Sonics
Notebook: Fortson gets 1-game suspension

By Jayda Evans
Seattle Times staff reporter

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Sonics forward Danny Fortson was headed the wrong way when he greeted former Sonic Michael Cage before leaving KeyArena about two hours before yesterday's game.

Fortson, in his first season with the Sonics after a trade from Dallas, was suspended without pay for one game for a foul against Chris Bosh in Friday's 88-87 win over Toronto.

Fortson fouled Bosh underneath the hoop with 10:19 remaining in the second quarter.

Stu Jackson, NBA senior vice president of basketball operations, announced that the foul was upgraded to a flagrant.

Sonics coach Nate McMillan said he saw the foul while reviewing the game tape and thought Fortson could be fined. The suspension, a possible result of officials also reviewing tape and/or coaches complaining about the Sonics' newfound aggressive style of play, was a surprise, however.

Many in the Sonics' camp believe Fortson, a 6-foot-8, 260-pound forward, is watched closely because of his flagrant foul against Phoenix's Zarko Cabarkapa last season, which resulted in Cabarkapa missing 22 games with a broken wrist.

Yesterday's game at a glance Player of the game: Antonio Daniels scored 10 of his season-high 28 points during the Sonics' fourth-quarter comeback. Daniels, the team's third-leading scorer, was 8 for 12 from the field and made nine of his 10 free-throw attempts. Reserve of the game: In the midst of the Sonics' charge to get back into the game in the fourth, rookie forward Nick Collison had a sweet behind-the-back pass to forward Rashard Lewis that Lewis converted into a dunk. In 15 minutes, Collison finished with two points, five rebounds and two blocked shots before fouling out. Digits: The Sonics had one offensive rebound in the first half. Spotlight: Lorenzo Romar, University of Washington coach, watched the game with his wife from seats behind the visitors' bench. Next: Tomorrow at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.

But the Bosh foul was nothing compared to Fortson elbowing Sacramento's Brad Miller on a rebound, which busted Miller's lip, or tangling with Kings center Greg Ostertag, which caused the latter to trip Fortson in retaliation. The Kings complained about Fortson and forward Reggie Evans grabbing and pushing after they lost by 30 points.

Only in Friday's game, Fortson was ineffective and hardly used, playing 10 minutes and finishing with no points, no rebounds and five fouls. NBA commissioner David Stern was in attendance, however, which could have played a role in the suspension.

"It's natural motion for Danny," said McMillan, defending his new power forward's style of play. "We've done some good things and coaches are calling in as I would do a team that outworked me. We send tapes in all the time.

"I want (Danny) to be aggressive. He just has to be aware that aggressive play at times or anything close, he may get that call."

Teammate Antonio Daniels said Fortson was calm when he left the locker room.

"I guess eyes are on Danny," Daniels said. "We all have to watch what we're doing because we're being watched a little closer."

Road trip

One thing missing from the Sonics' impressive start has been a lengthy trip. The upcoming six-game stint, which starts tomorrow in Philadelphia and also takes the team to New Jersey, Toronto, Boston, Minnesota and Memphis, gives the Sonics a chance to back up their 6-1 start.

But guard Ronald Murray and center Vitaly Potapenko will not travel with the team.

Potapenko, who broke a finger on his right hand in the exhibition finale, will be out another two weeks. Murray strained his left quadriceps and missed all of training camp. He thought he'd return to play in his hometown, Philadelphia, but trainers want to see him practice before declaring him healthy.

"I want him to practice a few times before we take him off the injured list," McMillan said. "And we talked about that."

MEMPHIS
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Battier	29	2-4	0-0	2-6	2	4	4
Gasol	34	9-17	7-9	0-3	5	0	25
Wright	24	3-6	0-0	3-5	0	3	6
Wells	36	4-12	4-4	0-1	6	5	12
Williams	29	3-8	2-3	0-3	7	2	11
Miller	22	7-8	2-3	0-1	3	5	18
SSwift	23	4-7	4-4	1-6	1	5	12
Jones	11	2-3	0-0	0-0	1	2	5
Watson	19	4-7	4-4	0-1	4	4	13
Cardinal	13	2-3	2-2	0-1	1	1	7
Totals		40-75	25-29	6-27	30	31	113

Percentages: FG .533, FT .862. Three-point goals: 8-16, .500 (Williams 3-5, Miller 2-3, Watson 1-2, Jones 1-2, Cardinal 1-2, Battier 0-1, Wells 0-1). Team rebounds: 8. Team turnovers: 12 (19 PTS). Blocked shots: 3 (Wright, Wells, Cardinal). Turnovers: 11 (Watson 3, Gasol 2, Wright 2, Wells 2, S.Swift, Battier). Steals: 7 (Battier 3, Williams, Miller, Wells, Cardinal). Technical fouls: None.

SEATTLE
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Evans	33	3-5	4-4	2-6	1	2	10
Lewis	45	6-10	2-2	3-12	1	2	14
James	15	3-6	1-3	0-0	0	4	7
Allen	41	10-16	12-13	0-5	2	4	34
Ridnour	36	5-8	6-6	1-3	8	1	17
Radmanovic	19	3-8	0-1	0-1	2	3	6
Daniels	32	8-12	9-10	0-1	1	2	28
Collison	15	1-3	0-0	0-5	1	6	2
Wilkins	4	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0
Totals		39-68	34-39	6-33	16	25	118

Percentages: FG .574, FT .872. Three-point goals: 6-13, .462 (Daniels 3-5, Allen 2-4, Ridnour 1-1, Lewis 0-1, Radmanovic 0-2). Team rebounds: 5. Team turnovers: 12 (18 PTS). Blocked shots: 6 (James 2, Collison 2, Lewis, Ridnour). Turnovers: 12 (Allen 3, Daniels 3, Lewis 2, Radmanovic 2, James, Evans). Steals: 7 (Evans 2, Allen 2, Lewis, Radmanovic, Ridnour). Technical fouls: James, 9:24 third.

Memphis	29	42	29	13 — 113
Seattle	27	34	23	34 — 118

Attendance: 12,302 (17,072). Time: 2:25. Officials: Gary Benson, Greg Willard, Rodney Mott.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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