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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- Gary Payton's teammates were startled that he
scored a career-high 41 points. They thought he'd done it before.
|  | | Gary Payton lit up the Wizards for a career-high 41 points -- before he sat out the fourth quarter. |
"I'm really surprised," Vin Baker said. "He's such a great point guard. I thought for sure he'd had 40 points in a game."
"I could have sworn he had a 45- or a 50-point game," Brent
Barry said. "It's fun watching him every night, but tonight
everything he touched turned to gold."
Tying a career-high with seven 3-pointers, Payton had 18 points
in the first quarter and 29 in the first half of a 114-85 victory
over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night.
The Wizards suffered their fourth straight loss and 12th
consecutive road defeat. Michael Jordan, Washington's new president
of basketball operations, was not at the Key Arena to watch the
Wizards' lackluster performance.
The Wizards could have used Jordan to try to stop Payton.
Payton, who sat out the fourth quarter, shot 14-for-21,
including 7-for-12 from 3-point range. The All-Star point guard
also had five assists and three rebounds in 30 minutes.
"It was just something that happened," Payton said. "I made shots. I kept shooting the ball and they kept going in. But you've got to take quality shots."
"From day one to now, he's developed his game," said
Washington point guard Rod Strickland, who helped try to guard Payton. "Right now, he's the best in the league at his position."
Ruben Patterson had 14 points for Seattle, while Tracy Murray
led Washington with 16 points.
Payton, 31, bettered his previous career best of 38 points set
in Sacramento on Feb. 24, 1996. He had 36 in games against
Minnesota on Dec. 8 and against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 17.
Payton's final basket was a 3-pointer with 1:40 left in the
third quarter that gave the Sonics a 94-61 lead.
"He came out feeling it tonight," Sonics coach Paul Westphal
said. "He can shoot on any play and most plays start in his hands.
It's pretty much up to him when he's feeling it."
Westphal played reserves in the final quarter. The Sonics were
ahead 97-65 after three periods.
Payton opened the game with a pair of 3-pointers in the first
1:20 and scored 11 of his team's first 19 points as the Sonics took
a 19-2 lead. Murray sank a 3-pointer for Washington's first basket
with 5:32 gone, but Payton came back to make his fourth 3-pointer
of the opening quarter.
Payton finished the first period with 18 points on 6-for-7
shooting and had 29 points at halftime when the Sonics held a 64-38
lead. The Wizards cut Seattle's edge to 12 points with the first
three baskets of the second period before the Sonics came back
strongly with their reserves on the floor. Shammond Williams, who
had 12 points, hit two 3-pointers in the second quarter for
Seattle.
With the score 50-33 in favor of Seattle, the Sonics scored 10
unanswered points, including seven by Payton.
Game notes
The Wizards are 3-8 since Jordan took over the team on Jan.
19. ... The Wizards are 1-5 under interim coach Darrell Walker. ...
The Sonics beat Washington for the 18th time in 21 games and were
2-0 against the Wizards this season. The Sonics are 19-1 against
Washington in the last 20 games in Seattle. ... The frustrated
Strickland was whistled for a technical foul with 3:16 gone in the
second half after being given a five-second call when he bounced
the ball high off the floor in anger. ... Payton came into the game
averaging a career-best 23.1 points this season. ... Payton has
scored 30 or more points nine times this season.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 95
Philadelphia 93
Toronto 91
New York 70
Atlanta 103
New Jersey 86
Cleveland 92
San Antonio 81
Miami 107
LA Clippers 88
LA Lakers 88
Chicago 76
Denver 107
Minnesota 104
Milwaukee 112
Dallas 99
Houston 107
Detroit 102
Boston 101
Utah 99
Seattle 114
Washington 85
Portland 92
Golden State 83
Phoenix 117
Sacramento 108
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