Sonics Tune Out Clippers Baker Sings, Shoots, Scores As Seattle Wins Again At Home

Vin Baker sang the national anthem before Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Then he hit the right notes on the court.

Baker had 21 points and eight rebounds, and the Seattle SuperSonics used a 17-0 run to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 107-101 Sunday night.

“The guys were really supportive about my singing and it got me pumped for it,” said Baker, who got high-fives from his teammates after the conclusion of the anthem, which he performed with the church choir from his hometown of Old Saybrook, Conn.

Gary Payton and Sam Perkins also scored 21 points for the Sonics, who won their 10th straight at home.

Payton had 14 assists for the Sonics, who trailed 86-77 late in the third period before their defense took over. They forced the Clippers into 11 fourth-quarter turnovers and held them scoreless for the first six minutes of the period.

“We made quite a comeback,” coach George Karl said. “We decided to play defense in the fourth quarter and we made it at the right time.”

Perkins didn’t miss a shot in the game. He was 5-for-5 from the field, including 4-for-4 from 3-point range, and 7-for-7 from the foul line.

Baker went 10 for 13 from the field, but missed 7 of 8 free throws.

LaMond Murray led the Clippers with 21 points, while Brent Barry and Eric Piatkowski had 18 apiece.

“We had a great third quarter, but we just had too many turnovers in the fourth quarter,” coach Bill Fitch said.

Perkins started Seattle’s comeback with six straight points in the last 34 seconds of the third period to pull the Sonics within 86-83.

“We got complacent after building a big early lead,” Perkins said. “Sometimes when you’re playing a team with a bad record, you fall into the trap of assuming a win.”

The Sonics opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run to take the lead for good. Dale Ellis’ 3-pointer, his only points of the game, tied the game and Baker’s basket off a feed from Payton put Seattle up 88-86.

Sonics 107, Clippers 101

FG FT Reb L.A. CLIPPERS Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Murray 39 9-16 2-2 0-6 6 4 21 Wright 32 6-12 0-2 1-10 3 5 12 Closs 8 2-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 4 Barry 32 6-13 2-3 2-4 5 0 18 Piatkowski 36 7-12 1-2 1-6 3 0 18 Vrankovic 30 2-5 2-2 1-7 2 5 6 Martin 29 4-6 3-4 0-3 4 6 12 Taylor 25 3-5 0-0 0-4 1 3 6 Richardson 8 1-4 0-0 0-1 0 2 2 Robinson 1 0-0 2-2 0-1 0 1 2 Totals 240 40-75 12-17 5-42 24 26 101 Percentages: FG .533, FT .706.

3-Point Goals: 9-20, .450 (Barry 4-7, Piatkowski 3-6, Murray 1-2, Martin 1-3, Richardson 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 11.

Blocked shots: 4 (Murray, Wright, Vrankovic, Taylor).

Turnovers: 24 (Barry 5, Murray 4, Piatkowksi 4, Vrankovic 2, Taylor 2, Closs, Martin, team 5).

Steals: 8 (Murray 4, Martin 2, Closs, Piatkowski).

Technical fouls: None.

Illegal defense: None.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 39 10-13 1-8 3-8 1 3 21 Schrempf 35 7-14 1-2 2-4 5 5 16 McIlvaine 17 3-4 0-0 1-3 0 2 6 Hawkins 34 2-7 2-4 1-4 6 1 7 Payton 43 6-22 9-11 1-5 14 1 21 Ellis 20 1-10 0-0 0-0 1 1 3 Perkins 24 5-5 7-7 0-2 1 1 21 Williams 7 0-2 0-0 1-3 0 0 0 Wingate 13 1-1 0-0 0-4 0 1 2 Anthony 8 4-4 0-1 1-1 0 0 10 Totals 240 39-82 20-33 10-34 28 15 107 Percentages: FG .476, FT .606.

3-Point Goals: 9-20, .450 (Perkins 4-4, Anthony 2-2, Hawkins 1-3, Schrempf 1-4, Ellis 1-4, Payton 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 9.

Blocked shots: 3 (McIlvaine, Ellis, Perkins).

Turnovers: 10 (Hawkins 3, Payton 2, Schrempf 2, Baker, Perkins, Anthony).

Steals: 10 (Perkins 3, Payton 2, McIlvaine 2, Hawkins, Ellis, Wingate).

Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 6:15 4th.

Illegal defense: 1.

L.A. Clippers 18 33 35 15 - 101

Seattle 33 27 23 24 - 107

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:08.