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Sonics Look Too Good To Blazers Depth, Mental Toughness Have Seattle On Top Of League

Associated Press

Vin Baker and Dale Ellis have been a perfect fit in Seattle.

“I think we’re mentally a lot stronger and a lot tougher,” Hersey Hawkins said after the SuperSonics improved their NBA-best record to 17-5 with a 111-98 victory over Portland on Friday night.

Ellis, 37, in his 15th NBA season, scored 12 of his season-high 19 points in the final quarter and Baker, who has replaced the departed Shawn Kemp in Seattle’s starting lineup, had a season-high 17 rebounds.

“I like the atmosphere in this locker room this season,” Hawkins said. “Guys like Vin Baker have made a big difference.”

Gary Payton and Hawkins scored 21 points each and Baker added 20 points to help the Sonics beat the Blazers for the second time this season and win their ninth in a row at home.

“I’ve been around a long time,” said Ellis, who shot 7 for 14 in 25 minutes. “I averaged 36 (35.8) minutes a game in Denver last season so it’s nice to come off the bench at this stage of my career.”

The Blazers, who entered the game with the league’s best road record, lost for only the third time in 10 road games.

Isaiah Rider led the Blazers with 21 points.

Portland pulled to 90-85 on an offensive rebound dunk by Rasheed Wallace with 8:53 to go.

But Ellis sank two free throws after being fouled by Arvydas Sabonis, Payton scored a driving layup and Ellis sank a 3-pointer for a 97-85 lead with 7:18 left.

“I feel good shooting the ball,” said Ellis, who is averaging 11.7 points in 22.7 minutes this season. “Shooting’s all legs and my legs feel great.”

The Sonics, the league’s worst rebounding team, outrebounded the Blazers, the NBA’s second-best rebounding team, 56-51. Detlef Schrempf had nine rebounds and 16 points for the Sonics.

“We really made a concentrated effort on getting the rebounds tonight,” Baker said. “I’d like to get 11, 12, 13 rebounds a night. I know I have to have more than eight rebounds a game.”

“They were really focused on the glass and that really gave them a big advantage in second-chance points,” Portland coach Mike Dunleavy said.

Seattle had a 26-16 advantage in second-chance points, including 17-2 in the first half.

Blazers rookie Kelvin Cato, who tied his career-high with 23 minutes, said Portland lost to the best team in the league.

“They’re a great team,” Cato said. “They have the best record and they’re in first place.”

Portland cut Seattle’s lead to 77-75 with 2:23 to go in the third quarter when Baker picked up his fourth personal foul and Gary Trent made two free throws and Rider hit a free throw after Baker was charged with a technical foul.

But Seattle scored the last eight points of the third quarter in the final 2:06, six by Hawkins. Sam Perkins added a left-handed hook as the Sonics grabbed an 85-75 edge after three periods.

The Sonics led 62-52 at halftime as Schrempf scored six of Seattle’s 10 points in the final 2:37. Seattle went ahead by 17 - 40-23 - with 58 seconds gone in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Perkins.

But the Blazers whittled Seattle’s advantage to 52-50 before Schrempf sank two free throws and then hit a 3-pointer with 2:10 left.

xxxx SuperSonics 111, Trail Blazers 98 FG FT Reb PORTLAND Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Augmon 20 2-7 1-1 3-3 2 3 5 Wallace 42 7-11 1-2 3-9 5 2 15 Sabonis 28 6-7 3-4 3-9 2 4 15 Anderson 34 5-15 5-6 0-0 1 4 17 Rider 41 7-17 2-3 0-5 4 5 21 Trent 11 1-4 3-4 0-2 0 0 5 Grant 10 0-5 0-2 3-5 0 2 0 Al.Williams 24 3-5 0-0 0-2 3 2 6 Brunson 7 0-0 1-1 0-0 3 1 1 Cato 23 4-6 5-7 0-6 1 4 13 Totals 240 35-77 21-30 12-41 21 27 98 Percentages: FG .455, FT .700. 3-Point Goals: 7-17, .412 (Rider 5-10, Anderson 2-6, Trent 0-1). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 6 (Wallace 3, Cato 2, Rider). Turnovers:18 (Sabonis 7, Brunson 3, Wallace 3, Anderson 2, Augmon, Rider, Trent). Steals: 8 (Wallace 3, Sabonis 2, Anderson, Williams, Cato). Technical fouls: Rider, 5:03, 2nd. Illegal defense: None.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 38 7-15 6-9 9-17 3 5 20 Schrempf 39 5-12 5-6 2-9 5 3 16 McIlvaine 20 0-2 4-6 3-3 1 4 4 Hawkins 38 8-14 3-4 1-5 0 0 21 Payton 37 8-17 5-7 1-3 8 4 21 Perkins 24 3-8 2-2 2-5 3 2 10 Ellis 25 7-14 3-4 1-1 2 2 19 Aa.Williams 4 0-1 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 Wingate 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Anthony 11 0-1 0-0 0-1 2 0 0 Totals 240 38-84 28-38 19-46 24 20 111 Percentages: FG .452, FT .737. 3-Point Goals: 7-22, .318 (Hawkins 2-4, Perkins 2-5, Ellis 2-5, Schrempf 1-2, Anthony 0-1, Payton 0-5). Team Rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 5 (McIlvaine 2, Perkins 2, Hawkins). Turnovers: 13 (Schrempf 6, Baker 3, Payton 2, Ellis 2). Steals: 13 (Hawkins 4, Payton 3, Baker 2, Schrempf, Ellis, Wingate, Anthony). Technical fouls: Ellis, 9:08, 2nd; Baker, 2:23, 3rd. Illegal defense: 1. Portland 21 31 23 23 - 98 Seattle 34 28 23 26 - 111 A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:09.