Celts’ Anderson Too Much For Sonics Much-Traveled Guard Seals Fate Of Seattle With Late Free Throws

Even rusty and out of shape, Kenny Anderson was too much for the Seattle SuperSonics.

Anderson, in his first game with the Celtics, scored eight of his 19 points in the final 4 minutes Friday night to lead Boston to a 106-96 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

“My stamina and wind weren’t there,” Anderson said. “I just went out and played.”

Anderson, traded from Portland to Toronto on Feb. 13 and traded again five days later, hit consecutive jumpers for a 93-85 lead with 3:05 left.

With the Sonics forced to foul, Anderson - playing for the first time since Feb. 13 - connected on 4 of 6 free throws for a 99-90 lead with 55 seconds left.

Celtics coach Rick Pitino was delighted with the seventh-year point guard.

“Kenny was brilliant,” Pitino said. “If he works hard and plays intense, I think he can get back to that All-Star level.”

Anderson was an All-Star in 1994 with the New Jersey Nets when he averaged 18.8 points and 9.6 assists per game.

Ron Mercer had 17 points, Antoine Walker 16 and ex-Sonic Dana Barros scored seven key points for the Celtics in the fourth period.

The victory was Boston’s first in Seattle since December 27, 1991.

Vin Baker had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Gary Payton added 23 points and 10 assists for the Sonics. Payton also equaled his season high with seven assists.

The Sonics have the league’s best mark at 41-13, but have lost two of three.

“We have to be able to win these types of games,” Baker said. “We weren’t ready and it showed.”

Said Hersey Hawkins: “It may have been one of their best games. It was one of our worst games. With as many veterans as we have, there is no excuse for a game like this.”

The Sonics were without Detlef Schrempf, who was out for the second straight game with a sore neck. Nate McMillan, who played for the first time this season Wednesday against Portland, also missed the game.

The Celtics had six players score in double figures and wore down the Sonics with their depth.

Seattle lost its fourth home game of the season, while Boston won for the third time in seven games on their eight-game road trip, which concludes Sunday at Portland.

The Celtics controlled the fourth quarter. Andrew DeClercq’s layup put Boston up 75-73, and Greg Minor’s basket and a free throw by Ron Mercer gave Boston a 78-73 lead with 9:24 left.

Seattle never got closer than 87-83 after Hawkins’ 3-point shot with 5:40 left.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Greg Anthony and Dale Ellis put the Sonics up 72-71 after three quarters, but that was the last time the Sonics led.

Notable

Schrempf will sit out games against the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers and will be re-evaluated by doctors on Monday.

Celtics 106, SuperSonics 96

FG FT Reb BOSTON Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Minor 27 5-7 3-3 1-4 3 4 13 Walker 42 7-15 2-6 1-6 6 0 16 DeClercq 13 1-1 0-1 0-4 0 3 2 Anderson 23 7-15 4-6 0-3 4 1 19 Mercer 31 8-16 1-2 2-4 0 4 17 Ellison 19 1-3 1-2 2-5 1 3 3 Barros 22 5-11 0-0 1-4 6 0 12 Bowen 20 2-6 5-5 3-7 0 2 9 McCarty 27 4-11 1-2 3-4 4 2 10 Knight 13 2-3 1-1 0-1 0 4 5 Edney 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 2 0 0 Totals 240 42-88 18-28 13-42 26 23 106

Percentages: FG .477, FT .643. 3-Point Goals: 4-13, .308 (Barros 2-6, Anderson 1-1, McCarty 1-2, Bowen 0-1, Walker 0-3). Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked shots: 4 (Mercer, Ellison, Bowen, McCarty). Turnovers: 13 (Anderson 3, Minor 2, Walker 2, Barros 2, McCarty 2, Ellison, Bowen). Steals: 14 (Knight 3, Minor 2, Anderson 2, Mercer 2, Ellison, Barros, Bowen, McCarty, Edney). Technical fouls: None. Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 39 11-15 3-5 3-10 0 5 25 Wingate 19 1-5 0-0 1-3 3 1 2 McIlvaine 12 0-0 1-2 0-3 0 1 1 Hawkins 34 4-11 6-6 2-7 3 4 16 Payton 43 8-15 7-10 1-7 10 4 23 Ellis 31 3-10 3-3 0-2 1 2 10 Williams 20 3-7 1-2 1-4 1 5 7 Anthony 17 1-5 0-0 0-2 1 2 3 Perkins 25 3-8 1-2 0-2 3 3 9 Totals 240 34-76 22-30 8-40 22 27 96

Percentages: FG .447, FT .733. 3-Point Goals: 6-21, .286 (Perkins 2-4, Hawkins 2-6, Anthony 1-4, Ellis 1-6, Payton 0-1). Team Rebounds: 13. Blocked shots: 5 (McIlvaine 2, Williams 2, Payton). Turnovers: 18 (Payton 7, Baker 5, McIlvaine 2, Hawkins, Ellis, Williams, Perkins). Steals: 9 (Hawkins 4, Payton 2, Ellis, Williams, Perkins). Ts: None. ID: 1.

Boston 16 30 25 35 - 106

Seattle 23 21 28 24 - 96

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