Warriors Shock Sonics

Clarence Weatherspoon scored 12 secondhalf points, including a decisive putback basket with 1:14 remaining, as the Golden State Warriors stunned the Seattle Supersonics 98-91 Thursday night.

The Warriors broke a 12-game overall and eight-game home losing streak to the Sonics, beating them in Oakland for the first time since a 121-100 victory on Jan. 14, 1994. No player on the current Warriors roster was on that team.

The loss dropped the Sonics one game behind the Chicago Bulls for the best record in the league. They also are percentage points behind Utah for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Golden State stretched a 71-65 lead after three quarters to 83-70 after Todd Fuller’s turn-around jumper with 7:45 remaining.

Seattle cut it to 92-87 after two Gary Payton free throws with 2:20 to play, but the Warriors sliced more than a minute off the clock on their next possession, extended by a kicking violation on Seattle.

After Jason Caffey missed a desperation jumper with the shot clock about to expire, Jimmy Jackson charged in for the offensive rebound and dished a no-look pass to Weatherspoon, whose slam dunk gave the Warriors a 94-87 lead with 1:14 to play.

Seattle never had the ball trailing by fewer than six points again.

Strickland to Seattle?

Washington Wizards point guard Rod Strickland, a free agent this summer, earlier this season said he wouldn’t mind playing for the Sonics.

Seattle coach George Karl even admitted it would be a fun, high-scoring backcourt, with Gary Payton at “scoring” guard and Strickland at the point.

But Wednesday, Strickland asked not to be held to his words.

Coulda, woulda

Sonics guard Nate McMillan said he could have gotten a two-year extension on his contract back when Bob Whitsitt was the general manager, which would have taken McMillan through the 1999-2000 season.

But McMillan said at the time, he was just beginning to have difficulties with his body, so he did not want to extend a career he thought might turn sour.

“We talked about extending it two more years,” McMillan said. “But I was having problems then. I thought I could go this year, but I didn’t think I would have two surgeries, then a back problem, then a knee surgery.”

Warriors 98, SuperSonics 91

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Baker 39 6-18 3-5 10-14 2 6 15 Schrempf 41 8-16 4-5 1-7 5 3 21 McIlvaine 13 1-3 1-3 1-2 0 0 3 Hawkins 33 2-5 5-5 0-3 2 2 9 Payton 43 5-12 7-9 0-2 5 1 18 Ellis 28 4-11 2-4 1-2 0 2 11 Perkins 19 3-9 0-0 1-3 3 2 7 Kersey 16 2-3 0-0 1-2 1 3 4 Anthony 8 1-3 1-2 0-3 2 0 3 Totals 240 32-80 23-33 15-38 20 19 91 Percentages: FG .400, FT .697.

3-Point Goals: 4-14, .286 (Perkins 1-1, Ellis 1-3, Schrempf 1-4, Payton 1-4, Hawkins 0-1, Anthony 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 8.

Blocked shots: 2 (Baker, Schrempf).

Turnovers: 15 (Baker 7, Schrempf 3, Payton 3, Kersey, Anthony) Steals: 11 (Hawkins 3, Payton 3, Baker, Ellis, Perkins, Kersey, Anthony).

Technical fouls: None.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb GOLDEN STATE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Weatherspoon 36 5-7 4-4 3-13 2 4 14 Marshall 37 7-19 1-2 8-16 7 4 15 Dampier 29 2-7 1-2 3-6 1 2 5 Jackson 41 8-22 1-2 5-7 9 2 19 Bogues 34 4-7 4-4 0-1 6 0 12 Spencer 5 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 1 0 Caffey 26 5-8 4-9 2-8 0 5 14 Delk 18 6-11 1-2 1-2 2 3 13 Madkins 7 0-1 0-0 0-1 1 0 0 Fuller 7 2-3 2-2 1-3 0 2 6 Totals 240 39-86 18-27 23-58 28 23 98 Percentages: FG .453, FT .667.

3-Point Goals: 2-7, .286 (Jackson 2-3, Marshall 0-2, Delk 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 10.

Blocked shots: 8 (Dampier 4, Weatherspoon 3, Spencer).

Turnovers: 16 (Weatherspoon 3, Delk 3, Caffey 2, Dampier 2, Fuller 2, Marshall, Jackson, Bogues, Madkins).

Steals: 10 (Weatherspoon 3, Marshall 2, Jackson 2, Bogues, Caffey, Madkins).

Technical fouls: illegal defense, 3:18 4th.

Illegal defense: 1.

Seattle 20 28 17 26 - 91

Golden State 24 23 24 27 - 98

A-13,848 (19,200). T-2:11.