Sonics
Notebook: Evans' collision with Bowen draws blood

By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive

DENVER — Bandaged and still bleeding, Ryan Bowen stood outside the visiting locker room beneath the Pepsi Center waiting for Reggie Evans.

Considering the blow the Sonics forward delivered to Bowen, one would have thought the Denver Nuggets forward was seeking retribution.

Far from it. Bowen wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings between the two Iowa graduates.

"I saw him, but I didn't see him," Evans said of the third-quarter collision in which his elbow struck Bowen on the forehead and opened a gash that caused blood to stream down his face.

Bowen needed nine stitches.

"It wasn't a Karl Malone thing like what he did to Steve Nash," Evans said. "I didn't see him that long for it to be intentional. ... Besides, why would I do that? He's from Iowa. I want to see him to make sure he's OK and that he knows I wasn't trying to take him out."

Barry vs. Barry

Barry, who ranks sixth in the NBA in three-point field-goal percentage, almost certainly will receive another invitation to the three-point shooting contest during the All-Star weekend in February.

The Sonics' guard finished third in the previous contest. If organizers wanted to add a little drama to the show that often gets overlooked by the slam-dunk contest, they would be wise to extend an invitation to Barry's younger brother, Jon, who plays for the Nuggets.

"Oooh, that's a great idea," said Sonics guard Richie Frahm, a three-ball specialist who would also perform well in the contest. He hit six treys last night against the Nuggets.

"Jon has a different shot than Brent's," Frahm said. "He has a wider stance. Brent stands flat-footed; that's why he's so good."

Brent is shooting 44.1 percent on treys, while Jon is 17th at 40.6.

After Denver's game in Seattle last week, Brent joked that the league hasn't caught on to marketing its first family of basketball.

"We're not exactly LeBron vs. Carmelo," he said. "No one is paying hard-earned money to see the Barry boys just yet."

Notes

• The 115 points were the second-highest total for Seattle this season. The Sonics scored 124 in the second game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

• Twice in the first quarter, the Sonics had six players on the court after a timeout. The team was not given a technical foul for either delay.

Game at a glance

Player of the game: Richie Frahm missed just one shot and scored a career-high 31 points. He converted 10 of 11 shots, including 6 of 7 three-pointers.

Turning point: Ronald Murray baited Andre Miller into a foul as the Sonics' guard attempted a three-point shot. Murray sank all three free throws and Miller was given a technical foul for protesting the call that led to another free throw. Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik was also given a technical and when play resumed, Seattle led 86-75.

Key statistic: Seattle scored no fewer than 27 points in each quarter and shot 50.6 percent, its third-best shooting percentage of the season.

Next: Phoenix, Tuesday, 7 p.m., KeyArena.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company