listed to win ~28 games. I guess not "oddly" because rarely do futures predict >56 wins and there's usually 1-3 teams that finish at or above 60, so they regress towards the mean. It's worth noting that along with Memphis they are the three lowest win totals predicted.

Dids, Suns come to town tonight. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

I just guessed a figure off the top of my head.. 28 might be OK too.. my main point was, all 3 teams should finish rather close to one another and there's no real basis that the Wolves are in much worse shape than the others. I mean, how can a team with Big Al ever be that much worse than other cellar dwellers? He's the best player out of all the teams. Pretty much the best player in the NW division. Maybe even the western conference.

What's Memphis's total? If it's in the low 30s I'd be inclined to bet the over.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

kc,

Minnesota 27.5
Seattle 28.5
Portland 28.5
Memphis 28.5
Atlanta 29.5

Then there's a full five game jump until the next team, so at least one oddsmaker considers these five teams to be the class of the suck.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

I'd definitely bet the overs on Memphis and ATL.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

[ QUOTE ]
Delonte West looks like a guy wearing a human mask.

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I can't imagine what having Robert Swift on the same floor will do. It will be like the gold and silver medalists of the Fugliest Tattooed Off-White Guy Olympics joining ranks to fight beauty whereever they find it.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Delonte West looks like a guy wearing a human mask.

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I can't imagine what having Robert Swift on the same floor will do. It will be like the gold and silver medalists of the Fugliest Tattooed Off-White Guy Olympics joining ranks to fight beauty whereever they find it.

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This guy is off-white?

http://www.nba.com/media/act_robert_swift.jpg


Edit: While Google Imaging Robert Swift, I found this pic, labeled Robert Swift and Johan Petro:

http://x1c.xanga.com/2ad873705333314.../b10377176.jpg

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

They were fun to watch. The best part of the NBA for me is rookies coming in, seeing how they adjust, looking for the next big thing. Mello is out there looking like the best player in the NBA, AI, doing his thing, but I'm like, so what, get the ball to Durant, which one is Green...

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

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Thomas is a great fit for this team.

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He's a mover?

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

[ QUOTE ]
kc,

Minnesota 27.5
Seattle 28.5
Portland 28.5
Memphis 28.5
Atlanta 29.5

Then there's a full five game jump until the next team, so at least one oddsmaker considers these five teams to be the class of the suck.

[/ QUOTE ]

over for both dirty south squads

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

atlanta are gigantic locks to beat that

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

[ QUOTE ]
kc,

Minnesota 27.5
Seattle 28.5
Portland 28.5
Memphis 28.5
Atlanta 29.5

Then there's a full five game jump until the next team, so at least one oddsmaker considers these five teams to be the class of the suck.

[/ QUOTE ]

tuk, where are you seeing these?

-McGee

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Memphis at 28.5 and Atlanta at 29.5 wow wtf?!?!?

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

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Seattle is a training ground. This team will (edit: either be in Las Vegas or hickville) as soon as they mature to 41+ wins.

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Have you ever been to Oklahoma City?

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
kc,

Minnesota 27.5
Seattle 28.5
Portland 28.5
Memphis 28.5
Atlanta 29.5

Then there's a full five game jump until the next team, so at least one oddsmaker considers these five teams to be the class of the suck.

[/ QUOTE ]

tuk, where are you seeing these?

-McGee

[/ QUOTE ]
http://www.vegasinsider.com/nba/odds/futures/

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

here are my thoughts in no particular order of importance based on what I've seen so far this season:

1. Seattle will score tons of pts this year.
2. Watson is definitely the guy to run the point if the Sonics are going to run an up tempo offense.
3. Wilkins will have the season of his life.
4. Durant is trying to do a little too much right now. When he settles in and gets more comfortable, the bad shot selection will go away.

Overall, I think they have tons of talent, though I don't expect them to win many games. It goes without saying, though, that this season isn't about winning for them.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Memphis at 28.5 is the lock of the year, I love what they are doing with that squad.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

"Watson is definitely the guy to run the point if the Sonics are going to run an up tempo offense"

aslkdfjaslkfjasflkjasflkasfklasf

He was -31 yesterday!!!!

Luke is by far the best choice on offense, he's just a big problem on D. Just watching the first half tonight, the O looks so much more in control with him running things.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

[ QUOTE ]
I just guessed a figure off the top of my head.. 28 might be OK too.. my main point was, all 3 teams should finish rather close to one another and there's no real basis that the Wolves are in much worse shape than the others. I mean, how can a team with Big Al ever be that much worse than other cellar dwellers? He's the best player out of all the teams. Pretty much the best player in the NW division. Maybe even the western conference.

What's Memphis's total? If it's in the low 30s I'd be inclined to bet the over.

[/ QUOTE ]

A+

102,688 and counting

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

[ QUOTE ]
"Watson is definitely the guy to run the point if the Sonics are going to run an up tempo offense"

aslkdfjaslkfjasflkjasflkasfklasf

He was -31 yesterday!!!!

Luke is by far the best choice on offense, he's just a big problem on D. Just watching the first half tonight, the O looks so much more in control with him running things.

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Except Luke has an inconsistent jumper and isn't really that fast, which hurts a lot on fast breaks (compare him to Mike James for example) and driving to the hole. Or maybe I'm saying this since I've hated Luke forever.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Last night:

- Nick and Wilcox either just ran bad, or sucked at finishing, but we missed a lot of close shots.

- Wilkins dominates the ball far too much and bogs down the offense.

- Wally got totally torched on D and basically lost us the game. He should never see the floor vs a team like Phx. I think PJ screwed up hard in two spots. Leaving Wally on the floor and letting Earl run the team late.

- Earl still blows. Looks for his own shot too much, dribbles too much, takes horrible low % inside shots too much.

- Jeff Green is still sexy on defense.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

The whole offense kind of sucks. Lots of one on one creation. If it goes to the post it doesn't come back. To be expected with a young team (certainly don't expect the chemistry and passing of the really good teams), but was still pretty bad.

Wilcox shot a high % (11-17). Just going to miss some of those little close-in jump hooks.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Wilcox looks beastly

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

Watching Watson dribble into the trees, throw up a weak shot that gets swatted, and starting a fast break for PHX put me on lift tilt.

Durant, on the other hand, is going to a LOT of fun to watch in a couple of years. Hopefully the new group can convince Bennett to sell and keep them around.

Re: OM GO SONICS THREAD aka The Quest for 25 Wins
 

As a Georgetown fan, it's both funny and sad to watch Green standing around when he gets the ball waiting for people to move, which of course never happens.