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Wolves Thrown To Sonics Again Seattle Devours Minnesota, Scoring Season-High 132 Points

Associated Press

It’s no longer a question of whether the Seattle SuperSonics are going to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves. The question is by how much.

Gary Payton tied his career high with 33 points and the Sonics posted their highest point total of the season Friday night in a 132-112 victory, their 20th straight against the Wolves.

“It would be like you running against Carl Lewis,” Minnesota coach Flip Saunders told a reporter. “It doesn’t matter how many times you go out there. If he’s (better) than you, he’s gonna win.”

Detlef Schrempf scored 25 points and Sam Perkins had 21 for the Sonics, whose streak against the Wolves dates back five years. Seattle’s previous season-high point total came in a 130-93 victory on Feb. 14, also against the Wolves.

Isaiah Rider led the Wolves with 24 points.

Seattle, which saw its 14-game winning streak come to an end against Washington on Wednesday, toyed with the Wolves for the first quarter and a half before a 35-16 burst during an 11-minute span of the second and third quarters gave the Sonics an 88-68 lead.

“We were a little frustrated after that game at Washington,” said Schrempf, who made 11 of 15 from the field. “We got some easy baskets early and just had a lot of fun.”

Seattle’s fun started when Minnesota’s starting center, Andrew Lang, left the game with 4:16 left in the first half with a hyperextended left knee. That created a hole in the Wolves’ defense, allowing the Sonics - and especially Payton - to drive to the basket with ease.

“I’m playing very well right now,” said Payton, whose team played without the injured Shawn Kemp for the fourth time in five games. “With Shawn and Nate (McMillan) out, I’m trying to pick it up.”

Payton made 14 of 23 shots, dished out 10 assists and Seattle’s defense so thoroughly frustrated Minnesota that the Wolves were charged with five technicals and a flagrant foul.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SuperSonics 132, Timberwolves 112 FG FT Reb Seattle Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 30 11-15 1-2 1-2 4 2 25 Perkins 30 7-13 5-5 2-9 1 3 21 Johnson 21 0-1 0-0 0-3 3 5 0 Hawkins 32 5-9 5-6 0-3 5 1 16 Payton 38 14-23 3-6 0-4 10 4 33 Brickowski 23 0-1 2-2 0-5 4 3 2 Askew 30 5-10 9-9 1-9 5 4 21 Wingate 23 3-6 2-4 1-2 1 1 8 Scheffler 7 1-2 0-0 0-1 0 2 2 Ford 6 1-4 2-2 1-1 0 3 4 Totals 240 47-84 29-36 6-39 33 28 132 Percentages: FG .560, FT .806. 3-Point Goals: 9-15, .600 (Schrempf 2-2, Askew 2-2, Perkins 2-4, Payton 2-4, Hawkins 1-3). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 3 (Askew 2, Johnson). Turnovers: 19 (Johnson 5, Hawkins 4, Payton 4, Askew 4, Wingate 2). Steals: 11 (Hawkins 4, Payton 3, Askew 2, Schrempf, Wingate). Technical fouls: None. Illegal defense: 1. FG FT Reb Minnesota Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Garnett 40 7-12 4-5 1-13 3 0 18 Gugliotta 30 6-8 2-2 0-2 7 4 14 Lang 15 0-1 4-6 0-1 0 1 4 Rider 41 9-24 5-5 1-5 2 1 24 Webb 21 4-6 0-0 0-1 7 3 10 Porter 18 3-6 0-0 0-4 2 2 7 West 37 5-11 4-5 1-3 4 5 14 Bragg 8 0-2 0-2 1-1 1 1 0 Davis 14 3-4 4-6 2-2 0 3 12 Martin 12 1-4 0-0 0-0 4 3 2 Riley 4 3-4 1-1 2-3 0 0 7 Totals 240 41-82 24-32 8-35 30 23 112 Percentages: FG .500, FT .750. 3-Point Goals: 6-14, .429 (Webb 2-2, Davis 2-2, Porter 1-3, Rider 1-7). Team Rebounds: 9. Blocked shots: 10 (Rider 3, Garnett 2, Gugliotta, Lang, West, Davis, Riley). Turnovers: 20 (Gugliotta 5, Lang 3, Rider 3, Webb 3, West 2, Davis 2, Garnett, Martin). Steals: 10 (Garnett 3, Gugliotta 2, Davis 2, Lang, West, Bragg). Technical fouls: West, 9:42 second; Gugliotta, 8:20 second; Rider, 6:41 fourth; illegal defense, :41.4 second; delay of game, 7:00 third. Flagrant foul: Bragg, 36.3 second. Illegal defense: 1. Seattle 37 29 35 31 - 132 Minnesota 33 23 25 31 - 112 A-13,930 (19,006). T-2:09. Officials-Ron Garretson, David Jones, Sean Corbin.

