Sonics Burn Heat With Triple Digits To End Losing Streak

After consecutive losses, Gary Payton and the Seattle SuperSonics were eager to prove their NBA-best 30-8 record is no fluke.

Mission accomplished.

In a battle of division leaders, the Sonics dominated the Miami Heat 103-85 Thursday night.

Payton outplayed Tim Hardaway in a showdown of All-Star point guards and the Sonics made 12 of 17 shots from 3-point range.

“I get up for all the great point guards in the league,” Payton said. “It wasn’t a case of me shutting him (Hardaway) down. We just played better defensively than we have been.”

Payton had 20 points, including 4 for 5 from long range, and handed out eight assists. Hardaway was held to 12 points on 5-for-14 shooting and had only three assists.

“Sometimes you feel good and go out there and play bad. There is just no explanation,” Hardaway said.

Hersey Hawkins and Detlef Schrempf each scored 15 points for the Sonics, who beat Miami for the 11th straight time in Seattle. Alonzo Mourning led the Heat with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

After making 3 of 7 shots from 3-point range in the first half, the Sonics hit nine of their next 10.

“We were fortunate to do that,” Sam Perkins said. “Just about anybody on the team can hit that shot.”

The Sonics defense, which was shredded in losses to the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls, returned to form against the Heat. Seattle forced 19 Heat turnovers and held Hardaway almost seven points under his average.

“After the first 5 or 6 minutes, it was probably as good a defense as we’ve played on postups,” Sonics coach George Karl said.

Sonics 103, Heat 85

FG FT Reb MIAMI Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pt Brown 32 6-9 0-0 2-7 1 2 12 Mashburn 39 4-11 5-5 1-6 5 3 13 Mourning 35 6-7 5-6 1-10 0 2 17 Hardaway 37 5-14 0-0 0-0 3 6 12 Lenard 31 3-10 0-0 0-3 1 2 8 Austin 15 3-8 4-4 3-5 1 1 10 Majerle 28 2-5 3-4 2-3 3 2 7 Murdock 21 1-5 4-4 0-1 3 5 6 Strickland 2 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 30-70 21-23 9-35 17 23 85

Percentages: FG .429, FT .913.

3-Point Goals: 4-18, .222 (Lenard 2-5, Hardaway 2-6, Mashburn 0-1, Austin 0-1, Majerle 0-2, Murdock 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 8 Blocked shots: 6 (Brown 2, Mourning 2, Austin, Majerle). Turnovers: 19 (Hardaway 5, Majerle 4, Lenard 3, Mashburn 2, Murdock 2, Mourning, Austin, Team).

Steals: 12 (Murdock 3, Austin 2, Brown 2, Mourning 2, Mashburn, Hardaway, Majerle).

Technical fouls: Hardaway 9:07, fourth. Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pt Baker 36 5-13 3-5 5-6 2 5 13 Schrempf 39 6-12 2-2 0-8 7 4 15 McIlvaine 14 2-3 0-0 1-1 1 4 4 Hawkins 37 4-9 4-5 1-8 3 0 15 Payton 37 8-14 0-0 0-0 8 4 20 Perkins 22 3-6 4-4 0-5 1 3 11 Ellis 23 4-8 2-2 3-5 1 0 12 Wingate 10 2-3 0-0 1-2 0 0 4 Anthony 16 3-6 2-4 0-2 5 1 9 Snow 2 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Williams 2 0-1 0-0 1-1 0 0 0 Howard 2 0-2 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 Totals 240 37-78 17-22 13-40 28 21 103

Percentages: FG .474, FT .773.

3-Point Goals: 12-17, .706 (Payton 4-5, Hawkins 3-3, Ellis 2-4, Schrempf 1-1, Perkins 1-2, Anthony 1-2) Team Rebounds: 5 Blocked shots: 2 (Baker, Perkins). Turnovers: 16 (Payton 4, Schrempf 3, Anthony 3, McIlvaine 2, Howard 2, Baker, Hawkins) Steals: 11 (Hawkins 4, Baker 2, Payton 2, Perkins, Wingate, Anthony).

Technical fouls: None. Illegal defense: 1.

Miami 21 20 23 21 - 85

Seattle 28 21 26 28 - 103

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:02.