For
Wilcox, return to LA holds no special feeling
FRANK HUGHES; The News Tribune
LOS
ANGELES – As Seattle SuperSonics power forward
Chris Wilcox sat in front of his locker before
the team’s game against the Los Angeles
Clippers on Saturday, a steady stream of well-wishers
approached him to say hello and offer congratulations
on his new three-year contract.
It was a big deal to return to play against his
former team last season, Wilcox admitted, but
coming back now holds no special significance.
“It
is what it is,” Wilcox said. “It’s
nice to come back and see friends, but this is
a business. So I am coming back to take care of
business. Last year I was ready to come back.
This year it is like, ‘Whatever.’
”
Wilcox said he
put his house up for sale in Marina Del Rey, where
the Sonics stay on their trips here, and has purchased
a home in Issaquah. He said all his former teammates
called to wish him well when he signed the contract.
“That’s
why I have nothing bad to say about this organization
because they are all great guys,” Wilcox
said.
Wilcox has had
a somewhat inconsistent preseason, averaging six
points and 7.5 rebounds in 24 minutes a game.
“It
is hard to say how it’s going because it
is only one quarter here and one quarter there,
so it is hard to get into a rhythm,” Wilcox
said. “Now we will start to get a better
feel of how it is going.”
Hill questions
officiating
Sonics coach
Bob Hill said he thought the officials called
the game too closely Friday night, both against
Danny Fortson in particular and for the entire
game in general.
“I didn’t
think there was any rhythm to the game,”
Hill said. “I asked the referees why they
were calling the game so tight, and they told
me that’s what we are supposed to do. There
is not much you can do about it. I am not blaming
poor whistles on our performance, but there just
seemed to be more stoppage of the ball.”
Hill said he
had another concern with the officiating.
“The
thing that has me worried is using the arm bar
while defending,” Hill said. “Mickael
Gelabale holds his arm perfect all the time and
he gets called. That’s when I got the technical
foul, because he was doing it perfect. And they
can call that all the time.”
See more
at The
News Tribune
|
