Hey, It’s No Biggie, Sonics Keep Telling Selves
This is hardly the time to panic for the Seattle SuperSonics.
Sure, they’re coming off a 120-108 loss to the Utah Jazz. They were outrebounded, 46-26, and looked horrible in their halfcourt offense. Still, the Sonics had won 10 in a row before that loss and have the fourth-best record in the NBA.
“That’s what I said after the game,” Sonics coach George Karl said. “We’ll look at it, we’ll see it, but dammit, don’t let it lose your focus and let’s win the game (today).”
Without a doubt, the Sonics (28-10) can’t afford to lack confidence in the 12:30 p.m. game today with the Los Angeles Lakers (25-13) in the Tacoma Dome. The Lakers have been one of the surprises from the first half of the NBA season, and their 96-95 victory over the Sonics on Dec. 29 in the Forum is just one example.
“We can’t let it get to the point where the frustration sinks in and affects us (today),” Karl said. “We can’t forget all the good stuff we’ve been doing. You know, the Lakers are playing well; they’ve beaten us the last two times we’ve played them (including an exhibition game in Vancouver).”
The Sonics still are second in the NBA in point differential at plus-8.6 (two-tenths of a point behind the Jazz). They average 110.2 points, which makes them the third-highest scoring team in the NBA. More importantly in this matchup, the Lakers have the best assists-to-turnover ratio at plus-3.5, which is particularly significant after the way the Jazz destroyed Seattle’s defensive traps.
“There was always a fragility to our game,” Karl said. “This team picked us apart defensively, and we have to be a little more alert. A little quicker in reads. And not do as much aggressive doubleteams.”
The key to stopping the Lakers is slowing down point guard Nick Van Exel and small forward Cedric Ceballos, All-Star candidates. But more than the Lakers, the key for the game today will be whether the Sonics have a letdown.
“We just have to keep playing the way we have been playing,” Sonics swingman Nate McMillan said. “We can’t let one game change everything. We just have to play smarter and pick back up where we left off.”
Karl said he wasn’t certain if he would start McMillan at forward for the third game in a row, and not go with a true center in the starting lineup.
“But we have to rebound the ball if we’re going to play small,” he added, “or this isn’t going to work. I like the rotation, but we have to get certain things done.”