|  | | Payton and buddy Vin Baker were two of the main reasons that coach Paul Westphal just had to go. |
Gary Payton has finally pushed the Sonics too far, and it's resulted in a suspension for "conduct detrimental to the team." If he misses Friday night's game against Minnesota as expected, it will end the All-Star point guard's streak of 356 consecutive starts. But it was hardly one event that led to Payton's suspension. A recap:
Oct. 28, 2000: Prior to the regular-season opener, Payton gives a glimpse of things to come when he says: "To me, now it is a business. ... The loyalty is out of our camp. So it is a business to me now."
Nov. 6: After an argument between Payton and Vin Baker, coach Paul Westphal offers to resign. Payton tells the team no, but later says he did that because he didn't want to be known as a coach killer.
Nov. 21: During a timeout, Payton gets into an argument in the huddle with Westphal, telling the coach, "Shut up. I'll slap you."
Nov. 22: The team suspends Payton for its game against the Spurs, but the suspension is lifted after he apologizes to Westphal.
Nov. 27: Westphal is fired and replaced by Nate McMillan.
Jan. 2, 2001: After Payton's streak of 70 consecutive games scoring in double figures is snapped, McMillan discloses that the guard has an injured groin.
Jan. 4: Payton tells reporters: I'm not hurt, as a matter of fact. ... (The team) put that out there. If I was hurt, I would be walking around here in a sling, or a leg cast or something. But I'm not."
Jan. 17: Payton and Ruben Patterson get into several verbal confrontations during a loss to the Phoenix Suns, and Payton and McMillan are seen yelling at each other on the way to the locker room.
Jan. 18: Payton is suspended by the team.
The Tacoma News-Tribune contributed to this report.
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