Sonics Score Big Against Wizards Get Season-High 133 To Keep Pace In Race For Best Record
The Seattle SuperSonics had an easy night against the Washington Wizards, scoring a season-high point total in a game that was a laugher even before the fourth quarter began.
After leading 74-55 at halftime, Detlef Schrempf scored 15 points in the third quarter as the Sonics outscored the Wizards 38-22 en route to a 133-109 victory.
“We made a good run before half and had a great third quarter,” Schrempf said. “We controlled the boards, ran the floor and got some easy baskets.”
Schrempf also had eight rebounds and six assists as the Sonics beat the Wizards for the 18th straight time at home. Seattle shot 65 percent (43 of 66) from the field in building a 112-77 lead through three quarters.
Vin Baker scored 26 points and six Sonics scored in double figures as Seattle avenged a 95-78 loss to the Wizards on Dec. 2 in the opening game in the MCI Center. Seattle (52-17) moved a half-game ahead of the Utah Jazz in the battle for best record in the West.
The Chicago Bulls (53-17) defeated Orlando and stayed a half-game ahead of the Sonics in the race for the best record leaguewide.
Ledell Eackles and Chris Whitney had 18 points each for the Wizards.
Jerome Kersey of the Sonics added a season-high 18 points.
Vin Baker shot 9 for 12 and said it was a rare night for him and his teammates. Their previous high point total this year was 120 points.
“It’s unusual when every shot seems to fall,” Baker said. “Our defense slowed down Rod (Strickland) and neither (Chris) Webber nor (Juwan) Howard got going.”
The Sonics made 22 of their first 31 shots and settled for 60 percent shooting (53 of 89).
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SuperSonics 133, Wizards 109
FG FT Reb WASHINGTON Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Howard 30 4-9 1-2 2-5 3 2 9 Webber 22 7-11 3-4 3-4 4 3 17 Davis 12 0-2 0-0 2-4 0 1 0 Cheaney 20 2-8 0-0 1-3 1 4 4 Strickland 29 5-14 5-8 0-0 6 1 16 Murray 21 6-15 2-2 0-2 2 1 16 Wallace 27 2-3 0-0 3-8 2 1 4 Eackles 26 5-9 6-6 1-1 1 1 18 Grant 7 1-2 0-0 0-1 1 1 2 Whitney 19 6-14 4-4 1-1 2 1 18 Ham 15 1-1 0-1 3-7 0 2 2 Shammgod 12 1-7 1-2 0-1 5 0 3 Totals 240 40-95 22-29 16-37 27 18 109
Percentages: FG .421, FT .759. 3-Point Goals: 7-27, .259 (Eackles 2-5, Whitney 2-8, Murray 2-9, Strickland 1-1, Cheaney 0-1, Grant 0-1, Webber 0-2). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 4 (Webber, Cheaney, Wallace, Shammgod). Turnovers: 9 (Howard 2, Webber 2, Ham 2, Murray, Wallace, Whitney). Steals: 9 (Wallace 4, Eackles 2, Howard, Murray, Whitney). Technical fouls: None. Illegal defense: None.
FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 27 9-12 8-9 3-5 2 1 26 Schrempf 29 8-12 5-5 3-8 6 1 21 McIlvaine 14 1-2 0-3 1-5 0 2 2 Hawkins 31 5-6 2-2 0-4 6 4 13 Payton 32 6-15 2-5 2-3 7 2 17 Kersey 25 8-10 2-2 1-5 3 4 18 Ellis 22 5-9 0-0 3-6 0 2 12 Perkins 11 2-2 0-0 0-4 3 1 4 McMillan 15 3-6 0-0 0-3 6 1 7 Anthony 16 3-8 1-2 2-3 5 4 7 Williams 13 2-4 0-0 2-4 0 3 4 Zidek 5 1-3 0-0 0-2 0 0 2 Totals 240 53-89 20-28 17-52 38 25 133
Percentages: FG .596, FT .714. 3-Point Goals: 7-20, .350 (Payton 3-6, Ellis 2-5, Hawkins 1-2, McMillan 1-3, Schrempf 0-1, Anthony 0-3). Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked shots: 5 (Payton 2, McMillan 2, McIlvaine). Turnovers: 12 (Anthony 3, Schrempf 2, Kersey 2, Williams 2, Baker, Payton, Ellis). Steals: 7 (Kersey 3, Payton 2, McMillan, Anthony). Technical fouls: Anthony, 2:46 fourth. Illegal defense: 1.
Washington 31 24 22 32 - 109 Seattle 36 38 38 21 - 133
A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:02.
SuperSonics 133, Wizards 109
FG FT Reb WASHINGTON Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Howard 30 4-9 1-2 2-5 3 2 9 Webber 22 7-11 3-4 3-4 4 3 17 Davis 12 0-2 0-0 2-4 0 1 0 Cheaney 20 2-8 0-0 1-3 1 4 4 Strickland 29 5-14 5-8 0-0 6 1 16 Murray 21 6-15 2-2 0-2 2 1 16 Wallace 27 2-3 0-0 3-8 2 1 4 Eackles 26 5-9 6-6 1-1 1 1 18 Grant 7 1-2 0-0 0-1 1 1 2 Whitney 19 6-14 4-4 1-1 2 1 18 Ham 15 1-1 0-1 3-7 0 2 2 Shammgod 12 1-7 1-2 0-1 5 0 3 Totals 240 40-95 22-29 16-37 27 18 109
Percentages: FG .421, FT .759. 3-Point Goals: 7-27, .259 (Eackles 2-5, Whitney 2-8, Murray 2-9, Strickland 1-1, Cheaney 0-1, Grant 0-1, Webber 0-2). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 4 (Webber, Cheaney, Wallace, Shammgod). Turnovers: 9 (Howard 2, Webber 2, Ham 2, Murray, Wallace, Whitney). Steals: 9 (Wallace 4, Eackles 2, Howard, Murray, Whitney). Technical fouls: None. Illegal defense: None.
FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 27 9-12 8-9 3-5 2 1 26 Schrempf 29 8-12 5-5 3-8 6 1 21 McIlvaine 14 1-2 0-3 1-5 0 2 2 Hawkins 31 5-6 2-2 0-4 6 4 13 Payton 32 6-15 2-5 2-3 7 2 17 Kersey 25 8-10 2-2 1-5 3 4 18 Ellis 22 5-9 0-0 3-6 0 2 12 Perkins 11 2-2 0-0 0-4 3 1 4 McMillan 15 3-6 0-0 0-3 6 1 7 Anthony 16 3-8 1-2 2-3 5 4 7 Williams 13 2-4 0-0 2-4 0 3 4 Zidek 5 1-3 0-0 0-2 0 0 2 Totals 240 53-89 20-28 17-52 38 25 133
Percentages: FG .596, FT .714. 3-Point Goals: 7-20, .350 (Payton 3-6, Ellis 2-5, Hawkins 1-2, McMillan 1-3, Schrempf 0-1, Anthony 0-3). Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked shots: 5 (Payton 2, McMillan 2, McIlvaine). Turnovers: 12 (Anthony 3, Schrempf 2, Kersey 2, Williams 2, Baker, Payton, Ellis). Steals: 7 (Kersey 3, Payton 2, McMillan, Anthony). Technical fouls: Anthony, 2:46 fourth. Illegal defense: 1.
Washington 31 24 22 32 - 109 Seattle 36 38 38 21 - 133
A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:02.