Sonics blast Bulls, continue hot streak

Associated Press

CHICAGO – Gary Payton slowed it down, his teammates picked it up and the Seattle SuperSonics walked off with yet another win.

Payton scored 26 points Monday night, leading the Sonics to their eighth win in nine games, 100-88 over the Bulls.

“I rushed my first few shots, and I realized I had to slow down because the shots were there,” said Payton, who was 4-of-10 from the field in the first quarter and 8-of-15 thereafter.

Vin Baker added 13 points and Rashard Lewis had 12 for the Sonics, who scored 32 points off 25 Chicago turnovers.

Payton said the Sonics, who had 15 steals, planned for Chicago’s use of the triple-post offense.

“We knew we would play the triangle, so we started jumping into the passing lanes,” Payton said.

The Sonics also dominated the Bulls inside, getting 48 points in the paint.

“We wanted to go low because they were giving us single coverage,” Sonics coach Nate McMillan said. “As long as that’s what they do, we’ll go low.”

Ron Artest scored 26 points and Ron Mercer added 16 for the Bulls, who have lost four straight after winning their first two under coach Bill Cartwright.

“They caught us a few times for easy baskets in transition,” Cartwright said. “We have to go back and clean that up.”

The Bulls led by as many as nine in the first quarter and shot 63 percent from the field on their way to a 25-20 lead.

A pair of dunks by Tyson Chandler extended Chicago’s lead to 31-20 early in the second before Seattle scored on eight straight possessions and went on a 17-2 run to take a 43-38 lead with 4:38 left in the half.

The Sonics led 47-46 at the half despite 57 percent shooting by the Bulls. Lewis had 10 points and four steals.

Seattle boosted its lead quickly in the third as Chicago turned over the ball three times on its first four possessions. Layups or dunks from Baker, Brent Barry and two from Payton made it 55-48.

Payton scored 10 points in the quarter, all on layups or free throws. The Bulls had seven turnovers in the period, and the Sonics turned the mistakes into 12 points. Seattle led 72-63 after three.

“Gary was doing a lot of fading away in the first half,” McMillan said. “But then he started going to the basket.”

Vladimir Radmanovic and Earl Watson hit 3s, and Payton made another layup as the Sonics extended their lead to 84-67 with 9:11 left in the fourth.

The Sonics later led by as many as 21.

Notes@: Bulls starters Brad Miller (sore left hand) and Greg Anthony (flu) missed the game. … To improve his club’s league-worst 70 percent free-throw shooting, Cartwright hired the best free-throw shooter in the world to tutor his players. Dr. Tom Amberry, a 79-year-old podiatrist and Guinness record-holder with 2,750 straight made free throws – which he accomplished at age 71 – will work with the club through the week. Ron Artest and Marcus Fizer, along with rookies Trenton Hassell, Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, are all worse than 70 percent foul-shooters. “I’m as skeptical as the next guy,” said Cartwright, who met Amberry through a friend in San Francisco, near the doctor’s home. “But my suggestion is, if you’re shooting less than 70 percent, you should give him some time.” … Bulls guard Jamal Crawford’s recovery from a torn left anterior cruciate ligament continues to go well, and he expects to be back in six weeks. … Bulls’ F Eddie Robinson shot around Monday night as he recovers from chronic pain in his left big toe. … Seattle is two games over .500 for the first time this year. … The crowd of 15,532 was the smallest ever at the United Center and the lowest total for a Bulls home game since April 7, 1987 when the team played at Chicago Stadium.