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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- The SuperSonics didn't need Gary Payton and Ruben
Patterson to beat the Vancouver Grizzlies in Seattle.
|  | | Gary Payton missed only the third game of his 11-year career because of injury. |
With Payton and Patterson missing, the Sonics got 17 points from
Vin Baker, including nine in the final quarter, to defeat the
Grizzlies 95-82 Monday night.
The Sonics are 11-0 overall at home against Vancouver.
"Baker went off on us," Vancouver coach Sidney Lowe said. "He
just took over the ballgame. Basically, we couldn't defend him."
Payton missed his second straight game because of a strained
abdominal muscle, while Patterson served the third and final game
of a suspension imposed by the NBA.
Shammond Williams also scored 17 points for Seattle.
"Vin played well, but we really got some play off the bench,
which is exactly what we needed without Gary and Ruben," Seattle
coach Nate McMillan said.
Williams and Emanual Davis ran the Sonics at point guard in
Payton's absence.
"It's not the same guy out there, obviously," Seattle's Brent
Barry said. "We were struggling with that. Now, we've had to play
without him and we're trying to find our way."
Mike Bibby had 23 points and Shareef Abdur-Rahim added 21 points
and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who lost their 15th consecutive
road game.
"I give them a lot of credit," Lowe said. "Any time a team is
missing players of that magnitude, you want to try to take
advantage of them. We were hoping we could come in here and get us
one."
After scoring 16 points in the third period, the Sonics got some
badly needed offense from Baker in the final quarter. Baker shot
4-for-7 in the final period while going against the Grizzlies'
Bryant Reeves.
"We didn't have a whole lot going for us and they got on a
roll," Reeves said. "We couldn't shut them down."
Baker's 12-footer with 4:32 left gave Seattle an 80-73 lead, but
Vancouver wasn't finished.
Abdur-Rahim made a short hook shot, Baker missed two free
throws, Reeves sank a free throw and Bibby hit a 19-footer to cut
Seattle's lead to 80-78.
But the Sonics outscored the Grizzlies 15-4 in the final 2:23,
with Williams sinking a 3-pointer and making two free throws in the
final minute.
The teams combined for only 31 points in the third quarter.
After Williams sank a 16-footer with 33.4 seconds left, Michael
Dickerson hit a 20-footer to cut Seattle's lead to 67-65.
Dickerson's 17-footer and two free throws by Abdur-Rahim in the
final 1:25 of the first half cut Seattle's lead to 51-50 at
halftime.
"We had an opportunity tonight and we didn't take advantage of
it," Dickerson said. "That's the way it is."
Patterson was suspended after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor
assault charge in Cleveland for breaking a man's jaw. He was not
allowed to attend the game.
Payton watched in a suit at the end of the bench.
"He gave us little pointers here and there," Williams said of
Payton. "But he wasn't giving us too many pointers. It was good to
see he had confidence in us."
Rashard Lewis had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Seattle.
Game notes
Payton is averaging 22.8 points and Patterson 13.1, the
Sonics' Nos. 1 and 3 scorers. ... Payton missed the third game of
his 11-year career because of an injury. McMillan said he expects
Payton to play Wednesday night at Portland in Seattle's final game
before the All-Star break. Payton is scheduled to practice Tuesday.
... Seattle is 20-3 against the Grizzlies overall. ... The
Grizzlies are 3-19 on the road this season. Their last road victory
came Nov. 26 at Boston.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Vancouver Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 99
Denver 80
Toronto 110
Boston 98
Dallas 91
Atlanta 81
Houston 100
New York 86
San Antonio 109
Golden State 85
Seattle 95
Vancouver 82
LA Clippers 102
Chicago 82
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Vancouver's Stromile Swift flushes the Erick Strickland pass.
avi: 296 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Mike Bibby Official Site
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