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Monday, November 22, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.
Sonics
Notebook: Awareness heightened for bumps in the night
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
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| Paul Pierce had 17 points and 10 rebounds. |
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BOSTON — On a day when NBA commissioner David Stern levied the most severe penalty in league history, nine suspensions totaling 143 games, every foul and every hard screen seemed magnified during the Sonics' 102-83 loss to Boston.
Seattle's Antonio Daniels looked into the stands at the Fleet Center and wondered which fan might hurl an object on the court that could spark a melee much like the bench-clearing brawl that ended the Indiana-Detroit game last Friday.
"Honestly, I try not to think like that, but after everything that's happened, you can't help but to have that thought float across your mind," he said. "I've never felt threatened on the court. ... But I've had times, every player has, when a fan says something and you think about some terrible things that could happen."
Everyone last night was on high alert, and there was increased security for the players and the officials, who were quick to diffuse any potential altercations.
Instead of throwing beer cups and metal folding chairs, one spectator waived a sign that read: "Keep the (peace sign)."
Early in the fourth quarter, Boston forward Walter McCarty floored Daniels and was given a flagrant foul, which might have sparked an altercation.
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Yesterday's game at a glance
Player of the game: Paul Pierce, nicknamed "The Truth," led the Celtics with 10 rebounds and tied Gary Payton for a game-high seven assists. He also scored a quiet 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting.
Play of the game: Late in the second quarter, Pierce spun around Antonio Daniels near the baseline and maneuvered past Nick Collison before softly dropping in a layup that gave Boston a 41-34 lead.
Turning point: The Sonics reduced a 10-point second-quarter deficit to one with 4:53 remaining in the first half but allowed Boston to rebuild its lead to 10 before halftime. Seattle never pulled closer than nine points the rest of the game.
Key matchup: Seattle's backcourt never accounted for Ricky Davis, who came off the bench and scored a game-high 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting. He also sank 4 of 5 three-pointers and dished out three assists.
Key statistic: The Sonics shot a season-low 35.9 percent, which eclipsed their previous worst of 37 percent against New Jersey last week.
Up next: At Minnesota, 5 p.m. tomorrow.
| |  | Daniels picked himself up and simply smiled. Danny Fortson, however, was assessed a technical seconds later for complaining about the Celtics' physical play.
"They are going to have to do that to get a little more control of these games. I heard the game was real physical on Friday, and if guys were ejected then it probably wouldn't have turned out (like that). ... I think they are going to call it tighter."
Few players seemed surprised that Ron Artest was suspended for the remainder of the season but most were shocked at the length of the suspensions given to Stephen Jackson (30 games) and Jermaine O'Neal (25).
Boston will face a short-handed Indiana team that dressed eight players and relied on a six-man rotation in its previous game, an 86-83 defeat on Saturday to Orlando.
"It doesn't hurt us no doubt about that," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "Honestly I wish it didn't happen and they were there."
The Sonics play the Pacers on Sunday at KeyArena.
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| SEATTLE |
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| min |
fgm-a |
ftm-a |
or-t |
a |
pf |
pts |
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| Lewis |
38 |
4-13 |
4-4 |
2-5 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
| Evans |
22 |
3-7 |
0-0 |
3-8 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
| James |
9 |
1-2 |
0-0 |
0-1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Ridnour |
29 |
1-5 |
0-0 |
1-1 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
| RAllen |
42 |
7-16 |
5-6 |
0-1 |
6 |
3 |
21 |
| Daniels |
29 |
4-9 |
7-8 |
0-0 |
5 |
2 |
16 |
| Fortson |
13 |
2-5 |
2-2 |
2-4 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
| Radmanovic |
25 |
0-8 |
4-4 |
2-5 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| Collison |
21 |
4-10 |
0-0 |
0-4 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
| Wilkins |
8 |
2-3 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
| Cleaves |
2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Swift |
2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Totals |
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28-78 |
22-25 |
10-29 |
20 |
24 |
83 | Percentages: FG .359, FT .880. Three-point goals: 5-23, .217 (R.Allen 2-5, Wilkins 1-2, Ridnour 1-3, Daniels 1-4, Collison 0-1, Radmanovic 0-2, Lewis 0-6). Team rebounds: 9. Team turnovers: 15 (12 PTS). Blocked shots: 2 (Collison 2). Turnovers: 14 (Lewis 3, Evans 3, Radmanovic 2, Collison 2, R.Allen, Daniels, Cleaves, Fortson). Steals: 11 (Ridnour 3, R.Allen 2, Daniels 2, Wilkins 2, Evans, Fortson). Technical fouls: Fortson, 10:34 fourth.
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| BOSTON |
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| min |
fgm-a |
ftm-a |
or-t |
a |
pf |
pts |
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| Welsch |
26 |
4-6 |
4-6 |
2-8 |
2 |
3 |
12 |
| LaFrentz |
24 |
5-7 |
0-0 |
1-6 |
2 |
2 |
11 |
| Blount |
31 |
4-8 |
4-5 |
0-4 |
1 |
3 |
12 |
| Payton |
35 |
5-10 |
2-5 |
2-5 |
7 |
1 |
12 |
| Pierce |
42 |
6-12 |
5-6 |
1-10 |
7 |
1 |
17 |
| Jefferson |
15 |
1-3 |
5-6 |
2-3 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
| Davis |
29 |
10-14 |
1-2 |
0-1 |
3 |
4 |
25 |
| Banks |
14 |
0-2 |
2-2 |
0-2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
| McCarty |
16 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| TAllen |
6 |
1-2 |
0-1 |
0-1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| Perkins |
2 |
1-1 |
0-0 |
1-1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| Totals |
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37-65 |
23-33 |
9-43 |
24 |
22 |
102 | Percentages: FG .569, FT .697. Three-point goals: 5-10, .500 (Davis 4-5, LaFrentz 1-1, Pierce 0-2, Payton 0-2). Team rebounds: 10. Team turnovers: 21 (24 PTS). Blocked shots: 8 (Pierce 3, Blount 2, LaFrentz 2, Jefferson). Turnovers: 21 (Payton 5, Blount 4, Davis 4, Pierce 3, Welsch 2, Jefferson 2, Perkins). Steals: 10 (Payton 3, Pierce 2, LaFrentz 2, Davis 2, Welsch). Technical fouls: Davis, 7:48 fourth. Flagrant fouls: McCarty, 10:34 fourth.
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| Seattle |
14 |
27 |
17 |
25 — 83 |
| Boston |
24 |
27 |
24 |
27 — 102 |
| Attendance: 15,410 (18,624). Time: 2:08. Officials: Steve Javie, Tony Brothers, Anthony Jordan.
Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company
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