SuperSonics Get a Welcomed Confidence Boost

If you can’t beat somebody good from the West, the next best thing is to beat somebody good from the East.

The Seattle SuperSonics, who are 0-5 against the teams with the three best records in the West, used four three-point baskets by Sam Perkins in the fourth quarter to beat the Miami Heat, 94-85, Tuesday night at Seattle.

It was Seattle’s best victory since the SuperSonics defeated the Knicks in New York on Nov. 24.

“This one helps our confidence,” said Perkins, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the final period. “We haven’t won a key game against a top team since I don’t remember when.”

Gary Payton scored 30 points as the SuperSonics defeated a division leader for the first time this season.

Tim Hardaway had 28 points to lead the Heat, which lost its second consecutive game on a West Coast trip after winning 14 in a row on the road. Alonzo Mourning, who fouled out with 1:38 to go, had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Orlando 102, Philadelphia 88--The struggling Magic celebrated the return of Penny Hardaway and two other injured starters with a victory over the 76ers at Orlando, Fla.

Hardaway, out most of the season because of knee problems, had 15 points and seven assists for the Magic, who had lost 13 of 16 games.

Horace Grant (20 points) and Nick Anderson (12 points, eight rebounds and five assists) also returned. Rony Seikaly finished with a team-high 23 points and 15 rebounds.

The loss was the 16th in 17 games for the 76ers, who got 25 points from Allen Iverson.

Indiana 95, Cleveland 90--Another returning player, Rik Smits, was ineffective in his first game of the season and Reggie Miller was sidelined by flu, but the Pacers still managed to beat the Cavaliers at Indianapolis behind Dale Davis’ 21 points.

Smits, who has been recuperating from preseason foot surgery, missed seven of eight shots and scored only two points in 22 minutes. Jalen Rose, replacing Miller, had 16 points.

Terrell Brandon led Cleveland with 26 points.

New York 102, Dallas 72--The Mavericks barely avoided their all-time lowest point total in a loss to the Knicks at New York.

Only a 30-point fourth quarter allowed Dallas to avoid the franchise low of 68 points and the NBA low of 57 points.

Lowlights included a nine-point first quarter in which the Mavericks missed their final 17 shots, a 19-point second quarter in which they fell behind by 30 points and a third quarter in which the deficit reached 41.

Dallas played so poorly that assistant coach Butch Beard screamed at the team during a second-quarter huddle: “You’ve got 19,000 people laughing at you because you didn’t come to play.”

John Starks had 21 points for the Knicks, who played without starters Chris Childs (back spasms) and Larry Johnson (hamstring).

Atlanta 105, Phoenix 103--Journeyman Henry James made a three-pointer with one second left in overtime to give the Hawks their 12th consecutive home victory.

For most of the night, the Hawks relied on their other two frontcourt players, Christian Laettner and Dikembe Mutombo. Laettner scored 30 points, including a three-pointer with 24.2 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime, and Mutombo had 22 points and 21 rebounds.

James, who has played with five other NBA teams, began this season with the Sioux Falls Sky Force of the Continental Basketball Assn.

Houston 104, Minnesota 95--Clyde Drexler scored a season-high 37 points and Hakeem Olajuwon shook off a poor shooting performance with 14 fourth-quarter points as the Rockets rallied to snap the Timberwolves’ home winning streak at four.

Olajuwon was only four of 17 through three quarters, but finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

New Jersey 90, San Antonio 74--Jayson Williams, returning after sitting out 10 games because of thumb and knee injuries, had 19 points and 16 rebounds as the Nets beat the injury-riddled Spurs at East Rutherford, N.J., to end a three-game losing streak.

San Antonio has played its last four games without David Robinson, Dominique Wilkins, Vinny Del Negro, Charles Smith and Chuck Person.

Milwaukee 86, Detroit 76--Vin Baker had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and the Bucks held the Pistons to 28 points in the second half at Auburn Hills, Mich., to end a five-game losing streak.

Grant Hill had 24 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Detroit, which had a four-game winning streak snapped and was only one of 11 from three-point range.

Denver 109, Sacramento 96--LaPhonso Ellis scored 13 of his career-high 33 points in the third quarter as the Nuggets ended a four-game losing streak at Sacramento.

Ellis’ previous high was 30 points against San Antonio in the Nuggets’ last game.

Mitch Richmond led the Kings with 19 points.