This sidebar appeared with the story: SuperSonics 132, Timberwolves 112 FG FT Reb Seattle Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 30 11-15 1-2 1-2 4 2 25 Perkins 30 7-13 5-5 2-9 1 3 21 Johnson 21 0-1 0-0 0-3 3 5 0 Hawkins 32 5-9 5-6 0-3 5 1 16 Payton 38 14-23 3-6 0-4 10 4 33 Brickowski 23 0-1 2-2 0-5 4 3 2 Askew 30 5-10 9-9 1-9 5 4 21 Wingate 23 3-6 2-4 1-2 1 1 8 Scheffler 7 1-2 0-0 0-1 0 2 2 Ford 6 1-4 2-2 1-1 0 3 4 Totals 240 47-84 29-36 6-39 33 28 132 Percentages: FG .560, FT .806. 3-Point Goals: 9-15, .600 (Schrempf 2-2, Askew 2-2, Perkins 2-4, Payton 2-4, Hawkins 1-3). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 3 (Askew 2, Johnson). Turnovers: 19 (Johnson 5, Hawkins 4, Payton 4, Askew 4, Wingate 2). Steals: 11 (Hawkins 4, Payton 3, Askew 2, Schrempf, Wingate). Technical fouls: None. Illegal defense: 1. FG FT Reb Minnesota Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Garnett 40 7-12 4-5 1-13 3 0 18 Gugliotta 30 6-8 2-2 0-2 7 4 14 Lang 15 0-1 4-6 0-1 0 1 4 Rider 41 9-24 5-5 1-5 2 1 24 Webb 21 4-6 0-0 0-1 7 3 10 Porter 18 3-6 0-0 0-4 2 2 7 West 37 5-11 4-5 1-3 4 5 14 Bragg 8 0-2 0-2 1-1 1 1 0 Davis 14 3-4 4-6 2-2 0 3 12 Martin 12 1-4 0-0 0-0 4 3 2 Riley 4 3-4 1-1 2-3 0 0 7 Totals 240 41-82 24-32 8-35 30 23 112 Percentages: FG .500, FT .750. 3-Point Goals: 6-14, .429 (Webb 2-2, Davis 2-2, Porter 1-3, Rider 1-7). Team Rebounds: 9. Blocked shots: 10 (Rider 3, Garnett 2, Gugliotta, Lang, West, Davis, Riley). Turnovers: 20 (Gugliotta 5, Lang 3, Rider 3, Webb 3, West 2, Davis 2, Garnett, Martin). Steals: 10 (Garnett 3, Gugliotta 2, Davis 2, Lang, West, Bragg). Technical fouls: West, 9:42 second; Gugliotta, 8:20 second; Rider, 6:41 fourth; illegal defense, :41.4 second; delay of game, 7:00 third. Flagrant foul: Bragg, 36.3 second. Illegal defense: 1. Seattle 37 29 35 31 - 132 Minnesota 33 23 25 31 - 112 A-13,930 (19,006). T-2:09. Officials-Ron Garretson, David Jones, Sean Corbin.