supersonics 106, Jazz 92 [ＮＢＡ赛况]
BY JANIE MCCAULEY
Associated Press
Mar. 26, 2002 2:03 p.m.
SEATTLE Rashard Lewis scored 11 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Seattle SuperSonics defeated the Utah Jazz 106-92 Monday night to hold onto their playoff position in the West.
It was Seattle's first win over Utah in more than two years.
Lewis also grabbed seven rebounds1 in the final quarter. Gary Payton added 24 points and seven assists, and Brent Barry had 18 points and six assists for the Sonics, who entered with a half-game lead over the Jazz for seventh place in the Western Conference.
Karl Malone had 24 points, six steals and five rebounds for Utah, which is battling to stay ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers for the conference's eighth and final playoff spot.
The Jazz, who had won four of five, got 17 points and nine assists from John Stockton a night before his 40th birthday. Bryon Russell added 16 for Utah and substitute Andrei Kirilenko had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Sonics coach Nate McMillan wanted his team to force Utah to shoot from outside, and the plan worked for much of the game. The Jazz shot 40.3 percent, including 4-for-13 from 3-point range.
Utah had won eight straight games against Seattle, including three meetings this season. The Jazz beat the Sonics with big second-half runs in all three wins. The Sonics' last win over the Jazz was 104-96 on Feb. 1, 2000.
Utah shot 36.4 percent in the first half and had no players in double figures, but outscored Seattle 16-7 to open the second half. Stockton scored five and Malone six in the spurt2 and the Jazz pulled to 76-69 going into the fourth quarter.
Jazz forward Donyell Marshall left the game with 6:46 remaining in the first quarter after aggravating3 a left calf4 injury he sustained Friday against Washington.
The Sonics, who lead the league in field-goal percentage, made 51.3 percent of their shots in the first half and shot 52.6 percent overall. They had shot just 35 percent in a loss Saturday at Denver.
Payton went down hard with 7:33 left in the second quarter. He was racing5 for the ball against 7-foot-2 Utah center Greg Ostertag. Payton got the ball, scored, fouled6 by Ostertag and crashed into a cameraman just under the Sonics' basket. He was slow to get up, but walked off the court on his own and didn't leave the game. He had made the basket, and converted the free throw.
Seattle ended the first half with a 14-0 run for a 52-37 halftime lead. than I am. Sonics coach Nate McMillan called Stockton amazing. He looks the same, McMillan said. He doesn't look any older since I first played against him. He's aggressive and I haven't seen any changes in his game. ... Sonics forward Art Long missed the game because of a pulled right hamstring that he hurt Friday against Houston. He also missed Saturday's game. Long had an MRI test Monday and was undergoing treatment before the game. He could be back for Wednesday's game against Memphis. ... McMillan said guard Earl Watson would practice with the team Tuesday. Watson, who has a separated left shoulder, could be back on the court this week. He went on the injured list March 8. ... Sonics associate head coach Dwane Casey said he would listen if the University of Washington contacted him about the school's vacant men's basketball job. He had not been contacted as of Monday night. I'm happy doing what I'm doing, Casey said. I'm not pursuing it, but I would listen. ... Bob Bender, fired by Washington, attended the game with team president Wally Walker and owner Howard Schultz. Bender said he doesn't know what he will do next.
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