Kemp Carries Sonics; Payton Hurts Right Ankle

One embarrassing loss was enough for Shawn Kemp and the Seattle SuperSonics.

A night after being shocked 102-97 at Toronto, Seattle used defense and Kemp’s 11 fourth-quarter points Wednesday to avert a three-game losing streak, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-97.

“It was an ugly game,” Kemp said of the Toronto defeat. “I had someone call me today and say ‘How could you lose to an expansion team?’ But I’ll tell you … every game is a battle.”

The Sonics’ 18th consecutive victory over Minnesota may have come at a price: Gary Payton left late in the third quarter after hurting his right ankle. He was later put in an air cast.

The Timberwolves have lost six in a row and haven’t beaten Seattle since March 15, 1991.

“This was a game we had to get, and we got it,” Seattle coach George Karl said. “The game showed we were a little tired and we haven’t gotten our shooting legs yet. But defensively, we played pretty sound and you win games playing defense.”

Kemp’s dunk with 3:41 remaining broke a 93-93 tie. After Tom Gugliotta made two free throws to tie the game, Kemp reeled off Seattle’s next nine points.

Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins scored 18 points apiece for Seattle. Payton added 14 before his foot apparently became stuck under the scorer’s table as the third quarter was ending. X-rays later revealed an avulsion fracture, meaning a ligament was pulled off his ankle with part of the bone attached to it.

Payton, who has missed just one game in the last five years, was to be examined by Sonics doctors on Thursday after returning to Seattle.

“Gary sparks the club. He’s not the type to sit back and take time off,” Kemp said. “He told me he wants to come back right away.”

Isaiah Rider led Minnesota with 25 points, but was held scoreless in the final quarter.

Terry Porter scored 21 points for Minnesota, and Gugliotta and Sam Mitchell added 17 each.

Sonics 106, Timberwolves 97

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 39 7-9 3-3 2-4 2 3 18 Kemp 34 7-11 12-14 5-12 3 5 26 Johnson 21 2-4 0-0 4-8 0 5 4 Hawkins 33 6-18 3-3 3-9 2 3 15 Payton 30 6-14 2-2 0-0 7 3 14 Askew 23 1-6 4-4 0-3 1 1 6 Perkins 26 4-9 9-9 0-4 0 2 18 McMillan 23 2-4 0-0 0-3 5 1 5 Brickowski 11 0-5 0-0 0-1 1 1 0 Totals 240 35-80 33-35 14-44 21 24 106

Percentages: FG .438, FT .943.

3-Point Goals: 3-18, .167 (Schrempf 1-2, McMillan 1-3, Perkins 1-4, Askew 0-1, Payton 0-1, Hawkins 0-7).

Team Rebounds: 10.

Blocked shots: 6 (Schrempf, Kemp, Johnson, Hawkins, Payton, McMillan).

Turnovers: 20 (McMillan 6, Payton 4, Hawkins 3, Schrempf 2, Kemp 2, Askew 2, Perkins).

Steals: 13 (Payton 3, McMillan 3, Perkins 2, Schrempf 2, Kemp, Johnson, Hawkins).

Technical fouls: Askew, 5:18 second; Schrempf, 2:34 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb MINNESOTA Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Gugliotta 38 6-17 5-5 3-8 5 2 17 Mitchell 38 4-10 9-11 1-4 1 4 17 Rooks 25 2-8 1-2 3-5 0 2 5 Rider 41 9-17 5-5 2-3 5 3 25 Williams 17 0-1 2-2 0-2 2 3 2 Porter 31 6-17 5-6 1-4 7 1 21 Garnett 15 1-2 0-0 0-0 1 3 2 West 18 2-6 2-2 1-3 1 4 6 Bragg 17 1-4 0-0 1-2 0 3 2 Totals 240 31-82 29-33 12-31 22 25 97

Percentages: FG .378, FT .879.

3-Point Goals: 6-11, .545 (Porter 4-7, Rider 2-3, Mitchell 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 17.

Blocked shots: 6 (Rooks 2, Bragg 2, Gugliotta, Porter).

Turnovers: 19 (Gugliotta 5, Rider 5, Williams 4, Porter 2, Mitchell, Garnett, Bragg).

Steals: 10 (Gugliotta 3, Mitchell 2, Bragg 2, Rooks, Rider, Porter).

Technical fouls: Illegal defense, :51.8 first; Rider, 9:04 third; illegal defense, 6:31 fourth; West, 2:34 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1.

Seattle 26 27 23 30 - 106

Minnesota 23 28 29 17 - 97

A-12,504 (19,006). T-2:20.