Pressure Gets to Clippers : Pro basketball: Payton leads the way as SuperSonics run to 127-108 victory.

Terry Dehere, who is still learning to play point guard, faced Seattle’s Gary Payton, one of the NBA’s best.

It was no contest.

Payton had 21 points, nine assists, four rebounds and five steals as the SuperSonics built a 24-point lead and defeated the Clippers, 127-108, Tuesday night before 17,102 at the KeyArena.

Dehere, who became a starter after Pooh Richardson suffered a foot injury in training camp, made four of nine shots, including three of four three-point shots, and had 11 points, four assists and four turnovers.

Dehere said it takes a different mentality to play point guard.

“It’s probably the most difficult challenge out on the floor,” Dehere said. “You’ve got to make sure everyone gets involved at all times. Sometimes guys put pressure on you, and you have to handle the pressure and make sure everyone gets involved.

“It’s a pretty tough position, but it’s not something I can’t do. I think I’ve made a little progress. I’ve had the mentality of a scorer for so many years, but now I have to turn it the other way.

“It’s a whole different thought process. All my life I’ve been playing with great point guards where I could just free-lance and score on the break and not really have to worry about the overall concept of getting everything together. I like the position a lot, and it’s just a matter of time.”

Payton said Dehere, a shooting guard until late last season, faces a difficult transition.

“It’s going to be hard for him,” Payton said. “He’s never played that position before. He was always a shooting guard. It’s real hard. You’ve got to be a person that’s real versatile. He’s got to be patient. Sometimes when he was out there he was a little bit frustrated because guys weren’t in the right spot. That’s what he’s going to have to work on.

“He’s supposed to be the leader out there, and I think he’ll do that.”

Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said Dehere is still learning.

“From the standpoint of running the team, Terry’s struggling,” Fitch said. “He’s a Jekyll and Hyde. He shot the ball better tonight, but the adjustment going from a shooting guard to a point guard . . . he’s struggling with that.”

Rookie Brent Barry, who had nine points, three assists, three rebounds and four turnovers in 19 minutes as the Clippers’ reserve point guard, was inconsistent.

“Barry did a pretty good job, and then he ends up making two or three careless mistakes and does away with the confidence the other guys have in him,” Fitch said.

The SuperSonics have a new arena, new uniforms and a new logo this season.

But they have the same trapping defense that has helped them post the NBA’s best regular-season record over the last two seasons.

The Clippers found out that not much has changed as the SuperSonics converted 20 turnovers into 28 points.

What went wrong for the Clippers?

“We got dressed,” Clipper center Brian Williams said. “We started out all right, we just went south.”

The Clipper defense seemed lacking as the SuperSonics shot 53.6% en route to beating the Clippers for the 14th time in their last 16 meetings.

“We’ve got to get some people dedicated to playing at the defensive end and using their heads,” Fitch said.

Clipper center Stanley Roberts, who missed eight of 10 shots and had no rebounds in 12 minutes as a reserve in the Clippers’ first two games, had his best outing of the season, making all three of his shots and scoring seven points in eight minutes. Roberts, who had three rebounds, also blocked three shots.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers got their first look at the $94-million KeyArena, which replaced the aging Seattle Coliseum this season, but broadcasters Ralph Lawler and Rory Markas weren’t impressed. The roof leaked on Lawler and Markas, who were seated adjacent to the Clipper bench. A fan behind the bench opened an umbrella in the arena just before tipoff. . . . Clipper guard Pooh Richardson, who suffered a stress fracture in his right foot last month, was due to be re-examined Tuesday, but Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said he probably wouldn’t get a report on Richardson until today.