RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Play the explosive Sacramento Kings on
the wrong night and be prepared for trouble.
| | Vin Baker had his problems with Chris Webber all night. Webber swatted this shot, then both were ejected when they argued. |
The Kings had their best offensive showing of the young season
as Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points and Chris Webber had 24 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks Saturday night in a 125-101 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.
The point total was a season-high for the Kings, who have won seven of eight games.
"It really started with defense, we had the energy tonight,"
Webber said. "When we play defense it helps at the other end. We
were trying to get to the open spots, places on the floor where we
like to shoot. This team is starting to understand each others' game."
Webber's night ended early when he and Vin Baker were ejected with 5:09 left in the game following an altercation under the Kings
basket.
"I don't what he did, Mr. Tough Guy," Webber said. "I don't
know how it started. It wasn't that physical. He's kind of soft, so
it isn't that physical when you play him. He just wanted to be tough
for a minute and I've been nice to him for 2½ years. He wanted to
get tough, so I had to remind him what time it is."
The Kings did plenty of talking with their offense, making 50 of 96 shots (52 percent). They had 34 assists and outrebounded Seattle 51-38.
"We couldn't deal with Chris or Peja tonight," Sonics coach
Paul Westphal said. "The Kings are an explosive team. We did a
great job of coming back in the second quarter, then we started the
third quarter by taking four quick jump shots and the Kings seemed
to score on every trip."
Gary Payton scored 26 points and Ruben Patterson had 14 points
for Seattle, which had won three of four games.
Patrick Ewing was ejected with 2:46 left in the third quarter, picking up two technical fouls after shouting at referee Rashan
Michel following an offensive foul. Ewing finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.
"When someone gets upset like that I think that is when you jump on them," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "You don't let them back in it. We did a good job of that."
Adelman was referring to the third quarter, when the Kings
outscored Seattle 35-24, taking a 13-point lead.
After squandering a big first-half lead, the Kings built another
one in the third quarter. Christie scored 10 points and Stojakovic
had nine as Sacramento led by 19 points and went into the final
period ahead 89-77.
"The frustration is building, it's a bad seed to be sowing so
early in the season," Sonics forward Brent Barry said. "It seems like we've been through a lifetime and its only 15 games. We've had ups and downs all year, we don't have any answers yet."
Rookie Hidayet Turkoglu had season-highs of 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had 71 second-half points. Doug
Christie scored 14 points and had seven assists, Jason Williams
added 11 points and 10 assists, and Vlade Divac had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Leading by one point, Christie opened the third period with a
jumper and a 3-pointer, igniting an 18-4 run. Christie ended the
spurt with another 3-pointer, putting the Kings ahead 72-57 at the
6:50 mark.
Webber scored 16 points and had 10 points, helping Sacramento to
a 54-53 lead. Stojakovic had 15 points and Divac scored 10 for the
Kings, who led by 16 points in the second quarter.
Game notes Payton, who had eight straight points late in the second
quarter, has scored in double figures in 54 straight games. ...
Sacramento had assists on 11 of its 13 first-quarter baskets. ...
The Kings' bench had five points through three periods.
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NBA Scoreboard
Seattle Clubhouse
Sacramento Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 79 New York 75
Charlotte 109 Cleveland 98
Houston 91 Miami 80
Orlando 114 Atlanta 92
Dallas 108 Denver 84
Washington 107 Milwaukee 100
San Antonio 96 Philadelphia 76
Portland 86 New Jersey 84
Golden State 114 Minnesota 93
Phoenix 95 LA Clippers 89
Sacramento 125 Seattle 101
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