Stumbling Sonics shock Lakers

By John Nadel

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – Gary Payton had 29 points and 10 assists, and Vin Baker added a season-high 27 points and nine rebounds Tuesday night as the Seattle SuperSonics took command late in the third quarter in surprising the Los Angeles Lakers 104-93.

The loss was the second straight and just the third of the season for the two-time defending NBA champion Lakers, who had won their previous 15 regular-season games at Staples Center – including 11 this season.

Dating to last season, the Lakers had won 39 of their previous 41 games before losing this game on top of a 97-91 setback at Sacramento on Friday night.

Shaquille O’Neal led the Lakers with 37 points, 16 rebounds and six blocked shots. Kobe Bryant added 16 points for Los Angeles, but made only 7-of-23 shots.

The Lakers converted only 9-of-21 foul shots, including 1-of-7 by O’Neal.

Rookie Earl Watson, who played at nearby UCLA, scored a career-high 14 points including five in a 7-0 run that gave the Sonics a 96-82 lead with 5:37 to play.

The loss snapped a four-game losing streak for the Sonics (10-14), who were 4-0 against the Lakers last season.

Los Angeles (16-3) won a 107-92 decision in Seattle on Nov. 30 despite the fact that O’Neal was ejected late in the first quarter after picking up two technical fouls.

Baskets by Brent Barry and Payton to start the second half put Seattle on top by 11, but five straight points by Bryant and six in a row by O’Neal tied it at 65.

A layup by Slava Medvedenko gave the Lakers a 77-76 lead, but a 3-point shot by Watson triggered a 9-0 Seattle run to finish the third period, putting the Sonics ahead 85-77.

Payton and Art Long opened the fourth quarter with baskets to give the Sonics 13 consecutive points and an 89-77 lead. A bank shot by O’Neal with 9:32 left ended a four-minute Los Angeles scoring drought.

The Lakers went over five minutes without scoring shortly later before O’Neal’s basket with 3:50 left made it 96-84.

Baker scored 20 points and Payton added 19 in the first half as the Sonics made 25 of 42 shots (59.5 percent) in taking a 61-54 lead. The Lakers trailed despite going 24-of-43 (55.8 percent).

Baker had 16 points in the first quarter, which ended with Seattle leading 35-30.

Seattle wound up making 41-of-88 shots (46.6 percent) to 40-of-91 (44 percent) for the Lakers.

Rashard Lewis added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Sonics.

Seattle’s Antonio Harvey was activated from the injured list, and started at center as a replacement for Calvin Booth, sidelined due to right ankle tendinitis.

The Sonics hadn’t won since Desmond Mason, averaging 13.6 points, went on the injured Dec. 4 with a sprained right knee.

Watson entered averaging 4.2 points. Steve Lavin, his coach at UCLA, attended the game.