Advantage: Houston. The streak reached 11 games as the Rockets took the first game of a 'doubleheader' on a rare weekday afternoon game to commemerate Martin Luther King day. Though the Sonics lost, they were competitive, keeping the game close to the end (down four with about 2 minutes remaining), and hopefully setting the tone for the rematch in 2 days at home. Yao Ming was the difference-maker for Houston, scoring 30 points and pulling down 17 rebounds against an overmatched Sonics frontline. Really who can match up with Yao? Kurt Thomas is crafty, but Thomas, Collison and Wilcox are undersized against normal centers, let alone 7'6" giants like Yao.
Signs of Progress: Earl Watson had a good game scoring 9 points on 4-8 shooting and dished 9 assists in only of 25 minutes of play. He also played excellent defense on Rafer Alston , helping force him into a 5-17 night shooting the ball. Jeff Green was extremely agressive, leading the Sonics in both attempts and points, with 15 points on 7-17 shooting (the 17 shots were a season high for Green). On a team so devoid of offense, the skilled players (Szczerbiak, Green, Robert Swift) need to shoot. Alright, I threw Robert Swift in there just to make sure you were paying attention. Wally had a somewhat slow night, but still added 15 points on 7-16 shooting. The Sonics managed to stay in the game for 48 minutes, as opposed to less than a quarter vs. the Hornets and Mavericks.
Still needs work: The Sonics don't have a shotblocking presencse, but it would be nice to not be outblocked every game. The Rockets swatted 10 shots to the Sonics 3. The Rockets were steady with the ball with only 10 turnovers. Durant struggled again shooting just 4-13, and settling for tough shots. I'm afraid his confidence is just going to shatter at some point. Chris Wilcox is still slowed after his injury and continues to play poorly in limited minutes.
Verdict: For the first time since the Lakers game, and only the second time in 2008, the Sonics appeared to have a pulse. Next Wednesday will bring the first win of the year back home in Seattle. Book it.
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