Sonics Just Getting Going Baker Scores 21 As Seattle Steamrolls The Magic, 103-81

Though they have won seven straight games, Vin Baker said he and the Seattle SuperSonics can get a lot better.

Baker scored all 21 of his points in the first half Sunday night as the Sonics built a big early lead and rolled to a 103-81 victory over the Orlando Magic.

“We’re just scratching the surface of how good we can be,” Baker said. “We’re off to a great start but we can get better.”

The Sonics won their eighth straight home game. Their only loss at Key Arena was to the Dallas Mavericks in their home opener.

Baker was unstoppable in the first half. Matched against 6-foot-9 Derek Strong, he scored almost at will with 21 points on 10-for-16 shooting with six rebounds as the Sonics led 49-36 at halftime.

When Orlando started double-teaming Baker, he passed out and the Sonics hit from long range, going 7-for-15 from 3-point range. The Magic was 2-for-17 from beyond the arc.

The Magic had won seven of their previous eight games, but the Sonics dominated and led by 20 points midway through the second period. Orlando cut its deficit to single digits only once the rest of the way.

“They’re one of the best teams in the NBA,” Magic coach Chuck Daly said.”I look for them to at least make the finals in the West.”

SuperSonics 103, Magic 81

FG FT Reb ORLANDO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Outlaw 23 2-3 0-0 0-5 3 5 4

Strong 37 6-9 3-4 2-5 2 1 15

Seikaly 21 4-9 0-0 1-4 1 1 8

Hardaway 33 4-11 4-4 0-4 1 1 13

Price 28 2-9 3-3 1-2 7 2 7

Schayes 13 1-4 0-0 1-1 0 3 2

Armstrong 16 1-5 0-1 0-0 3 2 2

Wilkins 14 2-6 0-0 0-0 4 0 4

Harper 12 1-3 0-0 0-2 1 2 2

Anderson 19 4-8 0-1 3-6 2 3 9

Evans 19 6-10 1-1 0-3 1 1 13

Taylor 5 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 0 2

Totals 240 34-80 11-14 8-32 25 21 81

Percentages: FG .425, FT .786.

3-Point Goals: 2-17, .118 (Hardaway 1-3, Anderson 1-3, Armstrong 0-1, Harper 0-1, Wilkins 0-2, Price 0-3, Evans 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 7.

Blocked shots: 4 (Outlaw 2, Anderson, Evans).

Turnovers: 15 (Seikaly 5, Armstrong 3, Hardaway 2, Strong, Price, Schayes, Harper, Taylor).

Steals: 8 (Harper 2, Hardaway 2, Outlaw, Strong, Schayes, Armstrong).

Technical fouls: None.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb

SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Baker 30 10-18 1-2 4-9 0 2 21

Schrempf 26 3-7 2-4 2-6 5 2 9

McIlvaine 20 2-3 3-4 1-6 0 3 7

Hawkins 29 5-10 2-2 1-7 2 3 16

Payton 35 3-12 5-6 1-2 9 0 11

Perkins 22 1-4 1-2 0-3 4 2 3

Ellis 20 5-7 1-1 0-0 1 0 13

Wingate 19 1-1 0-0 1-2 2 0 2

Williams 18 2-4 5-5 0-6 0 0 9

Anthony 16 4-8 0-0 1-2 3 2 8

Snow 5 2-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 4

Totals 240 38-77 20-26 11-43 26 16 103

Percentages: FG .494, FT .769.

3-Point Goals: 7-15, .467 (Hawkins 4-7, Ellis 2-3, Schrempf 1-1, Payton 0-1, Anthony 0-1, Perkins 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 12.

Blocked shots: 4 (McIlvaine 2, Baker, Perkins).

Turnovers: 12 (Payton 5, Schrempf 2, Wingate 2, Snow 2, McIlvaine).

Steals: 12 (Hawkins 5, Payton 4, Schrempf, Ellis, Wingate).

Technical fouls: illegal defense 2, 5:52 second; 7:19 third.

Illegal defense: 1.

Orlando 14 22 21 24 - 81

Seattle 23 26 29 25 - 103

A-17,072 (17,072). T-1:58.