Seattle Preview: Sonics Dump Suns, Look Ahead to Opener

With the NBA season right around the corner, the Seattle Sonics faced the Phoenix Suns in Vancouver on Friday night to wrap up their preseason slate.

The majority of the crowd turned out to support hometown hero Steve Nash, but the Sonics showed depth in winning 121-108—even without the injured Kevin Durant.

Chris Wilcox and Amare Stoudemire starred for their respective teams.  Wilcox poured in 27 points on 12-14 shooting, apparently motivated by the matchup with Stoudemire. 

Wilcox also grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots.

Stoudemire was impressive in his own right, dropping 23 points on 8-9 shooting while nabbing 11 boards.  He scored on his usual drives and dunks, but also showed off a smooth jump shot—even draining a three-pointer—that could make him unstoppable this year.

Kurt Thomas, surprisingly, was the second-leading scorer for Seattle with 19 points.  He showed a steady midrange shot while notching seven boards and two blocks.

Overall, Seattle's big men put forth a good showing, as Nick Collison also contributed 10 points, 11 boards, and five assists.

Robert Swift was injured and did not play, while Johan Petro should've stayed on the bench. He picked up three fouls in just eight minutes of play.

Rookie Jeff Green was largely invisible, but when he made a play, it was pretty—a smooth three-pointer, a drive to the basket, a defensive recovery to prevent an easy bucket. 

Green quietly contributed 13 points.

Seattle's starting guards were mediocre.  Luke Ridnour played 17 ineffectual minutes, picking up only four points and three assists with three turnovers.

Backcourt mate Damien Wilkins showed a lack of range, bricking every jump shot until midway through the third quarter.  Wilkins' hustle and energy were valuable in other ways, though, as he grabbed seven boards and four steals.

The Sonics' substitute guards played much better than the starters.  Delonte West was exceptional in driving to the rim, picking up 12 points and nine assists.

Earl Watson showed off his speed and played with much more energy than Ridnour, scoring 11 points while adding six helpers.

Wally Szczerbiak showed he's an excellent spot-up shooter, scoring 15 points on a number of long jumpers, including three from beyond the arc. 

Szczerbiak also showed an extreme lack of mobility and ball-handling, turning the ball over four times and looking positively glacial on the court.

Phoenix's starters were clearly superior to the Sonics' five, with each Sun scoring in double figures.  However, the Suns' shooting was off, as they made just 29 percent from beyond the arc (albeit without the injured Leandro Barbosa).

Nash had 12 assists in just 29 minutes—but without him in the game, Phoenix's offense had no movement and struggled to score.

The Sonics' bench markedly outplayed the Suns' reserves. Phoenix's interior defense struggled without Stoudemire in the game, as the Sonics went to the rim at will against backup Sean Marks.

Sonics Season Preview

The Sonics could be a fun team to watch this year.  It may have been a preseason game, but they still put up 121 points against the Suns. 

West and Watson are nice guards who can push the ball upcourt—but unlike Ridnour, they don't have great range.

Ridnour may be the starting point guard, but if this game is any indication, he won't be playing the bulk of the minutes.

Wilcox showed real energy and fire against the Suns.  He could have a breakout year if he plays like that throughout the season. If the Sonics struggle, though, he may find it difficult to stay motivated.

Collison plays hard and has a decent midrange shot, but he has a tendency to lose rebounds to more athletic players (e.g. Shawn Marion, Stoudemire).  Thomas will be a steadying influence on the team, bringing veteran knowledge, hard-nosed defense, and a good jumper.

Robert Swift, Mo Sene, and Petro are toss-ups.  Swift can provide a few baskets and a few blocks, but it remains to be seen whether he has the muscle to thrive in the paint.

Willkins and Szczerbiak could be a good tandem off the bench.  Szczerbiak can shoot spot-up threes, while Wilkins can guard an opponent's shooting guard or small forward—whichever one's a better offensive player.

While Green isn't very visible on the court, double-digit scoring is still nice.  Hopefully he can take some lessons from Watson and West in being assertive offensively. 

The offense didn't seem to have much of a game plan against the Suns, and had trouble finishing on the fast break.  If Kevin Durant is as good a scorer as anticipated, the offense may lapse into "stand around and watch Kevin shoot" mode.

The Sonics are still building communication and rapport.  Attribute this to the fact that half the team has been turned over since last year.

The Sonics have a number of quality NBA players, but no real stars outside of Durant.  Their depth could be their strength this year.

If PJ Carlesimo can manage players' minutes while cultivating trust throughout the roster, the Sonics will finish near the top...of the bottom half of the Western Conference. 

Making the playoffs is a bit much to ask, but a .500 record isn't out of the realm of possibility.