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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) – Two weeks ago, the SuperSonics appeared to be out
of the playoff race. With six wins in the past nine days, Seattle
is trying to crawl back into contention.
Gary Payton scored 29 points Monday night as the Sonics beat a
Philadelphia 76ers team that was without Allen Iverson or coach
Larry Brown.
|  | | Gary Payton stepped up Seattle's late push for a playoff berth with 29 points. |
With Iverson, the NBA's leader in scoring and steals, missing
the game with a left hip pointer, the Sixers lost their third game
in a row for the first time this season.
Brown underwent tests in a Philadelphia hospital for disorders of the stomach and esophagus. When he returns Friday, he will have missed three games, including Tuesday night against the Clippers in Los Angeles.
"We're just doing the things that we should have done earlier
in the season," said Payton, who scored eight points in the fourth
quarter, including the final two free throws with four seconds
remaining to clinch the 93-89 victory.
Aaron McKie, starting in place of Iverson, paced the Sixers with
21. Dikembe Mutombo added 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Eric
Snow added 14 points and nine assists.
Randy Ayers, the Sixers' acting coach, said his team's turnovers
in the second half were the biggest problem. The Sonics' trapping
defense led to 22 Philadelphia turnovers in the game.
"We had opportunities to convert in certain situations, but we
tried to force the issue too much," Ayers said. "You can't do
that on the road."
Philadelphia still has the league's top road record at 25-9.
Sonics coach Nate McMillan credits his team's second-half
defense as being the difference.
"We're playing hard and that is starting to show on the
defensive end."
Five Seattle players reached double-digit scoring. Vin Baker had
18 points, Desmond Mason added 13 on 6-for-9 shooting from the
field, Ruben Patterson had 11 and Rashard Lewis 10.
The Sixers led 48-45 at the half and scored the first seven
points of the second half to build their biggest lead of the game
at 10 points. The Sonics tied the game at 65 on Patterson's
fastbreak layup with 1:37 left in the third quarter.
The game was knotted again 79 with 3:30 to play. Baker's 20-foot
jumper snapped the tie and the Sonics outscored Philadelphia 12-10
the remainder of the way.
Seattle is 10th in the Western Conference race, 3½ games behind
Minnesota and the final playoff spot.
McMillan said that his team started playing better when they all
stopped talking about the playoff possibilities.
"When I was talking about it, we weren't playing well,"
McMillan said. "We quit talking about it and we started playing
good basketball. So, we're going to continue doing what we're
doing."
Payton reached 15,000 career points when he hit a 3-pointer with
1:14 remaining in the first quarter. He is the eighth player in NBA
history to compile 15,000 points, 6,000 assists and 1,000 steals.
"I'm happy for it, but I'm not looking for the individual
milestones," Payton said. "I want this team to win, to make the
playoffs and to win championships."
Game notes
Brown underwent tests Monday at a Philadelphia hospital,
confirming that he has acid reflux and a hiatal hernia. His
condition will be treated with medication and diet. He will join
the team in Phoenix on Wednesday. ... The Sixers are 3-2 in games
without Iverson. ... Payton needs two steals to pass Isiah Thomas
(1,861) to move into 10th place on the NBA's career list. ...
Patrick Ewing left the game in the second quarter with back spasms
and did not return.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
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