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Saturday, Nov. 20 10:00pm ET
Maxwell scores 15 fourth-quarter points | |||||
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 GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- Vernon Maxwell came to the rescue for the Seattle SuperSonics once again. Maxwell scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter Saturday as the Sonics, playing without Vin Baker, improved to 9-2 and remained unbeaten at home with a 110-107 victory over the Houston Rockets. The Rockets dropped their fourth straight and fell to 2-9. "This isn't anything new," Maxwell said. "I have been doing this all my career." Maxwell was also the hero Thursday in Vancouver he hit the game-winner with five seconds left as the Sonics overcame a 16-point deficit to beat the Grizzlies. Gary Payton led the Sonics with 26 points and had 10 assists. When Sonics Paul Westphal drew up some plays for Payton at the end of the game, Payton suggested they run plays for Maxwell instead. Maxwell connected on 4 of 5 shots from the field and hit all five of his free throws in the fourth quarter. Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich was upset with the way his team played down the stretch defensively. "When a guy's that hot, you can't afford to not guard him and that's what we did," Tomjanovich said. Baker missed the game because of flu-like symptoms, but Westphal said that Baker went to the hospital and was checked. "His heart was beating fast, but I don't know what the diagnosis is," Westphal said. "The doctors checked him out real carefully and gave him the OK, then he tried to warm up and wasn't feeling good, so we hope it was the flu." Greg Foster replaced Baker in the starting lineup and had 17 points and seven rebounds. Maxwell drove the lane, scored on a short hook over Hakeem Olajuwon and was fouled. He made the free throw for a 104-100 lead. Olajuwon countered with a basket, then Maxwell drilled a 3-pointer for a 107-102 lead with 22 seconds left. Olajuwon became the first player in NBA history to have 2,000 blocked shots and 2,000 steals after his steal from Maxwell with 4:58 in the second period gave him 2,000.The Rockets made eight 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and led briefly, but Maxwell and Payton were too much for Houston. Steve Francis led the Rockets with 27 points, Cuttino Mobley added 19 and Olajuwon had 16 points. "It hurts to lose a game that we had control over," Francis said. "They hit the big shots and we turned the ball over." The Rockets were 8-for-16 from 3-point range in the fourth period. Mobley connected on 4 of 5 from long range, and Matt Bullard and Francis each added two 3-pointers. Maxwell, who played five seasons for Houston, carried the Sonics down the stretch. Maxwell made four free throws to give Seattle a 91-89 lead with 4:25 left in the game. The Sonics were up 81-73 early in the fourth quarter, but the Rockets came back with the 3-pointers from Mobley and Bullard. Seattle led 78-73 after three quarters. Houston battled from behind most of the game. The Sonics led 58-50 midway through the third quarter. Houston surged back with a 12-1 run capped by Francis dunk for a 62-59 lead. Payton responded with a layup and a 3-pointer for a 64-62 Sonics lead. The Sonics extended that advantage to 78-69 before Francis' 3-pointer cut the deficit to 78-72. The Sonics led 52-44 at halftime. Game notesBecause Baker was not available, Chuck Person and Vladimir Stepania, who see limited action, played in the first quarter. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Houston Clubhouse Seattle Clubhouse RECAPS LA Clippers 98 Washington 89
Seattle 110
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