NBA ROUNDUP : Seattle Gets Early Berth in Playoffs

Shawn Kemp had 21 points, 14 rebounds and four steals Thursday night at Minneapolis to lead the Seattle SuperSonics in a 107-92 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The SuperSonics became the first team to clinch a playoff berth.

Five other players scored in double figures for Seattle, with Kendall Gill and Gary Payton each getting 19 as the SuperSonics won for the ninth time in 11 games.

Seattle has the NBA’s best overall record (46-16) and best road record (21-12). The Supersonics, however, have lost guard Ricky Pierce for about four weeks. Pierce will undergo surgery today to remove bone spurs from his left foot.

New York 105, Milwaukee 83--Patrick Ewing scored 26 points at New York and the Knicks won a season-high eighth game in a row.

New York also tied the NBA post-shot clock record of eight consecutive games of holding the opposition to fewer than 90 points by holding the Bucks to three points in the final 5 minutes 59 seconds. Milwaukee was able to score on only two of its last 10 possessions.

The Knicks (44-19) also moved ahead of idle Atlanta in the race for best record in the East.

Houston 112, Golden State 99--Vernon Maxwell scored 25 points, including three three-pointers in the fourth quarter, to lead the Rockets at Houston. Otis Thorpe had 21 points and 21 rebounds for Houston.

Miami 115, Dallas 98--Rony Seikaly had 28 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks at Miami as the Heat extended its record to 13-3 since the All-Star break.