Playoffs 2000:Sonics declare sore-kneed Maxwell inactive

Sonics declare sore-kneed Maxwell inactive
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY -- Vernon Maxwell won't join the Seattle SuperSonics in the playoffs, and that news came as a pleasant surprise Friday for the Utah Jazz.

"Oh, wow," forward Bryon Russell said, his eyes widening when he learned the Sonics had placed Maxwell on the inactive list and replaced him with Chuck Person.

"He's out of their lineup? Huh," guard Jeff Hornacek said.

After pondering the implications for a moment, both Jazz players went into the cursory talk about how it won't matter who's on the floor. Each said Utah wants to play their own game.

But based on Utah's snickers and smug smiles, the revelation about Maxwell was welcome news going into a best-of-five series that begins Saturday at the Delta Center.

After Utah ended the regular season Wednesday with a victory over Sacramento, coach Jerry Sloan singled out Maxwell as one of Seattle's most important players.

And last season, when Maxwell was on the Kings, the Jazz complained about his physical play during the teams' first-round playoff series, won by Utah.

"One less crazy person we've got to worry about," Russell said Friday.

Maxwell came back from arthoscopic knee surgery in January, but he's best known this season for a locker room scuffle with Gary Payton in which two teammates were injured. Maxwell reportedly tried to use some free weights while fighting Payton.

The Sonics practiced Friday morning in Seattle. They were traveling later to Salt Lake City and a team spokesman said no players or coaches would be available for interviews Friday.

Besides Maxwell, the Seattle player generating most of the talk before Utah's practice was Payton, the Sonics' versatile point guard.

"If you want to slow him down, you're going to have to cut his head off," Sloan said. "And he's still not going to die."

The Sonics and Jazz split their four regular-season games, with Payton averaging 26.8 points, 8.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds.

"That's Mr. Do-it-all," Russell said. "He can make things happen. He's a great defender. He's one of the top point guards. He shoots well. He can post you up. You name it, he can do it."

Meanwhile, the age issue continues to follow the Jazz into the playoffs. With four starters who are 35 or older, it's invariably one of the first questions asked of Utah players.

To combat Father Time, Sloan carefully regulated the minutes afforded to Karl Malone, John Stockton, Hornacek and center Olden Polynice through the regular season. He also curtailed practices.

Malone is sick of hearing about age. He pointed out the Jazz won the Midwest Division after being picked lower by numerous preseason publications.

"We won our division and all those people said 'Oh, those wily veterans,"' Malone said. "At the same time, they've been waiting to stick a fork in us for years."

Seattle was happy to meet Utah. After beating Sacramento last week for the No. 7 seeding in the Western Conference, the Sonics didn't have to play the top-seeded L.A. Lakers.

"No one would want to play the Lakers," center Horace Grant said. "They're playing such great basketball right now."

"We want to play the Lakers eventually," coach Paul Westphal added. "Just not too soon."