RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- A visit from the Los Angeles Clippers turned out
to be just what the Seattle SuperSonics needed for their ailing
team chemistry.
The Sonics coasted to a 98-81 victory, behind 23 points, 11
assists and eight rebounds from Gary Payton.
Payton was briefly suspended Wednesday after blowing up at coach
Paul Westphal during Tuesday's game at Dallas. He was reinstated
after meeting with Westphal, in time for Wednesday's lackluster
112-85 loss to the Spurs.
"My ears have been ringing the last few days, not only with
Gary but with all the talk about our team," Sonics guard Brent
Barry said.
"The thing about it is, we need to come together. Sometimes
those things happen, and they cause a distraction for a little
while. But when guys maybe internalize it, it sometimes brings the
team a little closer. We'll see in the next couple of games how
close we can get," he said.
Neither Payton nor Westphal wanted to discuss the incident in
the Mavericks game or what was said at their meeting. Westphal had
only praise for Payton Friday night.
"Gary was fantastic," he said. "He really made good things
happen at both ends."
"If we come out and play this way every night, it will be a lot
easier for a lot of people," Payton said. "If we can get
consistency like that, I think this team is going to be OK."
Ruben Patterson had 16 points for Seattle, Vin Baker added 14
and Brent Barry had 13 points and seven assists. Patrick Ewing had
nine rebounds to go with eight points.
Lamar Odom led Los Angeles with 14 points, while Michael
Olowokandi had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
The Clippers, who were competitive in an 86-83 home loss to
Seattle last Saturday, ran out of gas Friday. The Sonics pulled
away with an 11-0 run early in the second half that put them up
63-52, and Los Angeles never got closer than seven after that.
"We just go through these stretches where we have a tough time
scoring," Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said. "It's just really
tough to win against a tough team on the road when you shoot 39
percent."
"We just got it handed to us," Odom said. "We just got
outplayed tonight."
The Clippers led for almost all off the first quarter and kept
the game within four points in the first half, when they shot 46
percent from the field.
Seattle was up 52-48 at the half.
The Sonics, at 6-8, are clawing their way back to .500 after
taking three of four this week. The Clippers fell to 4-9 and have
lost three straight.
Game
notes
Before the game, Westphal reflected on the similarities
between coaching Payton and coaching the equally intense and vocal
Charles Barkley in Phoenix. "They both live for the competition,
and both have their unique perspectives that require special
attention. ... Charles and Gary both understand how important they
are to the team and the NBA. They both, I think, feel that they've
earned the right to a little extra freedom." ... The Clippers came
in having lost 37 of their last 40 at Key Arena. But their last
game in Seattle was a 114-106 victory April 19 that snapped a
17-game losing streak. ... When Olowokandi and Ewing matched up, it
was a battle between two 7-footers drafted No. 1 overall, Ewing in
1985 and Olowokandi in 1998. ... Rashard Lewis did not dress and
will not travel to Sacramento for Saturday's game against the
Kings, Westphal said. Lewis has been hobbled by a bruise on his
left shin, and he was kicked in that spot during Wednesday's game
against the Spurs.
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Philadelphia 76
Atlanta 67
Boston 103
Orlando 98
Cleveland 85
Miami 80
Detroit 118
Vancouver 96
Indiana 99
Washington 87
Charlotte 106
Milwaukee 90
Denver 102
San Antonio 92
Phoenix 80
Golden State 74
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Seattle 98
LA Clippers 81
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