Baker’s Shot Seals Win For Sonics

The Seattle SuperSonics still have the San Antonio Spurs’ number, just barely.

The Sonics erased an 11-point deficit in the final 8 minutes and defeated the Spurs for the sixth straight time, 106-105 Wednesday night on Vin Baker’s 14-foot fallaway jumper with 1.9 seconds left.

The Sonics improved the NBA’s best record to 38-11 in a battle between the Midwest and Pacific Division leaders. San Antonio had won five in a row overall and 15 straight in the Alamodome.

Baker, isolated on the left side, went one-on-one against David Robinson for the winning basket.

“I tried to make a move on David. I tried to make every move possible and he stuck with me,” Baker said. “So I came back to the middle and got a shot I felt comfortable with. The fact that it went in was just a blessing from God.”

Baker led the Sonics with 24 points, Detlef Schrempf added 21 and Gary Payton 20.

“We expect that out of him,” Payton said of Baker, who played much of the second half with foul trouble. “That’s why we went out and got him. Vin has to hit that shot.”

But it was 13-year veteran Sam Perkins, who scored eight straight points down the stretch, who led Seattle back from a 102-96 deficit and gave them a 104-102 lead. Perkins had consecutive 3-pointers and then added a layup.

Chuck Person’s 3-pointer with 1:15 left made it 105-104, and neither team scored again until Baker’s winner.

San Antonio’s inbounds lob for Robinson on the last play was batted away.

Duncan and Robinson led the Spurs with 26 and 20 points, respectively. But Robinson had the only two points of the fourth quarter for the All-Star duo.

The Spurs dropped to 1-5 against top Western Conference playoff contenders.

SuperSonics 106, Spurs 105

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 38 8-13 3-3 1-6 5 3 21 Baker 39 12-19 0-0 3-10 3 5 24 McIlvaine 14 0-2 0-0 1-2 0 4 0 Hawkins 33 2-7 1-1 2-6 2 3 6 Payton 40 6-10 5-6 0-2 8 3 20 Perkins 26 3-8 1-2 0-2 0 4 9 Ellis 29 8-13 0-0 0-1 1 0 17 Wingate 6 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Anthony 12 3-7 2-2 0-2 1 2 9 Cotton 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 42-80 12-14 7-31 20 24 106 Percentages: FG .525, FT .857.

3-Point Goals: 10-26, .385 (Payton 3-4, Schrempf 2-4, Perkins 2-6, Hawkins 1-4, Ellis 1-4, Anthony 1-4).

Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked shots: 3 (Baker, McIlvaine, Payton).

Turnovers: 9 (Hawkins 3, Payton 2, Schrempf, Baker, McIlvaine, Perkins).

Steals: 8 (Payton 4, Perkins 3, Schrempf).

Technical fouls: Coach Karl, 3:05, second.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SAN ANTONIO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Duncan 40 9-19 8-9 5-8 2 3 26 Robinson 43 7-14 6-9 5-10 2 5 20 Perdue 18 1-3 0-0 2-6 1 0 2 Jackson 31 3-6 5-6 1-5 2 2 14 Johnson 42 8-11 1-5 0-0 7 2 17 Geary 6 0-0 0-0 0-2 1 0 0 Person 31 5-12 0-0 1-4 3 2 13 Herrera 9 3-3 0-1 1-2 0 0 6 Del Negro 20 2-5 3-3 0-4 2 3 7 Totals 240 38-73 23-33 15-41 20 17 105 Percentages: FG .521, FT .697.

3-Point Goals: 6-12, .500 (Person 3-7, Jackson 3-5).

Team Rebounds: 8. Blocked shots: 4 (Robinson 3, Herrera).

Turnovers: 13 (Johnson 4, Jackson 3, Duncan 3, Robinson, Perdue, Del Negro).

Steals: 9 (Jackson 3, Johnson 2, Duncan, Person, Herrera, Del Negro).

Technical fouls: Coach Popovich, 10:35, first.

Illegal defense: None.

Seattle 27 32 26 21 - 106

San Antonio 29 34 31 11 - 105

A-17,405 (20,557). T-2:16.