Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

NBA


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at 12:00 AM

E-mail article     Print view

Notebook | Durant told to be aggressive, but result so far is turnovers

It's a Catch-22 situation. Rookie guard Kevin Durant leads the Sonics with 43 turnovers, but the team is encouraging its leading scorer...

Seattle Times staff reporter

Player of the game: Starting at center in place of injured Darko Milicic, Stromile Swift finished with 24 points on 10-for-14 shooting. He also had five rebounds and four assists.

Play of the game: Late in the first quarter, Rudy Gay turned a Delonte West turnover into a highlight dunk. West threw pass off Johan Petro's back, Swift collected the loose ball and tossed it down court to a streaking Gay. The Memphis forward raced ahead of the pack, floated to the rim and flushed a windmill dunk that gave the Grizzlies a 38-22 lead.

Turning point: The Sonics trimmed their deficit to eight points at 58-50 with 2:29 remaining in the second quarter, which was the first time Memphis led by fewer than 10 points since late in the first quarter. Seattle committed three turnovers in the ensuing seven possessions, which killed its momentum and allowed the Grizzlies to build a 68-53 halftime lead.

Key statistic: Memphis blocked a season-high 10 shots, including seven from Pau Gasol.

Next: New Jersey, Friday, 7:30 p.m., KeyArena, ESPN.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It's a Catch-22 situation.

Rookie guard Kevin Durant leads the Sonics with 43 turnovers, but the team is encouraging its leading scorer to experiment offensively and discover how he can be effective in the NBA.

His miscues occur most often when he collects an offensive foul while trying to get to the basket or is whistled for carrying the ball.

"I just got to put my hand on top of the ball and be more careful with it," said Durant, who had five turnovers and 11 points in the 125-108 loss Monday against Memphis at FedExForum. "I got a couple of turnovers by being aggressive.

"I know they're bad turnovers, but I'm going to try to keep being aggressive. I just got to watch out for the charges and just make better passes. One I threw out of bounds that I thought he could have caught, but I floated it a little bit."

Before the game, Durant ranked seventh in the NBA in turnovers. Four of the six players preceding him on the list were All-Stars last season.

Scouting talent

Coach P.J. Carlesimo said Sonics general manager Sam Presti and assistant general manger Scott Perry attended the University of Memphis practice Tuesday.

The front office tandem likely were scouting point guard Derrick Rose and swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts. Rose, a 6-foot-3 freshman, is considered the top prospect in the draft next summer, and Douglas-Roberts, a 6-7 junior, was a first-team all-USA Conference choice last season.

NOTES

• The Sonics have three days off before the game Friday against New Jersey. Seattle plays seven of its next eight games at home. The next prolonged road trip begins Dec. 9, a five-game trek that includes stops in New Orleans, Chicago, New York, Minnesota and Utah.

• Center/forward Kurt Thomas (sore right hamstring) missed his third consecutive game but could see action Friday against New Jersey. Center Robert Swift (sore right knee) will be re-evaluated when the team returns home.

• Memphis played without center/forward Darko Milicic (sprained thumb) and rookie PG Mike Conley (strained right shoulder).

• The Grizzlies attracted just 10,863 fans Monday. Before the game, Memphis averaged 14,514 this season, which ranked 24th in the NBA directly behind Seattle.

SEATTLE
min fgm-a ftm-a or-t a pf pts
Wilkins 30:38 4-12 3-4 3-5 6 3 11
Green 30:45 4-12 3-4 8-14 1 3 11
Wilcox 20:43 6-9 4-6 1-6 1 4 16
Watson 21:33 4-8 3-4 0-2 3 1 11
Durant 29:51 2-8 7-8 0-2 2 2 11
Collison 19:03 5-9 1-1 1-3 0 5 11
West 26:27 6-10 2-2 0-1 4 2 17
Szczerbiak 24:02 5-8 1-1 0-5 1 0 11
Petro 17:46 1-3 0-0 2-7 1 5 2
Gelabale 13:11 1-3 2-2 0-0 1 0 4
Sene 6:02 1-5 1-2 3-3 0 0 3
Totals 39-87 27-34 18-48 20 25 108
Percentages: FG .448, FT .794. Three-point goals: 3-9, .333 (West 3-3, Gelabale 0-1, Szczerbiak 0-1, Watson 0-2, Wilkins 0-2). Team rebounds: 8. Team turnovers: 17 (18 PTS). Blocked shots: 3 (Collison 2, Sene). Turnovers: 16 (Durant 5, Szczerbiak 3, Petro 2, Watson 2, West 2, Green, Wilkins). Steals: 5 (Collison, Green, Watson, West, Wilkins). Technical Foul: Defensive three second, 5:16 first.
MEMPHIS
min fgm-a ftm-a or-t a pf pts
Gay 31:31 4-12 2-2 2-7 4 3 12
Gasol 30:22 5-9 4-5 1-7 5 3 14
Swift 24:28 10-14 4-8 3-5 4 5 24
Stoudamire 22:22 5-7 3-3 0-1 7 1 16
Miller 26:11 6-12 4-4 0-3 7 2 19
Jacobsen 21:22 1-4 0-0 0-2 1 2 2
Lowry 25:38 4-7 4-6 0-2 2 1 12
Warrick 25:02 8-13 0-0 3-5 1 5 16
Navarro 21:36 4-5 0-0 0-2 2 1 8
Kinsey 5:45 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 0 2
Brown 5:45 0-0 0-0 1-1 0 1 0
Totals 48-86 21-28 10-35 33 24 125
Percentages: FG .558, FT .750. Three-point goals: 8-15, .533 (Stoudamire 3-3, Miller 3-4, Gay 2-4, Lowry 0-1, Navarro 0-1, Jacobsen 0-2). Team rebounds: 9. Team turnovers: 13 (14 PTS). Blocked shots: 10 (Gasol 7, Lowry, Swift, Warrick). Turnovers: 13 (Navarro 4, Gasol 3, Warrick 2, Lowry, Miller, Stoudamire, Swift). Steals: 9 (Gay 2, Gasol, Jacobsen, Kinsey, Lowry, Navarro, Swift, Warrick). Technical fouls: None.
Seattle 24 29 24 31 — 108
Memphis 38 30 34 23 — 125
Attendance: 10,863 (18,400). Time: 2:12. Officials: Kevin Fehr, Mark Wunderlich, Bill Kennedy.

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

More NBA headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

Blazers earn 2nd straight victory

NBA | Winless Nets are still challenge for Celtics

NBA notebook | Iverson gets OK to leave the Grizzlies

New-look lineup lifts Trail Blazers

NBA | Bulls squeak past Cavaliers

Advertising

Video

Ken Auletta talks about "Googled"
Ken Auletta talks about Google with Brier Dudley at the Seattle Central Library.

Medal of Honor
Pelosi answers questions at Swedish Medical Center
Pelosi speaks at Swedish Medical Center
"Pistol" Pete Ryan
Mourners gather at KeyArena for slain officer's memorial
Procession for slain SPD officer
Election Night: Approve R-71
Election Night: Reject R-71
Election Night: Joe Mallahan

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising