Sonics Update
Published 9:00 pm Friday, December 26, 2003
Opponent: Minnesota Timberwolves
When: 7 p.m.
Where: KeyArena, Seattle
TV: KONG (Ch. 6/16)
Radio: KJR (950 AM)
Probable starters: For Seattle – forwards Rashard Lewis (6 feet, 10 inches) and Vlade Radmanovic (6-10), center Jerome James (7-1), guards Brent Barry (6-6) and Ray Allen (6-5). For Minnesota – forwards Kevin Garnett (6-11) and Latrell Sprewell (6-5), center Ervin Johnson (6-11), guards Trenton Hassell (6-5) and Sam Cassell (6-3).
Next game: Seattle at Houston, 5:30 p.m. Monday.
Once Brent Barry and Ray Allen are both back in action, the Sonics will have six guards fit for duty. The other four – Antonio Daniels, Flip Murray, Luke Ridnour and Richie Frahm – have all seen extended minutes this season and have played well in stretches.
With Allen playing 35-40 minutes a game, though, it will be hard for Seattle coach Nate McMillan to find playing time for all six, even if the Sonics use a three-guard lineup, as they often do.
McMillan has already broached this topic with his team.
“There’s no way I can play everybody,” he said Saturday after the team’s practice. “Everybody on this team has played during this stretch when Ray was out (after ankle surgery), and everybody has had their moments when they played well. But we now have (Allen) coming back and that’s going to cut into everybody’s time.”
By occasionally playing three guards, McMillan can probably spread minutes among five guards. The likely odd man out is rookie Richie Frahm, even though he is one of the league leaders in 3-point percentage (22-for-41, .537 percent). Frahm will probably not play in some games and get modest minutes in others, such as those times when the Sonics need a burst of perimeter scoring.
“For the players it could be tough to adjust to,” McMillan said, “but it’s part of what I have to do.”
Scouting report: The Timberwolves come in as one of the NBA’s hottest teams, having won six straight games and nine out of 10 heading into Friday night’s contest in Portland. Prior to meeting the Blazers, Minnesota had also won six straight games on the road – at Phoenix, Sacramento, the LA Clippers, Washington, Boston and New York.
Minnesota led the NBA in field goal shooting (going into the Portland game) at .473 percent, was fourth in free throw percentage at .780, and was third in opponents’ field goal percentage at .412. Also, the T-wolves take care of the ball, giving up an NBA-low 6.407 opponents’ steals per game.
Minnesota superstar Kevin Garnett, meanwhile, was No. 1 in rebounding at 13.8 per game, and was fourth in scoring at 24.3.
Count McMillan among Garnett’s biggest boosters.
“I’ve always liked him,” said Seattle’s coach. “It’s his approach to the game and the way he plays. He plays both ends of the floor. He can totally dominate a game.”
Trivia question: In franchise history, the Timberwolves have retired one uniform number. Who did it belong to?
Minnesota injuries: The T-wolves will be without center Michael Olowokandi, who is on the injured list after recent arthroscopic knee surgery, and forward Wally Szczerbiak, who is also on the injured list with a strained plantar fascia in his left foot.
Guard Troy Hudson is just returning to playing shape after missing the first 25 games of the season with an ankle sprain. Also just returning is forward Mark Madsen has missed most of December with back spasms.
Trivia answer: Malik Sealy’s No. 2 was retired after his May 20, 2000, death in an automobile accident. He had played two seasons for the Timberwolves and had started 61 of 82 games in the 1999-2000 season.
Rich Myhre
