Sonics ‘Own’ The T-Wolves
The Seattle SuperSonics can break an NBA record tonight when they play the Minnesota Timberwolves.
If Seattle wins, it will be the 26th consecutive time the Sonics have beaten the Timberwolves, which would break a mark of 25 straight wins over an opponent currently held by Seattle and the Phoenix Suns, who had beaten - lo and behold - the Minnesota Timberwolves 25 straight times between 1989-95.
The last time the Sonics lost to Minnesota was on March 15, 1990, a 100-96 overtime defeat. Sonics coach George Karl never has lost to the Timberwolves in his tenure in Seattle.
Four times a year for the past six seasons, the Sonics have dominated the lowly Timberwolves. For the most part, Seattle has cruised, like the 124-87 shellacking it laid out on Dec. 5, 1992, or the 129-95 whipping it administered later that same season.
But there also have been some close, memorable games, too. How could there not be in a six-year stretch?
“We won a game here,” Karl recalled, “we were down six with about 2 minutes to go one night that we shouldn’t have won. Gary (Payton) made a couple steals in the backcourt. There were a couple close games here that could have gone either way.
“We’re very lucky to win all the games. It’s been an unbelievable run, really, against a team that’s a lot better than that.”
Despite Minnesota’s sorry history, there is no guarantee the Sonics will break the record. For one thing, the Timberwolves are a much-improved team, with Kevin Garnett, Tom Gugliotta and Stephon Marbury forming a solid nucleus of what Karl thinks certainly will be a playoff team.
For another, the Sonics are struggling. They are at the end of a long, arduous, five-game road trip that not only has sapped their energy, but has gotten them away from the fundamentals that had them win six straight before they left home.
“We kind of play better when he get a few practices,” Karl said. “And we have that stretch now where in (the last) 20 days we’ve only had three or four practices. I’m struggling a little bit with the new players. I guess I got comfortable for a couple years where you could go in a short practice and get something down. With all the new players we need some work.”
What has been hurting the Sonics most has been their offense. In the four games on this trip, they have shot only 41 percent and have not yet scored more than 100 points.
“I think offensively we’ve gotten a little lazy with our execution,” Karl said. “I think there always is a degree of drop when you are on the road. The familiarity is probably at least a half a percentage point. I think we’ve been missing a lot of easy opportunities; we’ve been missing three of four layups a night that if we made them the percentage goes up.”
Struggling the most are Payton and Detlef Schrempf. Payton has made only 21 of 63 shots on this trip (33 percent), including a 5-for-17 outing against Milwaukee on Sunday.
“I told Gary a couple of days ago, ‘You are still one of the best players in the game,”’ Karl said. “Even though he is not playing well, he knows how to play and he knows how to win. That’s what he is giving us.”
Schrempf has been only a little better, making just 17 of 48 (35.4 percent), including a 1-for-9 night in Detroit.
Said Schrempf: “We are not executing, we are not setting picks, not making the extra pass. We struggle to score; all of a sudden the shot clock is down and we are one-on-one. We are a lot better when he move the ball around.”
Needless to say, the Sonics would like to get a victory tonight. But setting a record is secondary compared to trying to get themselves righted again.
“Right now we’ve got other worries,” Schrempf said. “We are not playing that well. We can’t worry about (Minnesota’s) worries because we have our own problems to worry about.”
Sonics notes
Reserve center Aaron Williams had limited participation in Monday’s practice because of a sore lower back. Williams was hurt when he fell hard in Sunday night’s game at Milwaukee. … Trainer Frank Furtado said Williams is probable for tonight.