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Shaquille
O'Neal: "When you are 60, hang out with 60-year-olds, not 20-year-olds.
That is all I got to say about Jerry Buss."
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HoopsHype.com Articles They
go marching on
At the beginning of the season many predicted the Seattle Supersonics were lottery-bound. Vin Baker was coming-off three unproductive, donut-laden years, Gary Payton was as sullen and provocative as ever, Nate McMillan was a first year coach with potential… but still a first year coach, and the rest of the team were too inexperienced, too overpaid or too mediocre. Well too bad for those that underestimated the character of these Sonics. Despite the odds and a slew of untimely injuries they’ve earned a play-off berth and more importantly a reputation as team to be taken seriously. After missing the playoffs for the second time in two years, the team was in decline at the end of the 2001 season. Free agent energy man Ruben Patterson signed a one-way ticket to Portland and the big fella Patrick Ewing decided to head to the land of retirees. New Sonics owner and coffee baron, Howard Schultz, along with team GM Rick Sund and McMillan had their work cut-out for them in the 2001 offseason. The key losses combined with the franchise’s apparent state of inertia compelled them to consider starting over again by trading star players such as Baker and Payton. However, Baker’s aptly overweight contract and Gary’s reputation as an immature locker-room recreant made any possibility of a fair trade highly unlikely. And in this age of cynicism about overpaid, insouciant players and money-grabbing owners, nothing will keep fickle fans and national TV away like the phrase, ‘rebuilding year.’ Instead, Schultz was forced to smoke the peace-pipe with Vinnie and Nate somehow managed to persuade Gary that he was an integral part of their plans by instilling a sense of belonging and responsibility in him. Only the expensive addition of unproven former Mavericks center Calvin Booth proved to be the sole change to the Seattle starting line-up, with returnees Brent Barry and Rashard Lewis making up the rest of the team. The highly inexperienced bench, including three rookies and two journeymen, were the only major differences in Seattle’s player personnel. So how the heck did this team get into the playoffs? Injuries. Key injuries shifted the entire focus and playing style of the team. The loss of Booth for the season and Baker for extended periods, forced the Sonics’ inexperienced players into accelerated maturation. No player has taken advantage of this more than Brent Barry -- who’s quietly developed into a team leader and clutch shooter. Brent had spent much of his first three years at Seattle playing a bit part in a team that needed him to assume a major role, indicative of his athletic potential. Instead he was content to defer leadership to veterans such as GP, Baker and Ewing. But when Nate asked Brent to step up his defense and assume a more prominent role on offense, he took to it like a duck to water. Brent has had a career year in shooting percentage (.508), points (14.4), assists (5.2), and rebounds (4.7). He did this by improving his concentration on defense and aggressiveness on offense. His ability to quarterback the team has also allowed Payton to operate without as many double-teams. Interestingly, despite his vast improvement, Brent has not been mentioned amongst those being considered for most improved player of the year. However, one player being taken into account for a league award, is potential MVP candidate Gary Payton. For too many years Gary has allowed his surly ways to transcend his innate competitive qualities as a leader. But something changed over the 2001 offseason. Perhaps it was the threat of being traded, or perhaps it was genuinely a question of how get the best out of Gary. This is where the rousing determination of Coach McMillan comes in. Nate challenged GP to take charge of the team, not only with leading by example on the floor, but by asserting himself (in a constructive way) off it. In short, let the young guys in. Gary responded by finally doing away with the temper-tantrums, genuinely relishing an opportunity to have a positive influence on this young team. And with Gary enforcing Nate’s virtues of graft and hustle, everyone came together with purpose and direction. As a leader he’s fostered respect from his players, while in turn offering them valuable advice. Something rookies such as Vladimir Radmanovic, Predrag Drobnjak and Earl Watson have all benefited from. Another player profiting from McMillan’s workman like ethos has been Rashard Lewis. Now, there are those that will point to his numbers and say he should be doing better, considering his size, touch and athleticism. However, that’s not the type of player Nate wants Rashard to be. He challenged him to improve his concentration on defense and to be more assertive on the floor. Yet, for a kid renown for his shyness, this was no easy task. But as the season has progressed so too has the character in Lewis grown. He has learnt to play with pride and controlled aggression – something the Sonics will miss if Lewis is still harboring a sore ankle some playoff time. Not that this is anything new. Nate has had to respond on the fly to adversity all season. But just like in war time, the best ideas come to the fore when one’s back is against the wall. The Sonics were a good shooting team, with some nice inside players. But once Baker and Booth were down, Nate had to turn to a pick-n-roll offense, and ask even more on defense from his undersized team. They responded as any good soldier does to a formidable General. Suddenly non-household names like Radmanovic and Drobnjak were taking clutch shots during the game ... and more often than not, making them. And unheralded journeymen such as Jerome James and Art Long were playing significant minutes and making significant contributions. This is what Nate does best. He’s like the MacGyver of the NBA. You lock him in a gym with nothing but developmental team, a clip board and a ball, and he’s comes out with a team that can challenge, and beat, the NBA elite. The reason for the Sonics’ success has to be most attributed to Coach McMillan. Nate has brought this team together like no one could’ve imagined. His playing style of perpetual energy and personal pride is reflected in the way his players carry themselves. They’re confident but not cocky, aggressive but not thuggish, determined but not belligerent, and most of all they have belief, but are not under any illusions. While the Sonics may not win the NBA championship this season, it’s safe to predict that if they continue to follow their General into battle, they’ll eventually return as conquerors. Jeremy Storey is a freelance writer based in Seattle and a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com Tell us what you think about this article. E-mail us at HoopsHype@HoopsHype.com _____________________ |
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