The Associated Press
Seattle's Gary Payton (20) is having another solid year and the improved play of Vin Baker, Rashard Lewis and Desmond Mason has saved the SuperSonics point guard from feeling that he must carry the entire load in order for the team to win.

Sonics court playoffs this season

Veterans Gary Payton and Vin Baker mesh with young talent

JIM COUR, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEATTLE -- All-Star point guard Gary Payton is playing better than ever.

Former All-Star power forward Vin Baker has put his nightmare season behind him.

And young Rashard Lewis and Desmond Mason are developing in front of Seattle SuperSonics' fans' eyes.

As the NBA All-Star game approaches Feb. 10, the Sonics appear to be headed to the playoffs after missing the postseason last year.

"I've been real hard on myself and the team for losses," coach Nate McMillan said. "But I don't think anyone else other than ourselves expected us to win."

A 44-victory team last season, the Sonics listened to offers for Payton who had major blowups with McMillan and McMillan's coaching predecessor, Paul Westphal.

They didn't hear anything they liked.

"When I got here in June, there was a lot of conversation about, 'Well, is Gary going to be able to play with the younger guys?"' general manager Rick Sund said.

"Not only has he bought into it, he's been one of the premier players in the league. The guy's been tremendous. Not only playing, but showing leadership in dealing with the young guys."

Also during the offseason, the Sonics tried to trade the 6-foot-11 Baker after the out-of-shape and underachieving player averaged a career-low 12.2 points last season.

But the team could find no takers for his $87 million contract and had to keep him.

In the Sonics' 23-20 start, Baker is third on the team in scoring at 16.7 points per game, just behind Lewis (16.8) and Payton at 22.9.

Baker bruised his left shoulder last week, however, and his status for tonight's game against Portland is questionable.

Seattle was among the top teams in the NBA in shooting at .465 percent and among the leaders in 3-point shooting.

The Sonics had some impressive numbers. Payton's 22.8 scoring average was good for 13th in the league and his 9.2 assists is in the top five of the league.

Brent Barry was the team's fourth best scorer with an average of 13 points and Mason fifth with 11.2 points.

Rookie forward Vladimir Radmanovich ranks in the top 10 of the NBA in 3-point shooting, while Lewis and Barry also have been very effective from long range.

The Sonics have had moderate success this season without the player who was supposed to be their new starting center, Calvin Booth.

The 6-11 Booth, signed to a $34 million, six-year contract as a free agent in August, sprained his right ankle in practice the day before the Sonics' regular season opener Oct. 30. He tried to come back too quickly and developed tendinitis in his ankle.

As a result, he's played in only 15 games and has been on the injured list since Dec. 12. He has been wearing a protective boot since Jan. 3.

Booth scored a career-best 24 points against Dallas Nov. 20.

McMillan doesn't know if he'll have Booth back at all this season. The Sonics think they can develop Booth, who played a total of 1,076 minutes in his first two NBA seasons, into a productive player.

"He's missing a lot of minutes," McMillan said. "This year alone, you would expect him to get at least 1,500 minutes. So the minutes that he is missing are the minutes we wanted to work and develop him."

The Sonics need to keep shooting the ball well to ensure a spot in the playoffs. They are near the bottom of the league in rebounding.

Lewis, a 6-10 small forward, is the team's top rebounder at 7.3 per game, while Baker is averaging 6.7.

Because of the Sonics' lack of a consistent inside game, they've used Baker in the post much of the season.

"He's been in the post more in the last month than I think in the last year or so," McMillan said. "So we're not just depending on the perimeter shot as much."

The NBA trading deadline will be Feb. 21. With a chance to make the playoffs, the Sonics are unlikely to deal either Payton or Baker.

If the team makes a trade, it likely will involve little-used guard Shammond Williams.

For related stories go to the Local Sports section.

Sonics glance

- Record: 23-20.

- Today: Portland at Seattle, 7 p.m. (KONG).

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