Payton Sounds Warning Despite Win, Sonics Must Play Better To Capture Home-Court Advantage

Gary Payton has it all figured out for the Seattle SuperSonics. If they’re going to finish with the home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, they’re going to have to get hot, Payton said.

“We have to win 18 or 19 of our remaining (20) games,” the All-Star point guard said after scoring 24 points to lead the Sonics to a 111-93 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.

“We can’t play like we have been. Games like this we have to take seriously. The starting five has to play more aggressively and finish off teams like this that we should overpower.”

The Sonics improved their NBA-best record to 47-15, including 25-4 at the Key Arena, despite falling behind 19-6 in the opening quarter and then watching a 20-point lead cut in half in the final period.

The charging Chicago Bulls, who beat Miami Tuesday night, are 46-16 and have won 10 of their last 11.

“We’re not that dominant of a team so it’s imperative for us to have the homecourt,” said Greg Anthony, Payton’s back-up.

John Wallace had 25 points and Doug Christie 21 for Toronto, which is 2-12 since the All-Star break.

The Sonics, just back from a four-game road trip during which they went 2-2, looked like they were still thinking about their overtime win in Minnesota on Sunday when they fell behind 19-6 with 5:36 gone.

“It’s hard when you turn the ball over,” Sonics coach George Karl said. “We had six or seven turnovers and they got layups and made some shots.”

“Their starters struggled trying to figure out what we were doing,” Toronto coach Butch Carter said. “Their bench came in in the second quarter and ran right through us.”

Dale Ellis scored 18 points off the bench.

Notes

George Zidek, who was signed to a 10-day contract by the Sonics on Monday after they returned from a four-game road trip, played the final 54.9 seconds. Seattle coach George Karl said the team will have the rights to the 7-foot Zidek, 24, a former UCLA star and a first-round draft choice of Charlotte in 1995, for next season if it keeps him this season. … Nate McMillan of the Sonics played in his sixth game of the season, not scoring on 0-for-4 shooting in 16 minutes.

SuperSonics 111, Raptors 93

FG FT Reb TORONTO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Camby 7 2-4 1-1 1-3 1 1 5 Wallace 40 10-16 5-6 3-9 5 5 25 Miller 22 0-6 0-0 2-6 4 3 0 Billups 29 4-8 0-0 0-1 3 1 9 Christie 43 6-13 7-9 1-5 5 1 21 Thomas 11 0-1 1-2 3-3 0 5 1 Brown 35 7-17 0-0 2-6 1 1 16 Slater 21 3-7 3-3 0-2 3 4 9 McGrady 11 1-4 0-2 0-3 1 2 3 Wright 8 0-2 0-0 0-1 0 1 0 Respert 13 2-3 0-0 0-1 0 0 4 Totals 240 35-81 17-23 12-40 23 24 93 Percentages: FG .432, FT .739. 3-Point Goals: 6-21, .286 (Christie 2-7, Brown 2-8, McGrady 1-2, Billups 1-4). Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked shots: 6 (Wallace 2, Miller 2, Camby, Brown). Turnovers: 24 (Wallace 5, Christie 5, Thomas 3, Brown 2, Slater 2, Wright, Respert, Miller, Billups, team 3). Steals: 11 (Brown 3, Billups 2, Christie 2, McGrady 2, Wallace, Respert). Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 35 5-10 5-8 4-10 0 2 15 Schrempf 34 3-10 5-6 2-8 3 2 11 McIlvaine 14 1-6 2-2 1-5 1 3 4 Hawkins 33 6-7 2-2 1-10 2 2 14 Payton 34 10-13 2-3 2-6 6 4 24 Perkins 10 1-2 2-2 0-1 1 2 5 Ellis 23 5-10 5-8 0-1 0 3 18 McMillan 16 0-4 0-0 1-1 4 1 0 Williams 13 2-5 1-2 2-4 0 2 5 Anthony 18 5-7 0-0 0-2 5 2 13 Wingate 9 1-3 0-0 0-0 1 0 2 Zidek 1 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 Totals 240 39-78 24-33 13-48 23 24 111 Percentages: FG .500, FT .727. 3-Point Goals: 9-18, .500 (Anthony 3-4, Ellis 3-5, Payton 2-4, Perkins 1-2, Schrempf 0-1, Hawkins 0-1, McMillan 0-1). Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked shots: 5 (McIlvaine 5). Turnovers: 21 (Schrempf 4, Anthony 4, Payton 3, Perkins 2, Wingate 2, Baker, Hawkins, McMillan, Williams, team 2). Steals: 13 (Hawkins 5, Payton 5, Baker, Schrempf, Perkins).

Toronto 32 23 14 24 - 93

Seattle 29 37 23 22 - 111

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:10.