It's nice that I don't have to write about a six-game losing streak right now.
The Hornets will try to build on Wednesday's unlikely win in L.A. when they meet the Sonics in Seattle tonight. Here's the 411 in your typlical half-assed bullet point fashion…
- The big news in this one is that Ray Allen will not play, due to a bruised talus, which everyone knows is a bone in the ankle. Allen and his 25ppg will be shelved for about two weeks.
- Damien Wilkins (son of Gerald, nephew of Dominique) will likely start in Allen's place. He scored 10 and grabbed 8 against Atlanta on Tuesday. He averages about 6ppg, and is nowhere near the shooting threat that Allen is.
- The Sonics are 8-11 on the season, which puts them near the bottom of the Western Conference (full standings here). They're 4-6 at home.
- Seattle have won two of their last three, beating the Hawks and Pacers and falling to the Jazz. They blew out the Hawks 102-87 at Key Arena on Tuesday. Six Sonics scored in double figures in that one, led by Rashard Lewis' 29.
- Lewis will be the main guy to stop tonight. He's averaging 23ppg and hitting about 42% from downtown. Luke Ridnour is running the point to the tune of 15 points and 6.5 dimes a night, while Nick Collison and Chris Wilcox are no joke inside. Full team stats here.
- There's some significance in this game for the people of OKC who may be hoping one of these teams lands permenantly in Oklahoma. Good luck with that. Meanwhile, SonicsCentral.com is busy organizing a Save Our Sonics campaign to help keep their team in the PNW.
- The Sonics' dance team look like this. One of the dancers, Ali Dudek, has her own website, btw. There's pictures and some other stuff. I linked her up before and she emailed to say thanks. Hopefully I'll get a phone number this time. I sound sexy on the phone.
Usual links for the Sonics at the bottom of this post. In other news, there's video of Lamar Odom's fantastic inbounds play from Wednesday, the Chris Paul AT&T Home Turf video thing is finally up, and Darnell Mayberry's blog is getting major comment spam.
- AP game preview
- Ray Allen is hurt and The Sonics are being smart
- Collison Thriving in Starting Role
- Seattle News-Tribune
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Seattle Times
- Sonicscentral.com
- Supersonicsoul
Tip is at 9:30 CT tonight and I'm never drinking again.