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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- This one was for junior. Jean Jacque Dikembe
Mutombo Mpolondo Jr., that is.
Dikembe Mutombo Sr., whose wife, Rose, gave birth to a baby boy
early Saturday, had 16 rebounds and 13 points to lead the Atlanta
Hawks to a 101-94 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Saturday
night.
"It's too bad you can't have a kid every day. This one's for
Jean Jacque," said Mutombo, a native of Congo whose full name
actually is Dikembe Mutombo Mplondo Mukamba Jean Jacque Wamutombo.
The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for Atlanta and
dealt a blow to the playoff hopes of Seattle (28-26).
"It's the first win on the road in long time -- our first win,
period, in seven games, so we're just happy to get it," said Jason
Terry, who led the Hawks with 28 points.
The Sonics were within three, 93-90, with less than a minute
left, when Gary Payton was stripped at midcourt by Mutombo after
blocking Terry's shot and taking off with the ball.
Mutombo came back to dunk off a pass from Terry to put the Hawks
up 95-90 with 21 seconds left. Larry Robinson hit four free throws
in the last 10 seconds to seal the victory.
"These guys have been right there in so many and just not quite
able to finish. Tonight, when they wavered a little bit, they
maintained their composure and made a couple of good shots, made a
couple of big stops and came out with a good result," Hawks coach
Lon Kruger said.
Atlanta (17-35) came in just 5-20 on the road, with no victories
against Western Conference teams. Saturday's game was the first of
a six-game swing through the West.
The loss put the Sonics four games behind the Phoenix Suns for
the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.
"This team is a lot better than they're showing, but for
whatever reason, they're not getting the energy, the effort out on
the floor," Sonics coach Nate McMillan said.
He questioned the team's attitude, saying he's told his players
repeatedly: "Get your heads up, quit feeling sorry for yourselves.
Quit looking for someone else to blame."
"I don't know what the hell is going on," Seattle's Emanual
Davis said. "It's embarrassing, it's frustrating. We've got 12
guys willing to give it heart and soul and give up their bodies and
we still get beat like this."
"This was a game we should have won," the Sonics' Patrick
Ewing said. "We had an opportunity, but we didn't rebound the ball
well enough to win. They hit some big shots. They just outplayed
us."
Lorenzen Wright added 16 points and Mutombo had 13 to go with
two blocked shots for Atlanta. DeMarr Johnson had nine of his 11
points in the fourth quarter for the Hawks.
Payton led Seattle with 21 points and 13 assists. Ruben
Patterson had 18 points and Ewing 14 for Seattle.
Terry scored 10 points in the third quarter as Atlanta battled
back from a 10-point deficit to take a 61-60 lead with just under
three minutes left. The Hawks never trailed again.
"Jason's been playing like that," Kruger said. "He's a
terrific young guy who's playing better and better all the time, so
I'm happy for him and what he did here at home."
Terry played at Seattle's Franklin High School, and a crowd of
more than 50 waited for him in the stands after the game.
The Hawks led by as many as 10 points in the second quarter. But
Seattle went on a 15-4 run in the last five minutes to take a 42-41
lead on a seven-foot jumper by Ewing, who grabbed the long rebound
after a miss by Payton.
Game notes
Atlanta's Brevin Knight missed nearly all of the first half
after hurting his surgically reconstructed right knee on a
collision early in the first quarter. But he returned for the
second half after receiving ice treatment. ... Ira Bowman saw his
first action with the Hawks after signing a 10-day contract on
Friday. He had one assist in five minutes. ... Noting a recent
flurry of trade demands, Sonics coach Nate McMillan said
"Everybody's speaking out around this league. It seems like when
you complain, you get what you want." ... Sample packets of Pepcid
Complete antacid were handed out at the doors of Key Arena. Said
Seattle general manager Wally Walker: "I would have ordered a case
of that Thursday," after the Sonics' 108-88 loss to the Boston
Celtics.
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NBA Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
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RECAPS
Chicago 89
Miami 82
Dallas 112
Washington 105
Houston 92
Cleveland 80
Charlotte 103
Milwaukee 93
Boston 85
Portland 81
Atlanta 101
Seattle 94
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