Blazers out-hustle tired Sonics, 113-92

  • Saturday, December 8, 2001 9:00pm
  • Sports

Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Trail Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks praised his team’s renewed hustle and energy, but wondered where those virtues were hiding for most of the season.

Rasheed Wallace scored 28 points and Bonzi Wells had 27 as the Blazers shot 56 percent and handed the Seattle SuperSonics their fourth straight loss, 113-92 Saturday night.

“That was a lot of fun,” said the first-year coach, who had been exasperated at the team’s lethargic play in home losses to Phoenix and Charlotte. “Everybody who came in the game was ready to play.”

Damon Stoudamire added a season-high 13 assists and Scottie Pippen had 11 in a successful sharing of the point-guard duties, which opened the way for the most lopsided win of the season for Portland.

“All we’ve got to do is move the ball and we can score,” Pippen said. “But it all starts on defensive end. That was the main thing. A lot of the assists that we got were just from throwing the ball up the court and guys finishing.”

Gary Payton scored 21 points and Vin Baker had 20 to lead the Sonics, who were coming off an embarrassing home loss to Miami in overtime on Friday night.

“We just got heavy legs,” Seattle coach Nate McMillan said. “We’re a tired team.”

Earlier this season, Cheeks waffled between Stoudamire and Pippen at the point, with Stoudamire regaining his starting job recently while Pippen recovered from an injured right knee.

With Pippen healthy, Cheeks let them alternate against Seattle, and the result was a much faster, more efficient offense. Portland had a 29-11 advantage in fastbreak points.

“That was a nice little combination,” Cheeks said. “It really opens up the court.”

Consecutive alley-oop dunks off the transition – by Wallace on a lob from Pippen, and by Ruben Patterson from Wallace – capped a 12-0 run that put the Blazers ahead 103-84 with 3:45 to play.

Since coming off the injured list Nov. 23, Stoudamire has averaged 9.7 assists in six games.

Patterson added 19 points in 20 minutes against the team that declined to re-sign him following an attempted-rape charge last season.

“I was so amped and hyped for this game tonight,” Patterson said. “It felt good to beat those guys after everything that happened.”

With the Grizzlies’ move to Memphis, Seattle (9-14) and Portland (10-9) are once again the only teams in the Pacific Northwest, but their rivalry isn’t what it used to be.

The last time the Blazers and Sonics met this late in the season without at least one of them having a winning record was Feb. 27, 1986, when Jack Sikma led Seattle to a 107-94 home victory. Seattle improved to 21-38, while the Blazers lost their 12th straight and fell to 29-34.

But in front of the first sellout at the Rose Garden in seven games, the Blazers started quickly Saturday night, with Wallace scoring 12 points and Wells 10 in the first quarter. Stoudamire had seven assists and Pippen four.

A backdoor pass from Stoudamire to Patterson for a layup gave Portland a 31-18 lead to close the period.

“They had a good game plan,” Payton said. “They did a good job in making us lose.”

The Blazers shot 71 percent in the second quarter and pushed the lead to 15, but the Sonics came back behind Yugoslav rookies Vladimir Radmanovic and Predrag Drobnjak. They entered the game averaging a combined 8.5 points, but teamed for 11 points during a stretch of 6:03.

Radmanovic grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Rashard Lewis for a leaning bank shot that brought Seattle within 43-38, but the Blazers got the lead back to 10 at halftime.

Seattle got the deficit to six, but the Sonics made just two field goals in the final 5:18 of the third period, and Zach Randolph’s putback with 7.5 seconds left made it 84-70.

Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Arlington’s Leyton Martin puts three fingers in the air after making a three point shot during the game against Glacier Peak on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Saturday, Feb. 15

Leyton Martin’s triple-double leads Arlington to district win

Monroe's Halle Keller drives past Meadowdale's Payton Fleishman during a Feb. 14, 2025 3A District 1 playoff game at Meadowdale High School. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Last-second layup powers Monroe past Mavs

The Bearcats staged a 50-49 road upset in a district playoff clash.

Shorecrest’s Cassie Chesnut leaps in the air to block a shot by Shorewood’s Bridget Cox during the 3A district playoff game on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Shorecrest girls win rubber match against Shorewood

Cassie Chesnut’s 28 points, 18 rebounds pushes the Scots to District 1 3A semifinals with 53-38 win.

Freshman leads Jackson to 4A district swim title

Syunta Lee sets two meet records as Timberwolves edge Lake Stevens.

Shorecrest wins 3A district swim title

Snohomish’s Torsten Hokanson sets two meet records and leads two winning relays.

Marysville Pilchuck claims 2A district wrestling title

Tomahawks win three individual championship bouts.

Snohomish’s Kendall Hammer yells in celebration with teammate Snohomish’s Sienna Capelli after she makes a shot and is fouled during the game on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 14

Snohomish, Stanwood girls cruise into district semis.

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Feb. 2-8

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Feb. 2-8. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Mountlake Terrace’s Svayjeet Singh leaps in the air after the basketball during the 3A district loser-out playoff game against Snohomish on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish upsets Mountlake Terrace for first playoff win in 11 years

Bryson Wheat scored 25 in Panthers’ 49-43 win to advance to the District 1 Boys 3A quarterfinals

Julio Rodríguez (left) and manager Dan Wilson (right) of the Seattle Mariners react after the game against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Dan Wilson begins first spring training as M’s manager

An anxious eagerness to get through the first of… Continue reading

Marysville Getchell junior Bubba Palocol reverses directions while dribbling against Arlington during a playoff matchup at Arlington High School on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Arlington, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Thursday, Feb. 13

Marysville Getchell, Lakewood boys each earn district wins

Kenneth Walker III runs with against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks hire run game coach

Justin Outten added to staff as Mike Macdonald continues attempts to bolster rushing attack.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.