By Rich Myhre
Herald Writer
SEATTLE – They gave out bobblehead dolls in honor of Desmond Mason, so naturally he led the Seattle SuperSonics in scoring Friday night.
In excellence, though, he was hardly alone.
Before a noisy gathering of 17,072 at sold-out KeyArena, the Sonics turned in one of their best performances of the season with a 112-82 rout of the Houston Rockets. Seattle trailed just once in the early moments before going back in front and quickly raising the lead into double digits, where it would stay the rest of the way.
For Sonics coach Nate McMillan, it was a thoroughly satisfying outcome.
“I really liked our professionalism, coming out here and being all business,” he said. “That’s what we talked about before the game, taking care of business, and I thought these guys did that from start to finish. It was just a great job by this team.”
There were dazzling numbers everywhere by game’s end, all of them favoring the Sonics. The 30-point margin of victory was Seattle’s largest of the season. The win, the team’s third straight and the 13th in the last 18 games, also lifted the Sonics to a 39-30 record, matching their season best of nine games over .500.
Statistically, Seattle finished the game 46-for-78 from the field for a 59.0 percentage, the third-best effort of the season for a team that was already leading the NBA in shooting. Houston, meanwhile, was a mere 31-for-80 from the field for 38.8 percent, due largely to an inspired Sonics defensive showing. And Seattle totaled a decisive 34-18 advantage in assists.
Needless to say, Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich could find little to praise – nor did he try.
“It was as ugly as it gets,” he said. “We came out sleepwalking against a team that was focused and in a (playoff) race, and we got humiliated.”
The Sonics, Tomjanovich added, “were growling and we were purring.”
Mason was one of several Sonics to shine offensively. He was 9-for-14 from the field and 4-for-4 from the line for 22 points to go with five assists and two rebounds. It was the fifth time this season he has led the team in scoring.
It was Gary Payton, meanwhile, who triggered Seattle’s torrid first quarter, tossing in six straight attempts from the field to help the Sonics finish the quarter 15-for-21. It was a barrage that had Tomjanovich calling two early timeouts in an attempt to stem the flurry, and then rubbing his face with weary disbelief as the onslaught continued.
The drubbing went on through the second quarter. The Sonics pushed the lead to 20 midway through the period, and then closed the frame with a 12-3 scoring run to open a commanding 61-34 spread at the break. The Rockets drew within 18 points twice in the second half, but it was as close as they would come.
“I love the way Nate has them playing,” said Houston’s Moochie Norris, a former Sonic. “He’s getting inspired basketball out of those guys. For the most part, they handled everything we threw at them.”
“Everybody played well,” McMillan said. “This was a team effort. All our guys are playing off each other and they’re playing together, and it’s making everyone look good.”
Friday’s crowd was a star-studded gallery, with a handful of NBA dignitaries and all-time greats in the house. Joining Sonics owner Howard Schultz at center court was former Los Angeles Lakers star Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Further down the courtside row was ex-Boston Celtics star and coach, and onetime Sonics coach, Bill Russell. In another seat near courtside was 2002 Olympic gold medalist bobsledder Jill Bakken, a graduate of Kirkland’s Lake Washington High School. And watching from a seat several rows up in the arena was NBA commissioner David Stern.
Each was introduced in turn. Johnson, Russell and Bakken were all cheered warmly. Stern drew a mixture of cheers and boos.
Sonics backup center Art Long left the game in the third quarter with a pulled right hamstring muscle. He did not return and his status will be evaluated again this morning.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
