Sonics On Top And Plan On Staying There

Even without Detlef Schrempf, the Seattle SuperSonics are in the NBA’s Pacific Division lead and intend to stay there.

“I don’t think you rate how you’re playing,” Shawn Kemp said. “We’re just trying to hold up the fort until he comes back.”

After a 118-100 victory over the Washington Bullets Saturday night, the Sonics are 4-2 since Schrempf was lost with a broken left leg. The All-Star forward is expected to be out another month.

“I think they’ve all played very responsibly,” coach George Karl said. “I don’t know if we’re playing pretty basketball, but we’re playing winning basketball.”

Saturday night’s victory at home gave the Sonics a 17-8 record, 1-1/2 games ahead of Sacramento (15-9).

“I think sometimes teams focus a little more when there are problems,” Karl said.

Against the Bullets, a team that starts 7-foot-7 Gheorghe Muresan at center, the Sonics had a 58-39 rebounding advantage. And the Sonics are a club that has had problems on the boards.

Kemp had 15 rebounds and 18 points. Ervin Johnson came off the bench to get 11 rebounds. Guard Gary Payton had 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Hersey Hawkins scored 22.

“One of our key players is out and this is what we’re supposed to do,” Payton said. “That’s what’s motivating us. It’s just like Orlando when they lost Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal).”

The brash Payton didn’t hesitate to tell Bullets coach Jim Lynam who was in charge in an exchange during the game.

“I’m running this team,” he said.

Disappointing first-round losers in the playoffs the past two seasons, the Sonics averaged 60 regular-season victories under Karl in 1994 and 1995. When Schrempf was injured against Portland Dec. 9, some people thought the Sonics would go into a tailspin.

It hasn’t happened.

“We’re playing good basketball,” Payton said. “When Detlef gets back, he’ll make us even better.”

Payton and Kemp, both All-Stars, can’t carry the team by themselves. They need help and they got it, from Hawkins and the 6-11 Johnson against the Bullets. When the Sonics turned a 5-point first-quarter deficit into a 10-point halftime lead, Johnson contributed 10 key points.

“We have people who can shoot and score,” Johnson said. “So I want to be able to help by rebounding, blocking shots and playing harder on defense.”

Without Schrempf, the Sonics lost at Dallas and at Vancouver. They’re 11-1 in the new Key Arena and 6-7 on the road.

“We lost a couple of games we should have won,” Hawkins said. “But, overall, we have guys picking up the slack. We realize that this has to be a team effort in order for us to win. And that’s not a cliche in our case.”