RealGM Basketball

Oklahoma City Wiretap

Sonics And Suns Receiving Credit Around The League

For the first time ever, a week-long series of games featuring regional contests, divisional games and historic playoff matchups highlight the NBA schedule as part of Rivalry Week, which runs through Wednesday, March 2. NBA.com asked current players, NBA Legends and WNBA players what they thought was the best team rivalry in the game today.

ALEX ENGLISH, Denver Nuggets Legend "Out west I used to say the Spurs and the Lakers. Now, I would say the Spurs and any of the top two teams: Phoenix and Seattle."

GILBERT ARENAS, Washington Wizards "Besides us and Miami? Me and Dwyane, we got our little thing going: buddies off the floor, warriors on the floor. I wanted to say Indiana-Detroit ... but it’s not a game without Ron Artest. When Ron’s there you can expect anything to happen. That’s the biggest rivalry. The Phoenix Suns against the Seattle SuperSonics could be the best matchup."

The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers also received votes due to the ongoing fued between Kobe and Shaq.

Via NBA.com


Redd Holds The Key To The Bucks Future

Ray Allen is the reason I didn’t get much sleep on Saturday night. Michael Redd, on the other hand, will be the reason I will be able to sleep soundly from now on. I stayed up late Saturday and woke up bright and early Sunday morning, reflecting on the glorious past of Ray Allen dawning a Milwaukee Bucks uniform. The more I thought about Ray, the more I missed him. Even Larry Harris called shipping Allen to Seattle quite possibly the worst trade to Bucks franchise history. As I sat at the game wondering how the Bucks went from within one shot of the NBA Finals to a lottery team fighting to stay above water, the next 48 minutes of basketball changed me.

We are going to be alright after all. After watching Michael Redd dismantle the Sonics for 35 points, I have come to realize that we may never see Ray Allen in a Bucks uniform, but if there ever is a clone on this planet of Ray, I’m darn sure it’s Michael Redd. Allen and Redd were best friends when they both played together and it is obvious that Ray has rubbed off on Michael. Not only is Michael as swift as Ray on the court, off the court he has been everything a fan can ask of him. Nobody will ever be able to replace Ray Allen in this community and Michael Redd isn’t trying too, he is just trying to be remembered for his own legacy and what his impact will be on this team.

Via Zach Eisendrath/RealGM


Sonic Meltdown In Milwaukee At The Hands Of Michael Redd

In Ray Allen’s first game back in Milwaukee the first quarter score said it all. The Seattle SuperSonics began the second quarter down 31-10 to the 22-31 Milwaukee Bucks, unable to buy a bucket.

The Sonics shot poorly versus Minnesota and still managed to pull out the win in the fourth quarter. If they could do it versus the Garnett-powered Timberwolves, than by process of deduction, the Bucks would be even easier to come back against.

It never got any better. The Supersonics had no answer for Ray Allen’s replacement Michael Redd. Every time the Sonics tried to make a run, Redd was there with an answer. The fourth quarter tone was set by Redd when he picked Flip Murray with 4 seconds left in the third, drove the court and finished with an emphatic jam with no time left on the clock. Redd finished with 35 points on 14-25 shooting. Compare that to Ray Allen who finished with 16 points on just 4-16 shooting. The Sonics were blown out by the Bucks 99-73, a rare thrashing for the Sonics, but the fact that it is rare did not make it any easier to swallow.

Via Hunter Johannason/RealGM


Feb 2005 Archive