 Calvin Booth scored a career high over his former team. Glenn James/NBAE/Getty Images from Sonics-Mavericks: 56k | 300k |
Booth was acquired by Dallas from Washington at the February trading deadline and made the winning basket in Game Five of the Mavericks' first-round series win over the Utah Jazz. He became a free agent during the offseason and signed a six-year, $34 million contract with Seattle.
Booth was questionable with a sprained right ankle but he did not play like he was hurt, beating 7-6 Shawn Bradley down low for easy baskets. He made 6-of-10 shots and 12-of-12 free throws, eclipsing his previous careerhigh of 18 with Washington vs. Orlando on January 31, 2001.
The 6-11 Booth had missed five straight games and entered the game averaging just 4.0 points. But against his former team, he dominated the low post.
"I guess it was a coincidence that I came back tonight," said Booth. "It felt good to come back and get a win. It worked out real good for us tonight, and we played good as a team.
"I felt good out there tonight. It's just one game against them, and we have a few more, but just to come back and help the team to a win feels good."
Payton scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half. He made 11-of-22 shots and scored 10 consecutive points in a 14-0 run to close out the third quarter as Seattle turned a three-point lead into an 88-71 advantage.
"We came out and played well tonight," Payton said. "We're a team that works hard, and when we do that we usually win. Tonight we finished the game really well.
The 33-year-old Payton was coming off his worst game of the season. He shot just 4-of-14 (.286) and finished with 16 points in Saturday's loss to Denver.
When Steve Nash's 3-pointer cut the deficit to 96-88 with 4:39 to play, Payton came through again, closing a 6-0 run with an easy layup that gave the Sonics a 102-88 lead that finished off the Mavericks.
"Coach says I gotta be our go-to guy and to step up when things start happening," Payton said. "He started calling all my plays and it was my job to make the baskets.
"A couple of days ago he doesn't make those shots," Seattle coach Nate McMillan said. "Tonight he did. I think this team will win because we're not afraid to have a guy like that carry us. It was a good floor game for Gary."
Dallas, which relies heavily on its shooting, made just 31 percent in the first quarter and 41 percent (40-of-97) overall.
Michael Finley paced the Mavericks with 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting. But Dirk Nowitzki had his third straight bad game, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-19 shooting, including 1-of-7 from 3-point range.
Nowitzki, a career 46 percent shooter, is mired in a terrible slump. He is just 12-of-40 as the Mavericks have lost their last three games by a combined 75 points.
The German power forward was bothered by a cold and regretted suiting up against Seattle.
"I shouldn't have played tonight," he said. "Obviously I didn't help the team. It was a stupid decision to play."
Nash added 25 points on 10-of-19 from the floor and made a career-high five 3-pointers.
Nash and Finley were 22-of-42, but the rest of the team was just 18-of-55.
The Mavericks won 53 games last season, lost three straight just twice.
"I really don't know what's wrong," Nowitzki said. "We just need to pick it up. We're a little sluggish and we're playing tentative right now. It concerns us when we lose three games in a row with two blowouts and one at home."