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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- Oft-maligned Vin Baker showed a fourth-quarter
effort that new Seattle SuperSonics coach Nate McMillan has been
expecting.
|  | | Seattle's Vin Baker scored 15 points and bounced in the winning shot Saturday against Charlotte. |
Baker, relegated to the bench when McMillan took over last
month, hit a buzzer-beating jumper to lead the Seattle SuperSonics
to a 104-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
Baker scored eight of his 15 points in the final 3:22, capping
it with a 19-footer that bounced off the rim and twice off the
backboard before falling through the net just as the buzzer
sounded.
"This is exactly what I expected when we talked about making
this move," McMillan said of his decision to bring Baker off the
bench. "I've seen Vin much more aggressive, attacking the defense.
We're going to get the ball to him whenever he's in the game."
The former All-Star has had weight problems and a sometimes
questionable attitude since coming over in a trade with Milwaukee
four years ago. But Baker has scored in double-figures in five
straight games, to go along with his game-winner Saturday.
"I thought it was off and when it went up to the top, I just
focused my mind on overtime," Baker said. "When I turned around
and looked back, it was in."
David Wesley led the Hornets with 24 points and tied the game at
102 with a fall-away 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds left.
It was the second straight loss for the Hornets, who had a
seven-game winning streak snapped Thursday at Sacramento. The
Sonics have won seven of their last nine games.
Gary Payton led Seattle in scoring for the 13th straight game
with 21 points. Payton and Brent Barry each had 10 assists.
Barry, making just his fourth start of the year, added 18
points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 57.7 seconds that put
Seattle up 98-95.
But it was Baker who was big down the stretch. Baker also had
six rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes.
"We had two choices," Charlotte coach Paul Silas said of
guarding Baker down the stretch. "Double team him or play one on
one. I was going to take my chances with Vinny and he made shots."
Jamal Mashburn, the Hornet's leading scorer, added 19 points,
but scored just seven in the final three quarters. P.J. Brown added
18 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for Charlotte.
Charlotte was playing without starting center Elden Campbell,
who missed his second straight game with an inflamed right elbow.
"Elden's a big body," Silas said. "He was really playing well
offensively and defensively before he went down. Hopefully when he
comes back we can pick it up again.
The Sonics trailed by 10 points in the first quarter and by
nine, 39-30, with 8:03 to go in the first half.
Rashard Lewis scored seven of his 14 points in the next 2:40 as
the Sonics outscored the Hornets 11-0. Lewis' 3-pointer with 5:23
left in the half gave the Sonics their first lead since early in
the game at 41-39.
Shammond Williams' 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Seattle a 53-52
lead at the half.
Mashburn scored 12 of his points in the first quarter as the
Hornets took a 33-25 lead.
Game notes
Payton's layin with 7:18 left in the first quarter gave him
14,234 for his career, moving him past Tom Van Arsdale (14,232)
into 100th place on the career scoring list. ... With the loss, the
Hornets failed to set a club mark for wins in December. Charlotte
finished the month at 10-5, tying the mark set last year ... The
Sonics swept the season series from the Hornets. Seattle beat the
Hornets 102-94 on Nov. 9 at Charlotte ... The Hornets have given up
more than 100 points just three times all year, twice to Seattle.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Charlotte Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
Orlando 95
Boston 90
Houston 114
Dallas 99
Seattle 104
Charlotte 102
Miami 110
Detroit 102
San Antonio 89
Indiana 77
New York 88
Minnesota 79
Philadelphia 107
Sacramento 104
Phoenix 109
Toronto 103
Denver 120
Milwaukee 113
Golden State 102
Vancouver 101
LA Lakers 116
LA Clippers 114
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Baron Davis Official Site
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