The Los Angeles Clippers narrowly defeated the Portland Path Blazers 101-99 in a preseason recreation on Friday evening. However for this recreation, it wasn’t a lot the “what” that mattered because the “the place.”
Friday marked the third version of the Rain Metropolis Showcase, with the Clippers internet hosting a preseason recreation in Seattle. The sport, sponsored by Pokémon, introduced the NBA again to Seattle 16 years after the SuperSonics had been abruptly moved to develop into the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
For one evening solely, it felt just like the Sonics had been again on the town: Seattle packed into Local weather Pledge Area, a sold-out crowd speckled in inexperienced and yellow (and Pikachu hats handed out as giveaways). Youngsters who weren’t even born when the Sonics moved from Seattle to Oklahoma Metropolis wore Sonics jerseys – Gary Payton’s, Shawn Kemp’s, Kevin Durant’s. With 5 minutes remaining within the match, a chant of “SuperSonics” was heard from one facet of the world. Indicators all through the gang known as for the NBA to carry the crew again.
The largest cheers of the evening had nothing to do with both crew, however with the previous Sonics within the constructing: a slew of Sonics legends – Payton, Kemp, Detlef Schrempf, Dale Ellis , Rashard Lewis, George Karl, Sam Perkins, Luke Ridnour. , together with former Sonics coach Lenny Wilkens, had been in attendance on the recreation and acquired a heat response from the gang.
Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas and Brandon Roy rounded out the who’s who of Seattle basketball stars, and former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll additionally acquired his personal cheers. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Washington Governor Jay Inslee had been additionally within the constructing, demonstrating state and metropolis solidarity.
Within the foyer, Sarah Parks, a “long-time Sonics fan” who watched the crew from the early ’90s till the transfer, was there together with her mom and brother, Karen and Sam. All three wore l The Sonics’ gear at Sarah’s request, even if they supported the Path Blazers, having “adopted” the crew within the Sonics’ absence.
Sarah, who mentioned she was “devastated” when the crew was moved, attended all three preseason video games at Local weather Pledge Area. “I’ll preserve coming to them till we get them again,” she mentioned.
For a lot of followers, gamers and coaches, bringing the NBA again to Seattle is a no brainer. A number of lively gamers mentioned they had been all in favor of an enlargement supply to Seattle, with Durant, who spent his rookie season with the Sonics earlier than the transfer, being to carry the NBA again to town.
Earlier than the sport, Clippers and Path Blazers coaches Tyronn Lue and Chauncey Billups each praised the Seattle surroundings, saying they liked coming to Seattle as gamers. Each coaches additionally cited Seattle’s different followers — the Seahawks, the Storm — as proof of town’s ardour for sports activities.
“These followers are passionate, they perceive basketball and we miss that,” Lue mentioned.
“It’s clearly a deserved metropolis and market,” Billups mentioned. “That’s what makes essentially the most sense.”
Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Seattle-based Microsoft and a Seattle-area resident, shouted out town in a pregame speech, saying that “Seattle has the very best basketball followers on the earth.” world “.
Manny and Laura Ochoa, who had been there with their youngsters Quentin and Elena, had been amongst these followers, wearing their very own Sonics gear within the foyer and desperate to see basketball return to the realm.
Manny, who grew up in Los Angeles and supported the Clippers, mentioned he needed the NBA to come back again to Seattle so it will develop into a daily a part of their lives, with video games on Wednesdays and nosebleed tickets at $25 like he had when he was rising up. . When the Sonics left, he mentioned, “I felt an vacancy in our hearts. »
Manny and Quentin went to final yr’s Rain Metropolis Showcase and determined to carry the remainder of the household this yr. Now, Manny and Laura hope the crew returns — and he passes on his love for the Sonics to his youngsters.
“And what will we inform individuals in regards to the Sonics?” Manny requested Elena, who was sporting a Payton jersey that got here right down to her knees. On the urging of her mom, Elena transmits the message: “Convey them again.”
Most followers weren’t right here a lot for the Clippers and Path Blazers as they had been for the return of NBA basketball to town.
“We wish basketball in our lives. We miss our crew, so when an actual basketball recreation is in Seattle, individuals present up,” Cathy Jimenez mentioned earlier than the sport, whereas within the foyer together with her husband Jacobo. They’re longtime Sonics followers and bought the tickets earlier Friday after realizing the occasion was taking place.
It was Jacobo’s first time, and Cathy’s second, contained in the model new Local weather Pledge Area, which was accomplished in 2021. The brand new stadium was profitable in attracting an NHL enlargement crew, the Seattle Kraken, and was additionally inbuilt hopes of attracting an NBA crew. enlargement supply.
The proposal to construct a brand new stadium was one of many foremost sticking factors resulting in the crew’s transfer, with present Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder proprietor Clay Bennett saying town wanted to redo the world with a view to preserve the crew in Seattle. . However, the best way Jacobo and plenty of Seattle followers see it, it was simply an excuse for Bennett and former NBA commissioner David Stern to maneuver the crew.
The Jimenezes agree that the stadium is “stunning” and can serve a future NBA crew nicely. However for now, they must accept watching groups from different cities.
“I like the world and I actually hope we do not have to attend too lengthy to look at our Sonics right here, as a result of that is what I actually need,” Jacobo mentioned.
Friday’s recreation got here right down to the wire, with the Path Blazers getting a game-tying free throw with 4 seconds left. The sector was in movement when Kai Jones dunk on an alley-oop by Jordan Miller with simply two seconds remaining, main the Clippers to victory.
“It is simply good to see, it reveals you ways a lot this metropolis needs a basketball crew and so they deserve it,” Lue mentioned after the sport. “They confirmed it to you once more tonight.”
