Sonics Can’t Shoot Straight, Streak Ends at 14 Victories

Seattle had a franchise-record 14-game winning streak and George Karl couldn’t stand to see it end.

He also couldn’t stand the SuperSonics’ shooting Wednesday night at Landover, Md.

With 5:34 to play, Karl was put out of his misery, ejected by referee Bruce Alexander. But the misery continued for Seattle, which shot 29.8% and tied a franchise low with only 25 field goals in a 99-88 loss to the Washington Bullets.

“Twenty-nine percent? It’s bad,” said Karl. “Our shooters didn’t shoot the ball. . . . We couldn’t get any rhythm.”

Karl was not enamored of an officiating crew that whistled 59 fouls--30 against Seattle. The Sonics drew four individual technical fouls and another for an illegal defense.

“For fans to pay $60 to watch that is an embarrassment,” Karl said.

Utah 101, Indiana 94--Karl Malone had 24 points and 20 rebounds and the Jazz took advantage of a five-for-20 shooting night by the Pacers’ Reggie Miller at Salt Lake City to win its fifth in a row.

Minnesota 103, Philadelphia 90--Isaiah Rider scored 29 points to lead the Timberwolves at Philadelphia, where they bounced back from the worst loss in franchise history, a 41-point defeat the night before.

New York 89, Toronto 82--Hubert Davis scored a season-high 30 points at Toronto as the Knicks won for only the second time in eight games.

San Antonio 100, Denver 90--David Robinson cut a finger trying to block a shot and scored only six points to break a 157-game streak of double figures in points, but the Spurs rolled at home.

NBA Notes

Not only was David Robinson injured in the game against Denver, but the Nuggets’ Antonio McDyess was also hurt, suffering a broken nose when he collided with teammate Dikembe Mutombo. . . . Charles Barkley was fined $7,500 by the NBA for criticizing the officiating after Phoenix’s 121-114 victory over Dallas on Sunday.