NBA ROUNDUP : Payton Gambles, Wins on the Strip

Gary Payton certainly looked healthy, as far as Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were concerned.

The all-star point guard, who sprained his foot a week ago and was considered doubtful for the SuperSonics’ current home stand, stripped the ball from Jordan with 20 seconds left Sunday, sealing the SuperSonics’ 97-92 victory at Seattle.

Payton had 26 points and 11 assists. Shawn Kemp added 25 points and 14 rebounds.

“If he was hurt, he sure didn’t play like it,” Jordan said of Payton. “I wanted to penetrate and dish to Scottie [Pippen]. He did what he had to do and that was strip the ball.”

Coach George Karl wanted Payton to shut down Jordan with the SuperSonics leading, 94-92.

“Our plan was for me to guard him if the game was tight,” Payton said. “I played him straight. I knew he was going to go to the basket. I stayed in front of him. He put the ball down by my hand and fortunately I got the steal.”

Sacramento 99, New Jersey 92--Rookie point guard Tyus Edney scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter and helped the Kings overtake the Nets at Sacramento.

Edney, without a point or an assist in the first 38:34, figured prominently in a 7-0 run that gave the Kings the lead for good as they improved to 9-4, their best start ever in Sacramento.

Detroit 102, Houston 100--Terry Mills’ three-point basket with 0.3 seconds left gave the Pistons the victory at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The shot came after Hakeem Olajuwon scored on a baseline jumper with 3.5 seconds left to put Houston ahead. Mills took the inbounds pass from Grant Hill, turned and made a 25-foot shot from well beyond the top of the key.

Minnesota 105, Milwaukee 102--Christian Laettner returned to the lineup and scored 25 points, including the go-ahead shot late in the fourth quarter at Milwaukee, as the Timberwolves ended their seven-game losing streak.

After Lee Mayberry made two free throws to give Milwaukee a 102-101 lead, Laettner, who sat out six games because of a sprained ankle, made a jump shot from the top of the key with 50.8 seconds left to give Minnesota a 103-102 lead.

Charlotte 111, Boston 109--The Hornets overcame a 22-point first-half deficit and got their first road victory of the season.

After Dee Brown missed an off-balance jump shot with 9.6 seconds left, Khalid Reeves took the ensuing inbounds pass, drove to the basket, was fouled by Greg Minor and made both foul shots.