Kemp, Sonics Win Big His 27 Points, 12 Boards Key 110-99 Win Over Bucks

When Shawn Kemp is rebounding well, the SuperSonics have their running game at full throttle.

Kemp, the NBA’s leading rebounder, had 27 points and 12 rebounds in the Sonics’ 110-99 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night. He had nine points and six rebounds in the second quarter, when the Sonics ran the Bucks right off the court, outscoring them 37-14.

“His running was key to the game,” Seattle coach George Karl said. “Even if he didn’t score himself, Shawn helped keep the tempo up, and that opened up some opportunities for us.”

In the first month of the season, Kemp averaged 21.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and he got his second month off to a good start against the Bucks. Kemp sat out the fourth quarter.

Karl said Kemp is supplying the Sonics with the type of consistent production they need.

“There might be someone playing better in the NBA than Shawn right now,” Karl said. “I can’t think of who it is.

“He does all the dirty work for us in the paint rebounding the ball. Of course, he’s running and scoring.”

The Sonics’ 37-point second quarter was their second-highest of the season. The Bucks never cut the deficit into single digits in the second half.

Milwaukee was 2 of 14 in the second period and managed only five free throws the last 9:34 of the half.

Bucks coach Mike Dunleavy said incorporating new players from two recent trades leads to inevitable rough spots.

“Our starters performed well,” he said. “When we went to the bench we got hurt.”

The Bucks acquired Benoit Benjamin and Sherman Douglas in trades the past week.

Ervin Johnson scored a season-high 12 points, eight in the second period. The Sonics reserves mustered 23 of Seattle’s 37 in the second period.

Glenn Robinson led the Bucks with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting.

Benjamin, playing his second game with Milwaukee since being acquired from the Vancouver Grizzlies, had 21 points in 22 minutes.

Booed every time he touched the ball, the ex-Sonic had words with Seattle fans under the south basket after the game. Trouble was avoided when Bucks coach Mike Dunleavy led the veteran center toward the locker room.

During the decisive second quarter, Johnson came off the bench and combined with Vincent Askew for 14 of 19 points during a 19-3 Sonics burst after the Bucks took a 33-25 lead on a basket by Shawn Respert in the first minute of the second period.

SuperSonics 110, Bucks 99

FG FT Reb MILWAUKEE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Cummings 20 2-5 1-4 1-1 1 5 5 Robinson 35 9-13 5-8 1-5 1 5 24 Baker 30 4-12 1-6 3-11 2 1 9 Mayberry 21 1-6 2-4 1-2 6 2 5 Newman 27 6-8 0-0 0-1 1 3 13 Benjamin 22 7-9 7-10 0-9 2 4 21 Douglas 27 1-3 1-2 0-2 2 3 3 Keys 13 0-3 4-4 0-2 0 2 4 Respert 21 2-7 1-1 0-0 1 1 6 Conlon 24 2-7 5-5 1-4 2 1 9 Totals 240 34-73 27-44 7-37 18 27 99

Percentages: FG .466, FT .614.

3-Point Goals: 4-15, .267 (Robinson 1-2, Newman 1-2, Respert 1-3, Mayberry 1-5, Conlon 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 12

Blocked shots: 4 (Benjamin 2, Robinson, Baker).

Turnovers: 21 (Robinson 5, Benjamin 5, Newman 2, Douglas 2, Keys 2, Conlon 2, Respert, Mayberry, Baker).

Steals: 19 (Robinson 3, Newman 3, Keys 3, Cummings 2, Baker 2, Benjamin 2, Mayberry, Douglas, Respert, Conlon).

Technical fouls: Coach Dunleavy, 3:43 second; Robinson, 6:07 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 31 10-16 7-8 4-12 1 3 27 Schrempf 32 4-7 5-6 0-5 5 3 14 Brickowski 16 3-6 2-2 2-5 2 3 9 Hawkins 31 3-6 0-1 2-5 4 0 8 Payton 32 2-6 3-6 1-4 5 1 7 Johnson 20 4-7 4-8 3-5 0 6 12 Askew 28 4-8 2-2 0-6 2 1 10 Perkins 22 3-9 1-2 2-8 3 3 9 Snow 16 4-6 1-3 0-1 3 3 9 Wingate 7 0-5 0-1 0-0 0 1 0 Ford 5 2-5 0-0 0-1 0 1 5 Totals 240 39-81 25-39 14-52 25 25 110

Percentages: FG .481, FT .641.

3-Point Goals: 7-18, .389 (Hawkins 2-3, Perkins 2-5, Schrempf 1-2, Brickowski 1-3, Ford 1-3, Snow 0-1, Payton 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 11

Blocked shots: 4 (Kemp 2, Johnson 2).

Turnovers: 22 (Payton 5, Schrempf 5, Kemp 3, Hawkins 2, Perkins 2, Snow 2, Brickowski, Johnson, Askew).

Steals: 14 (Payton 3, Snow 3, Schrempf 2, Johnson 2, Perkins 2, Kemp, Wingate).

Technical fouls: Kemp, 7:20 third; Illegal defense, 5:54 second; 11:25 third.

Illegal defense: 1. Milwaukee 30 14 24 31 - 99 Seattle 25 37 24 24 - 110

A-17,072 (16,296). T-2:13.