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Sonics Beat Up T-Wolves

Associated Press

Gary Payton equaled his career high, scoring 33 points as the Seattle SuperSonics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 17th straight time, 109-92 Wednesday night.

The victory moved the Sonics into a tie with the Phoenix Suns for first place in the Pacific Division.

Detlef Schrempf added 22 points and reserve Shawn Kemp had 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Isaiah Rider led Minnesota with 19 points.

It was the Sonics’ fifth straight win and the 10th in their last 11 games. The Suns have lost three straight and six of their past nine.

The Sonics took command in the second quarter when they hit 16 of 22 shots and outscored the Timberwolves 39-23 to take a 62-48 halftime lead.

The Timberwolves never cut the deficit inside double figures in the second half.

Payton was 14 for 21 from the field.

Payton led the Sonics with six assists and had four steals in 34 minutes.

The Sonics swept the season series from the Timberwolves for the fourth straight season and handed them their fourth straight loss. The Wolves’ last victory over the Sonics came on March 15, 1991, at the Seattle Center Coliseum.

Rider opened the fourth period with a 3-point basket that trimmed the deficit to 87-75.

Sam Perkins scored five points as the Sonics countered with a 7-0 spurt to take their biggest lead at 94-75 with 9:26 left in the game.

Rider’s driving layup, free throw and reverse right-handed slam dunk pulled the Wolves to 96-84 with 7:09 left in the game. Greg Foster’s 3-point basket drew the Wolves to 100-90 with 3:30 left before the Sonics once again answered with a 7-0 run, led by Schrempf’s 3-point basket.

The pattern of the game was set in the second quarter. Payton’s six points on two layups and two free throws led a 13-2 spurt over 3:39 as the Sonics stretched a 47-42 lead into a 60-45 cushion.

Seattle led 62-48 at halftime.

Sonics 109, Timberwolves 92

FG FT Reb MINNESOTA Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Gugliotta 29 4-6 3-4 2-7 2 0 12 Laettner 30 3-12 8-11 2-6 3 2 14 Rooks 25 4-8 4-4 2-6 0 2 12 Garland 26 2-6 4-4 0-1 4 3 8 West 13 1-4 0-0 0-0 0 1 2 Rider 35 6-15 4-4 1-3 2 2 19 King 23 5-7 1-6 4-7 1 3 11 Durham 19 2-7 0-0 0-1 0 2 4 Foster 18 2-6 0-0 0-3 1 4 6 Martin 22 2-5 0-0 0-1 4 2 4 Totals 240 31-76 24-33 11-35 17 21 92

Percentages: FG .408, FT .727.

3-Point Goals: 6-13, .462 (Rider 3-9, Foster 2-2, Gugliotta 1-1, Durham 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 12.

Blocked shots: 6 (Gugliotta 2, King 2, Laettner, Durham).

Turnovers: 20 (Rider 5, King 4, Garland 3, Laettner 3, Foster 2, Martin 2, Gugliotta).

Steals: 11 (Garland 3, Gugliotta, Laettner, West, Rider, King, Durham, Foster Martin).

Technical fouls: None.

Illegal defense: None.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Perkins 27 5-9 1-1 0-8 2 4 12 Schrempf 40 10-15 1-2 1-8 5 4 22 Johnson 26 3-7 0-0 3-7 0 4 6 Gill 17 0-5 0-0 2-3 2 3 0 Payton 34 14-21 3-3 1-2 6 3 33 Kemp 36 5-10 10-11 3-11 2 4 20 McMillan 30 1-5 0-0 1-5 4 2 3 Marciulionis 21 3-7 2-4 0-1 6 1 9 Scheffler 7 1-3 0-0 1-2 1 0 2 Houston 2 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 Totals 240 43-84 17-21 12-47 28 25 109

Percentages: FG .512, FT .810.

3-Point Goals: 6-17, .353 (Payton 2-4, Marciulionis 1-1, Schrempf 1-2, McMillan 1-4, Perkins 1-4, Gill 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 5.

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

Turnovers: 18 (Kemp 6, Johnson 3, McMillan 2, Marciulionis 2, Schrempf 2, Perkins, Gill, Payton).

Steals: 14 (Payton 4, Kemp 3, McMillan 3, Perkins 2, Schrempf, Marciulionis).

Technical foul: illegal defense, 1:11 third.

Illegal defense: 1. Minnesota 25 23 24 20 - 92 Seattle 23 39 25 22 - 109

A-12,336 (16,296). T-2:03.

Officials-Joe Forte, Tommy Nunez, Joe Borgia.