Sonics Top The Spurs; Payton Ok

Frank Brickowski frustrated David Robinson out of the game, and the Seattle SuperSonics remained unbeaten at home Friday with a 112-100 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Robinson was ejected with 3:17 left in the third quarter after he was called for punching Brickowski. It was the second career ejection for last year’s MVP.

“I fight hard for my position and sometimes that (bleeps) guys off,” Brickowski said.

Robinson had no comment.

The 35-year-old Brickowski was obtained in a trade with Sacramento during the offseason to make the Sonics more physical inside. The 250-pound center drew three fouls in the game’s first 3:30 trying to muscle Robinson out of the low post. In his first start this season, Brickowski scored seven points and drew five fouls in 12 minutes.

“That’s my job, to disrupt their offense and make it as uncomfortable as possible for David (Robinson),” Brickowski said.

Hersey Hawkins led the Sonics with 27 points. Though he was considered doubtful after sustaining a foot injury on Wednesday, Gary Payton scored 12 points and nine assists for the Sonics.

Robinson scored 11 points and had eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

Hawkins said a veteran like Brickowski knows how to make life miserable for opponents around the basket.

“You know Brick is good at that. He draws out the worst in people. When you draw out the worst in David (Robinson) you’re out there doing something.”

Spurs coach Bob Hill had plenty to say about Robinson’s ejection.

“David has never punched anybody in his life,” Hill said. “He swore to me in the lockkeroom that he didn’t punch anyone. Anybody who knows David knows that’s ridiculous.”

The Sonics went on a 13-0 tear for an 81-64 lead late in the third quarter when both Robinson and Hill were ejected.

But the Spurs battled back.

Avery Johnson’s four points and J.R. Reid’s two free throws trimmed the deficit to 82-70 after three quarters.

Led by Chuck Person’s 3-point shooting, the Spurs came back in a hurry. His three 3-pointers sparked a 16-6 spurt as San Antonio drew within 88-86 with 5:30 left in the game.

Seattle led 94-90 after Person’s two free throws with 3:29 left.

Led by Hawkins’ five points on a layup off a Payton pass and a 3-pointer on another Payton pass the Sonics led 104-91 with 1:52 left.

Sean Elliott scored 32 points for the Spurs.

Payton plays

Payton scratched plans for a leisurely Thanksgiving dinner with his family and a trip to the movies with his niece and dug in for intensive treatment on his injured right ankle.

Payton’s injury, suffered Wednesday night while saving a ball from going out of bounds, was diagnosed at a Minneapolis hospital as an avulsion fracture. But the Sonics said the avulsion fracture is an old injury and what the second team All-NBA selection suffered Wednesday is a mid-foot sprain.

Payton took part in some aspects of Friday morning shootaround, underwent several more treatments and started Friday night against the Spurs.

SuperSonics 112, Spurs 100

FG FT Reb SAN ANTONIO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Elliott 41 11-17 5-7 1-5 2 3 32 Herrera 12 2-2 0-0 0-2 0 3 4 Robinson 27 5-12 1-4 0-8 2 2 11 Del Negro 30 5-11 0-0 1-1 4 2 11 A.Johnson 41 6-11 4-4 0-2 8 3 16 Reid 24 2-5 5-8 2-5 0 3 9 Person 20 3-10 4-4 3-6 0 3 13 Rivers 21 0-3 0-0 1-4 2 2 0 Lohaus 3 1-3 0-0 1-1 0 0 2 Anderson 19 1-3 0-3 1-3 0 5 2 Alexander 02 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 36-78 19-30 10-37 18 26 100

Percentages: FG .462, FT .633.

3-Point Goals: 9-23, .391 (Elliott 5-7, Person 3-7, Del Negro 1-5, Rivers 0-2, Lohaus 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 12

Blocked shots: 4 (Robinson 4).

Turnovers: 19 (Robinson 3, Johnson 3, Elliott 2, Herrera 2, Reid 2, Rivers 2, Del Negro, Lohaus, Anderson, team).

Steals: 10 (Rivers 4, Reid 2, Johnson 2, Del Negro, Elliott).

Technical fouls: Johnson, 3:17 third; Coach Hill 3:17 third; Anderson 5:01 fourth.

Illegal defense: 3

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 38 7-10 10-12 4-17 2 4 24 Schrempf 42 7-13 6-10 0-7 7 3 21 Brickowski 12 3-7 0-1 0-0 1 5 7 Hawkins 31 9-12 7-7 0-1 4 2 27 Payton 38 6-12 0-4 1-4 9 3 12 E.Johnson 11 0-0 1-4 0-2 0 2 1 Askew 25 2-6 4-6 1-4 2 3 8 McMillan 16 1-2 0-0 0-2 1 3 2 Perkins 23 3-9 0-0 1-2 3 1 6 Ford 2 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 Snow 1 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 Wingate 1 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 Totals 240 40-75 28-44 07-40 29 28 112

Percentages: FG .533, FT .636.

3-Point Goals: 4-12, .333 (Hawkins 2-3, Schrempf 1-1, Brickowski 1-1, Payton 0-1, McMillan 0-1, Ford 0-1, Askew 0-2, Perkins 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 15

Blocked shots: 3 (Kemp 2, Johnson).

Turnovers: 17 (Payton 6, Kemp 4, Askew 3, Schrempf 2, Hawkins, McMillan).

Steals: 10 (Payton 4, Schrempf 2, Kemp, Hawkins, Askew, Perkins).

Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 5:35 second.

Illegal defense: 1.

San Antonio 31 20 19 30 - 100

Seattle 21 35 26 30 - 112

A-17,072 (16,296). T-2:21.