Mourning, Little Buddies Sting Sonics Bogues, Adams Augment Alonzo’s 34 Points As Hornets Put Down Seattle

Alonzo Mourning and the Charlotte Hornets feel they are one of the NBA’s best teams.

Mourning’s 34 points and nine rebounds powered the Hornets to a 116-114 victory over Seattle on Monday night, their first on the SuperSonics’ home court since the 1991-92 season.

“We played like we’re capable of playing tonight. We didn’t do that the first two outings,” Mourning said, referring to losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns in the first two games of their sixgame road trip.

The 6-foot-10 Mourning said the Sonics’ trapping defense gives a lot of openings, even for big guys. He was 2 for 2 from 3-point range against the Sonics after having made three in the previous 45 games.

“That’s not a shot I look to take, but it was there and I took advantage of it,” Mourning said.

When the third-year center from Georgetown posted up, the Sonics ended up fouling him most of the time. Mourning was 9 for 14 from the field on an assortment of baseline drives and jump hooks. He also hit 14 of 17 from the foul line.

Muggsy Bogues scored four of the Hornets’ last five points. The 5-foot-3 guard said it was important to beat the Sonics on the road.

“If we can (win) like this on the road, we have a chance to do something in the playoffs,” Bogues said.

The Hornets got 20 points and 10 assists from Larry Johnson. Their point guards, Bogues and 5-10 Michael Adams, combined for 27 points on 11-for-11 shooting from the field. They also combined for 10 assists and just one turnover.

Six different Hornets made 3-pointers as they connected on 11 of 21 from beyond the arc.

The Hornets (35-21) are on pace to win 50 games for the first time in the team’s history.

“It doesn’t get much better than this,” he said. “It was a big win, a huge win. We showed some toughness by winning here after losing a couple of games in a row. The win here kind of negates the last two.”Gary Payton led the Sonics with 32 points, while

Shawn Kemp added 23 points and eight rebounds.

Sonics coach George Karl said there were several disappointments in the game. He said the officiating was one and then singled out referee Ted Bernhardt, who called a technical foul on Payton in the first half and a technical on Kemp with 4:25 left in the game.

“It’s a shame officiating takes over a game like that,” Karl said. “Ted Bernhardt ought to be shot.”

After Kemp’s dunk pulled the Sonics within 107-106 with 4:25 left, Bernhardt called a technical on Kemp for taunting. Dell Curry hit the free throw for a 108-106 lead. Three-pointers by Hersey Hawkins, Johnson and Mourning helped the Hornets open an 83-70 lead. The Sonics came back in the last 3 minutes of the third quarter as Nate McMillan made 3-pointers as they trimmed the deficit to 94-92.