Sonics’ 21-Point Lead Nearly Not Enough Baker Knocks Down Jumper To Put Down Atlanta’s Rally

Detlef Schrempf’s throat is 100 percent and the Seattle SuperSonics didn’t choke against the Atlanta Hawks, thanks to a short jumper by Vin Baker.

The Sonics blew a 21-point lead in the second half but still beat the Hawks 90-88 on Baker’s 10-footer over Alan Henderson with 3.1 seconds left Friday night.

“I didn’t play well at all, so I felt blessed with an opportunity to win the game,” Baker said.

Schrempf had 17 points and 10 rebounds in his return after a four-game absence because of a bruised throat, suffered when he was elbowed in practice Feb. 15.

The Hawks’ final defensive play didn’t go as coach Lenny Wilkens had it diagrammed in his huddle. Baker was supposed to be double-teamed as soon as he started to dribble.

“We got there late,” Wilkens said.

“If they try and guard him one-on-one in that situation, he’s going to score nine out of 10 times,” teammate Hersey Hawkins said of Baker.

After Baker’s winning shot, Tyrone Corbin inbounded from mid-court and Christian Laettner’s 3-point attempt from the right corner bounced off the rim.

“It was a pretty good look. The ball just didn’t go in,” Laettner said.

Baker finished with 17 points and Gary Payton a season-high 15 assists for the Sonics, who had a 13-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

For the Hawks, Steve Smith scored 21 points and Laettner 20, while Dikembe Mutombo had 14 rebounds.

Notes

The Hawks beat Seattle 89-87 in Atlanta in the teams’ first game of the season Nov. 11… . Payton had 13 of his assists in the first half when the Hawks had eight assists… . Sonics center Jim McIlvaine had six points, four blocked shots and six rebounds in 18 minutes against Mutombo, who finished with eight points and four blocked shots in 30 minutes.

SuperSonics 90, Hawks 88

FG FT Reb ATLANTA Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Corbin 33 2-8 0-0 2-7 1 1 5 Henderson 31 6-12 5-5 4-4 0 5 17 Mutombo 30 3-9 2-2 5-14 1 2 8 Blaylock 45 5-16 0-0 1-7 5 1 12 Smith 45 6-16 6-8 1-2 5 5 21 Laettner 32 7-15 6-7 1-3 3 4 20 Brown 9 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 Barry 15 2-4 0-0 2-2 3 1 5 Totals 240 31-80 19-22 16-39 18 20 88

Percentages: FG .388, FT .864.

3-Point Goals: 7-28, .250 (Smith 3-9, Blaylock 2-9, Barry 1-2, Corbin 1-6, Laettner 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 6.

Blocked shots: 6 (Mutombo 4, Corbin, Laettner).

Turnovers: 13 (Henderson 2, Mutombo 2, Blaylock 2, Barry 2, Corbin, Smith, Laettner, Brown, Team).

Steals: 8 (Blaylock 4, Corbin, Henderson, Mutombo, Smith).

Technical fouls: Brown, 6:11 second; illegal defense, 6:51 third.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 35 8-13 1-4 2-6 0 3 17 Schrempf 36 6-10 4-6 2-10 2 1 17 McIlvaine 18 2-6 2-4 2-6 1 3 6 Hawkins 35 3-7 5-5 1-2 1 2 12 Payton 40 4-10 0-0 0-3 15 3 9 Williams 14 4-7 3-3 1-3 0 1 11 Ellis 27 4-8 0-0 0-3 0 0 10 Perkins 17 1-5 0-0 0-1 0 0 3 Wingate 9 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 Anthony 9 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 2 3 Totals 240 34-69 15-22 8-34 21 17 90

Percentages: FG .493, FT .682.

3-Point Goals: 7-17, .412 (Ellis 2-4, Anthony 1-1, Schrempf 1-2, Hawkins 1-2, Perkins 1-2, Payton 1-6).

Team Rebounds: 15.

Blocked shots: 4 (McIlvaine 4).

Turnovers: 17 (Payton 6, Schrempf 4, Baker 3, Ellis 3, Team).

Steals: 9 (Payton 5, Hawkins 2, McIlvaine, Ellis).

Technical fouls: Schrempf, 6:11 second; illegal defense, 4:33 third.

Illegal defense: 1.

Atlanta 23 17 23 25 - 88

Seattle 26 32 16 16 - 90

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:12.