By Rich Myhre
Herald Writer
SEATTLE – A bushel of turnovers, wayward shooting, and a superbly skilled opponent. Together, it was the recipe of a lopsided loss for the Seattle SuperSonics.
Two nights after besting the San Antonio Spurs with a skilled and spirited effort, the Sonics were a completely different team against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. Seattle was sluggish at times, sloppy at others, occasionally both, and in the end Utah breezed to a 91-74 victory.
It was Utah’s first win of the season, following home losses to Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers earlier in the week, and “you knew they were going to play well,” said Sonics coach Nate McMillan. “They controlled the tempo and they were very physical with us. It was a typical Utah game. Physically, they just beat us.”
Though he was careful to praise the Jazz, McMillan was plainly disappointed with his own team’s play. The Sonics did not shoot well (28-for-72, 38.9 percent), which can be forgiven, but that was just one of many sins. In particular, Seattle allowed Utah to claim a decisive 45-29 edge in rebounds. The Jazz, in fact, had nearly as many offensive rebounds (16) as Seattle had at the defensive end (19).
Likewise, Seattle’s interior defense was soft as a sponge much of the night. Utah also did not shoot well from the perimeter, but it mattered little as the visitors scored 27 of their 34 field goals from in or around the key.
“We didn’t put enough effort in at the defensive end,” said a grim Brent Barry. “If you’re not making shots, you can still stay in ballgames by stopping the other team. But Utah was doing what they do best, which is executing in the halfcourt and building a lead. And once they get a lead of 15 or 17 points, they’re a very difficult team to come back on.
“As a team, we didn’t come focused,” he said. “Not everybody brought their lunch pails to work. We didn’t pass the test, that’s for sure.”
Utah spotted the Sonics a few early leads before going on top to stay midway through the opening quarter. The lead was 23-18 at the end of the period and 49-32 at halftime, due largely to 14 often-careless Seattle turnovers (the Sonics had just 11 for the entire game against San Antonio on Thursday).
Still, for all their futility, the Sonics gave themselves a chance to win with a modest rally to start the third quarter. Seattle needed a little over three minutes to pull within eight points, but the veteran Jazz simply shrugged off the threat. The lead was 12 points heading into the final period and it stayed in double digits the rest of the way, eventually reaching a high of 19 points in the late minutes.
When it was over, Utah had its sixth consecutive victory against Seattle, dating back to the 1999-2000 season.
“I don’t think anybody was ready to play,” said Desmond Mason in a somber Seattle locker room. “We just kind of threw this game away. We didn’t play well at all, and I think we all know that. We weren’t aggressive, and we let them get easy shots, easy layups, and other things that just shouldn’t happen.”
“We didn’t play like we did the other night,” added teammate Rashard Lewis. “And that’s more disappointing than anything.”
Mason was perhaps the only Sonic to play with distinction. He led the team with 18 points off the bench, converting seven of nine field goal attempts, including 2-for-2 from the 3-point stripe.
Elsewhere, there was little offensive help. Guard Gary Payton, Seattle’s leading scorer, managed just 14 points on 5-for-17 shooting (he did contribute nine assists). Forward Vin Baker was 5-for-14 from the field for 10 points, and remarkably he did not get to the free throw line in 34 lackluster minutes.
By contrast, Utah forward Karl Malone had 13 chances from the stripe, converting 10 on his way to a game-high 28 points. Donyell Marshall, the other Jazz forward, chipped in 23 points, 13 rebounds (six offensive) and two blocked shots. And venerable John Stockton, nearing his 40th birthday and despite being slowed by an injury to his shooting hand – he was just 2-for-2 from the field, both layins – still managed 14 assists.
“I would never think the guy is (almost) 40, to tell you the truth,” McMillan said. “To see him play, he looks exactly the same as the first day I saw him. He doesn’t look any older. He’s still executing and he’s still as physical as ever. They were talking about him not playing? I think his finger would have had to have been ripped off before he’d sit out. And even then he’d still probably play.”
Seattle was without center Calvin Booth, who is bothered by a sprained ankle suffered in the team’s final exhibition game last week. After playing in the first two regular-season games, he watched in street clothes from the bench. He is expected to play Monday night in Orlando, where Seattle will open a five-game East Coast road trip.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
