Sonics Fall Back On Ellis Momentum-Killing 3-Pointer Sends Seattle To Win Over Nets

Dale Ellis has spent 14 years in the NBA for one reason: Few people can shoot the basketball better.

Ellis has had his share of big shots and game-winners, and the New Jersey Nets will remember his 3-pointer on Wednesday night that killed their momentum and helped lift the Seattle SuperSonics to a 93-89 victory.

“That’s my job,” said Ellis, who took a pass from teammate Gary Payton with 1:24 remaining and drained a game-tying shot after the Nets had all but taken control of the game. “I’m here to shoot the basketball. That’s what I’m expected to do.”

The Nets had just taken an 85-82 lead on baskets by Sam Cassell and David Benoit.

Ellis then got loose at the top of the key.

“You want to make the ones that count,” said Ellis, who finished with 16 points. “Those are the shots that are important.”

Vin Baker scored 23 points and Hersey Hawkins made four late free throws and grabbed a key defensive rebound for Seattle.

Baker snapped an 87-all tie by making two free throws with 23 seconds left after he rebounded a miss by Kerry Kittles and was fouled by Chris Gatling.

The Nets had three chances to either tie or take the lead, but David Benoit missed a long 3-pointer, Kendall Gill missed a jumper off an offensive rebound and Cassell also missed a jumper after another offensive rebound.

Hawkins grabbed the rebound for the Sonics and hit two free throws for a 91-87 lead with 8 seconds left.

After Gill scored an uncontested basket, Hawkins was fouled again and made both free throws, clinching the Sonics’ eighth win in their last nine games.

Detlef Schrempf finished with 17 points for Seattle and Payton scored 16.

Cassell led the Nets with 23 points, while Gill added 18. Jayson Williams grabbed 24 rebounds before fouling out with 3:16 to play.

Notes

Nets rookie Keith Van Horn was expected to dress for the game but didn’t, and has now missed all 17 regular-season games with a sprained right ankle. … Violet Palmer, one of the two new female referees, worked her first Nets game.

SuperSonics 93, Nets 89

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 38 5-12 6-7 4-9 5 1 17 Baker 38 9-17 5-7 4-7 0 2 23 McIlvaine 13 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 Hawkins 30 2-8 4-4 0-3 5 1 10 Payton 44 6-14 3-4 0-3 6 3 16 Perkins 22 2-4 0-0 0-3 1 1 5 Wingate 19 2-6 2-2 0-5 2 1 6 Ellis 28 5-11 4-5 0-2 0 2 16 A.Williams 4 0-1 0-0 1-2 0 3 0 Anthony 4 0-1 0-0 0-1 2 0 0 Totals 240 31-74 24-29 9-35 21 16 93 Percentages: FG .419, FT .828.

3-Point Goals: 7-19, .368 (Hawkins 2-4, Ellis 2-7, Schrempf 1-2, Payton 1-2, Perkins 1-3, Wingate 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 7.

Blocked shots: 6 (McIlvaine 3, Payton 2, Perkins).

Turnovers: 9 (Wingate 3, Baker 2, Schrempf, McIlvaine, Payton, Ellis).

Steals: 7 (Hawkins 3, Schrempf 2, Wingate 2).

Technical fouls: Schrempf, 6:53 third.

Flagrant fouls: A.Williams, 10:46 second.

Illegal defense: None.

FG FT Reb NEW JERSEY Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Gill 36 9-17 0-0 2-4 4 1 18 Cage 5 1-2 0-0 1-1 0 0 2 J.Williams 37 2-6 0-0 9-24 3 6 4 Kittles 37 8-18 0-2 4-6 5 1 17 Cassell 33 8-19 7-7 1-3 4 3 23 Gatling 35 2-8 3-4 2-11 1 5 7 Benoit 13 3-6 0-0 2-4 0 3 8 McDaniel 18 1-4 2-4 2-4 1 2 4 Douglas 15 3-5 0-0 1-1 0 1 6 Edwards 11 0-6 0-0 1-2 2 1 0 Totals 240 37-91 12-17 25-60 20 23 89 Percentages: FG .407, FT .706.

3-Point Goals: 3-13, .231 (Benoit 2-3, Kittles 1-4, Gill 0-1, Gatling 0-1, J.Williams 0-1, Cassell 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 5.

Blocked shots: 5 (J.Williams 2, Cassell 2, Gatling).

Turnovers: 16 (Gill 4, Kittles 3, Gatling 3, Cassell 2, Benoit, McDaniel, Douglas, Edwards).

Steals: 5 (Gill 2, J.WIlliams, Cassell, Gatling).

Technical fouls: Coach Calipari, 6:30 fourth.

Illegal defense: None.

Seattle 31 20 15 27 - 93

New Jersey 26 22 18 23 - 89

A-15,259 (20,049). T-2:05.