Sonics Blast Spurs San Antonio Scores Season-Low 74 Points

The Seattle SuperSonics ran San Antonio off the court, beat them so badly that the Spurs could only babble in bewilderment.

“They’re definitely one of the teams we have to beat in the West. They showed tonight they’re definitely better than us,” David Robinson declared after his team was waxed 94-74 by the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night.

Vin Baker scored 22 points, 18 in the first half, as the Sonics led by as many as 31 points. Gary Payton added 17 points and 14 assists as the Sonics held San Antonio to a season-low point total and beat them for the fifth straight time.

The consensus of the Spurs players and coach Greg Popovich is that the Sonics are better than ever. Seattle played in the finals two years ago and has won the second-most games in the NBA over the past five years.

Popovich thinks Baker’s addition has improved the Sonics.

“Vin’s been a real godsend for them,” he said. “He brings their team closer together as a group.”

Seattle raced to a 36-16 lead after one quarter and the Spurs got no closer than 17 the rest of the way.

Baker said playing against the tandem of Robinson and rookie Tim Duncan was an inspiration.

“You get more pumped up against players like that,” Baker said. “When your teammates get you the ball in great position, it’s a lot easier to score.”

Robinson, the NBA’s leading scorer, was held to nine points on 4-for-12 shooting. He sat out the final 16 minutes of the game and failed to score in double figures for just the ninth time in 574 career games.

“I don’t even know where to start, we played so bad,” Robinson said.

Monty Williams led San Antonio with 13 points and Cory Alexander had 10. They were the only Spurs to score in double digits.

Hersey Hawkins scored 18 points and Detlef Schrempf added 16 for the Sonics. Coach George Karl was ejected in the second quarter after picking up two technicals within a few seconds.

Hawkins matched his season-high point total and shot 8 of 15 from the field with seven rebounds.

SuperSonics 94, Spurs 74

FG FT Reb SAN ANTONIO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Elliott 21 4-9 0-0 2-3 1 0 8 Duncan 31 3-8 2-6 1-9 0 2 8 Robinson 27 4-12 1-2 5-11 3 1 9 Johnson 25 3-7 2-2 0-1 5 4 8 Williams 23 5-8 3-3 1-1 1 2 13 Jackson 19 1-8 2-2 0-0 0 3 5 Perdue 24 1-4 0-6 5-15 1 1 2 Alexander 23 4-10 0-1 0-2 1 0 10 Person 28 0-5 2-2 0-2 1 0 2 Rose 13 1-6 3-4 2-2 1 3 5 Geary 6 2-5 0-2 1-1 0 1 4 Totals 240 28-82 15-30 17-47 14 17 74

Percentages: FG .341, FT .500.

3-Point Goals: 3-14, .214 (Alexander 2-4, Jackson 1-5, Elliott 0-1, Geary 0-1, Person 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 14.

Blocked shots: 3 (Duncan 2, Alexander).

Turnovers: 18 (Duncan 3, Person 3, Elliott 2, Robinson 2, Alexander 2, Rose 2, Williams, Jackson, Perdue, team).

Steals: 7 (Alexander 2, Duncan, Robinson, Williams, Jackson, Rose).

Technical fouls: None.

Illegal defense: None.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 37 8-12 6-6 1-7 0 3 22 Schrempf 31 7-11 1-3 0-5 5 1 16 McIlvaine 17 1-2 1-2 1-5 0 6 3 Hawkins 29 8-15 1-1 1-7 2 1 18 Payton 36 7-20 2-2 2-8 14 0 17 Perkins 17 1-2 0-0 2-5 1 5 3 Ellis 27 2-7 0-0 0-0 2 1 5 Kersey 16 2-3 0-0 1-4 1 3 4 Anthony 10 1-1 0-0 0-1 1 0 2 Williams 7 0-4 1-2 1-3 0 1 1 Wingate 7 1-3 0-0 0-1 0 2 2 Snow 6 0-0 1-2 0-0 0 1 1 Totals 240 38-80 13-18 9-46 26 24 94

Percentages: FG .475, FT .722.

3-Point Goals: 5-20, .250 (Perkins 1-2, Schrempf 1-3, Ellis 1-4, Hawkins 1-5, Payton 1-5, Kersey 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 9.

Blocked shots: 5 (McIlvaine 3, Baker, Ellis).

Turnovers: 15 (Schrempf 3, Baker 2, McIlvaine 2, Hawkins 2, Payton 2, Kersey 2, Ellis, Williams).

Steals: 13 (Kersey 4, Baker 2, Schrempf 2, Payton 2, Hawkins, Perkins, Ellis).

Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 7:36, 4th.

Ejection: Coach George Karl, 2nd.

Illegal defense: 1.

San Antonio 16 21 14 23 - 74

Seattle 36 24 18 16 - 94

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:01.