Losing Goes On for the Spurs

Gary Payton and the Seattle SuperSonics got a much-needed lift at the expense of the struggling NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.

Payton had 24 points and 10 assists as the SuperSonics beat the Spurs, 99-96, in San Antonio on Wednesday night for their second victory in seven games. San Antonio is 2-4 in its last six games.

“We came out with intensity and once you come out with intensity, you get everybody into it,” Payton said. “It’s good for us, especially being on the road.”

Horace Grant added 16 points, and Brent Barry had 13 for the SuperSonics. Tim Duncan had 24 points, and David Robinson added 20 for the Spurs.

“Losing is never fun,” San Antonio Coach Gregg Popovich said. “We dug ourselves a hole and it made it tough for us to climb back. Seattle shot well.”

Payton scored seven straight points, the last two on a driving layup, to give Seattle a 91-83 lead down the stretch.

“Right now, overall, we are not getting it done,” Spur guard Avery Johnson said. “A lot of these teams will not go to the playoffs. We are built for the playoffs. I have no doubt we have a chance to win the championship. But, we are not going to win it in the first week of January. Our energy right now is not good.”

Detroit 120, Atlanta 108--Grant Hill scored 42 points for the second game in a row as the Pistons beat the Hawks at Atlanta for their fifth straight victory.

Hill buried the Hawks with a 17-point third quarter, helping bring the Pistons back from a 10-point deficit.

Isaiah Rider led the Hawks with 27 points.

The Hawks played their second straight game without Coach Lenny Wilkens (flu). Assistant Stan Albeck again replaced him.

Philadelphia 113, Golden State 92--Allen Iverson scored 34 points and Matt Geiger added a season-high 26 at Philadelphia as the 76ers extended the Warriors’ losing streak to seven games.

Antawn Jamison had 26 points as the Warriors lost for the ninth time in 10 games and dropped to 0-4 since Garry St. Jean replaced P.J. Carlesimo as coach.

Chicago 77, Washington 66--Toni Kukoc, playing his first game in almost two months, made his first four shots and finished with 18 points at Chicago as the Bulls ended an 11-game losing streak.

Kukoc, activated after missing 24 games because of back spasms, also had 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots in 39 minutes.

Tracy Murray led the Wizards with 18 points.

Utah 118, Charlotte 96--Karl Malone scored 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting and had eight rebounds as the Jazz won at Salt Lake City.

Malone also had seven assists and two blocked shots as the Jazz won its fourth in a row and stretched its Delta Center winning streak to seven games.

David Wesley led Charlotte with 19 points.

Orlando 116, Vancouver 96--Chris Gatling scored 23 points at Orlando, Fla., to help the Magic end a five-game losing streak.

Around the League

The Houston Rockets waived forward Devin Gray, signed last month to fill Charles Barkley’s spot on the roster. . . . The Cleveland Cavaliers waived forwards A.J. Bramlett and Mark Hendrickson and activated guard Trajan Langdon from the injured list. . . . Golden State center Erick Dampier was activated while the Warriors requested waivers on guard Drew Barry and center Bill Curley.