Team lacks floor leadership and overall athletism. Bibby is not the leader he was hoped to be, but just a sometimes effective point guard. Peja cannot deal with the added attention he receives in the post season. He needs help to free up his shot and none is forthcoming. They have no answer for Jerome James, of all people, and instead of doing something about it, just compliment him in playing well. :huh:
Their notorious complaining about the officiating and the rough play of the Sonics does nothing but makes me want to hurl. Who are they kidding?? They don't want the other guys to play rough with them because it affects their open jumpers?
So they try to act tough by driving the lane and getting the foul call, but unlike any other team in the universe, they don't even try to make the shot so they could go for the three point play instead.
The other team comes out in the second half with more intense defense. There's a surprise!! Let's not expect THAT to happen, right? So the poised Kings respond by jacking up some of the most ill-adviced shots ever attempted to somehow thwart the effect. Suddenly, they forget to pass the ball to open teammates and think it is up to "THEM" individually to make the big shot. Too bad it requires their knees to quit knocking together to actually MAKE those shots.
As their lead shrinks, you can see the desparation appear in each of their eyes, in different ways. Peja's eyes are clearly saying "Don't pass the ball to me!!" as he can't hit anything when actually being defended. Bibby's say, "It is all up to me not to make a mistake", as Ray Allen constantly steals the ball from him as Mike is looking elsewhere. Mobley's eyes are saying, "SHOOT THE BALL! SHOOT THE BALL! IT IS ALL I CAN DO!!! SHOOT THE BALL!", as he shoots and misses again and again. Miller's eyes are the most focused on the task at hand, but he soon realyzed his teammates aren't looking at him, so what is he doing out there?
Bobby Jackson and Corliss Williamson at least respond to the pressure, but for some reason that hoop has shrunk just for them and not for the Sonics.
The King's bench has an excellent view of how a calm and poised played can lead a team back from a deficit just by stroking jumper after jumper because no one can keep up with him.
The team isn't old. It just has no true 'stars' on it who understand how to deal with playoff pressure.
Auditions this summer for replacements will commence in August. The current roles should be vacated by then.
