Payton had 27 points and 10 assists as the SuperSonics defeated the Sacramento Kings, 104-92, for yet another win over a quality opponent.
"Yeah, we're a good basketball team when we're focused and we have a lot of rest," said Payton, who also had seven rebounds.
The Sonics are 12-15 overall. They have beaten San Antonio, Dallas, Minnesota, Milwaukee, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Kings, who have a combined record of 102-38.
 Scot Pollard tries, but he can't catch up to Gary Payton. Jeff Reinking NBAE/Getty Images |
Those teams are among the top seven in the league and Seattle has been able to handle them. But the Sonics have had trouble with the teams at the other end of the standings.
They have lost to the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver and twice to Miami, displaying the inconsistency that has prevented them from putting together a long winning streak.
"We've had that happen this year and coach is trying to break us out of that habit," forward Rashard Lewis said. "I think we're just more relaxed and wait until the second half to start playing, and we can't do that (against lesser teams). When good teams come in like Sacramento or the Lakers, we come ready to play. But we have to do that against the other teams also."
Payton had his own theory as to why Seattle played well against Sacramento, which fought off Detroit 24 hours earlier.
"You see what happens with the back-to-back," he said. "It doesn't matter if you're a good team or not if you're tired. If you come to a team that's rested and you're on the back of a back-to-back game and then you have to travel and get here late at night, your body's not recuperated."
In this one, Seattle took the lead for good late in the opening quarter and took control in the third period, when Payton fueled a 24-11 run that opened a 78-63 lead.
Doug Christie scored a season-high 23 points for the Kings, who were without injured All-Star forward Chris Webber and appeared to miss him for the first time this season. Sacramento has lost three straight road games.
"It's tough. He's our best guy," Kings center Vlade Divac said. "Everybody said we did a good job without Chris, but he's the man."
Webber missed the first 20 games with a sprained ankle, but the Kings went 15-5, the best start in franchise history. An ankle sprain kept him out of this one and his presence in the post was missed.
"You're always going to miss a player like that, but we're not playing good enough on the road right now," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "This is the third straight game where we didn't play with the energy we need to."
Sacramento was within 54-52 after Christie's dunk with 10:08 to go in the third quarter. Vin Baker answered with a three-point play off an offensive rebound, triggering the decisive run.
Baker scored five points and Payton and Lewis had six apiece in the surge. Lewis fed Payton for a layup and a 15-point bulge with 1:25 to go and the Sonics led by double digits until the final two minutes.
Lewis scored 20 points, Brent Barry added 19 and nine rebounds and Baker 16 and nine for Seattle, which shot 54 percent (43-of-80) from the field and held a 47-33 rebounding edge.
"We shot the ball well," Sonics coach Nate McMillan said. "If we shoot the ball well and defend well, then normally we win games."
Peja Stojakovic scored 19 points and Jackson added 13 for the Kings, who shot 44 percent (36-of-82).
Seattle took the lead for good at 21-20 on Lewis' three-point play with 1:59 left in the first quarter. It widened the advantage to 52-46 at halftime.