Top > Sport > 2006 > January > 2006-01-19

Seattle?s Other Team

For years, the Sonics were the top professional sports team in the Settle area. Last year, the Sonics had a stellar season playing exciting basketball and givingtheir fans a lot of reasons to cheer for. This hasn?t bee the story this season, as the Sonics are barely grazing .500, not to mention a playoff spot. Things have gotten so bad that during Friday?s loss to the Heat some fans shouted ?Let?s go Seahawks?. It?s been that kind of year for the Sonics. No matter how hard they try, the club has often been Seattle?s ?other? team.

To suggest that Seattle?s defense has been porous does a disservice to sponges. The team is currently surrendering 105.2 points per game on 49.5% shooting. Charity like that would have made even Mother Theresa blush. The Sonics allowed the Sixers to shoot 53% from the floor, seven points higher than their average in Monday?s 107-98 loss before giving up 71 first half points against the Heat on Friday. In fact, Seattle?s ?D? was so bad against Miami that nine Heat players scored in the first half, including five in double figures.

The Sonics midseason coaching replacement was supposed to address that issue, but since handing the reins to former assistant Bob Hill Seattle has sputtered to a 2-6 record and now sit 8 games below .500. The offense has been inconsistent, the spacing has been suspect and the defense couldn?t stop a stampede of kittens.