Playoff-Minded Seattle Loves L.A.
SEATTLE — The Seattle SuperSonics may not make the playoffs this season but at least they can say they owned Los Angeles’ two NBA teams.
With a four-game sweep of the Lakers already under wraps, the SuperSonics needed point guard Gary Payton to do his thing down the stretch Friday night to fight off a determined Clipper team, 94-84, and complete a Los Angeles sweep for the first time in franchise history.
Seattle, which has won 10 of its last 11 games and trails Minnesota by 2 1/2 games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, won the fourth quarter, 26-17, and defeated the Clippers for the 29th time in the last 31 meetings.
Payton, who has led the SuperSonics’ resurgence over the last three weeks, finished with 28 points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals.
“I have my bounce back and I am feeling really good right now,†said Payton, who made only nine of 20 shots but was five for six behind the three-point line.
Playing in front of a boisterous Key Arena crowd of 14,522, the Clippers didn’t exactly buckle in the playoff-like atmosphere. They hung tough for most of the game and trailed, 78-76, with 7:15 remaining. But from there, Payton took over as he scored five points in an 8-0 Seattle run, and all the Clippers could do is think about getting payback next season.
“We played hard but there were a lot of calls that could have easily gone in our favor that would have changed this game,†Clipper point guard Jeff McInnis said. “I guess [the officials] didn’t feel like we had anything to play for. But just because we’re not going to the playoffs, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get the calls. We are playing hard too.â€
The Clippers were called for only one more foul than the SuperSonics, but they had eight go against them in the fourth quarter compared to five for Seattle, including two in the game’s final 90 seconds and the outcome decided.
Center Michael Olowokandi led the Clippers with 16 points and eight rebounds but played only four minutes in the fourth quarter. Eric Piatkowski scored 15 points, and Darius Miles (13 points and five rebounds) and Corey Maggette (12 points and seven rebounds) combined for 25 points off the bench.
Lamar Odom, however, did not have one of his better games. Seattle double-teamed him every time he touched the ball and he finished with only seven points, six rebounds and five assists.
“They did a great job of taking Lamar out of the game,†Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry said. “He only got six shots up and he never really seemed to get into any kind of rhythm.â€
Based on the way Seattle attacked the Clippers early, it was obvious the SuperSonics wanted to have an easy night. Every Seattle starter scored in the first quarter and the SuperSonics led by six after 12 minutes. The margin would have been greater if not for a strong start by Olowokandi, who made all six of his shots en route to 12 points.
But after shooting 52.4% in the opening quarter, the Clippers missed their first six shots and fell behind, 43-32, with five minutes left in the half. That’s when the Clippers decided to make the game interesting with a 14-4 closing run, Quentin Richardson, Keyon Dooling and Miles doing most of the damage.
After an evenly played third quarter, which featured Payton making all four of his three-point shots, the Clippers were in position to pull off an upset. But they couldn’t keep up with the SuperSonics, who forced six of the Clippers’ 17 turnovers in the fourth quarter.
“I was happy with our effort but I wasn’t real happy with the way we played. We didn’t play extremely smart,†Gentry said. “But [the SuperSonics] have a lot to play for and they really think they have a chance to catch Minnesota. . . . They are playing really good right now.â€
In defeat, the Clippers gave Seattle all it could handle and that’s the attitude they plan to take into remaining games against Milwaukee, San Antonio, Sacramento, Minnesota, Phoenix and Utah, which are still jockeying for playoff position.
“If a team is fighting for the playoffs . . . I don’t think they want to play us,†Miles said. “We are going to finish off the season hard.â€
Go beyond the scoreboard
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