Payton powers Sonics

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES -- Gary Payton scored 23 points and reserve center Predrag Drobnjak had six of his career-high 18 points during a key fourth-quarter run as the Seattle SuperSonics beat the Los Angeles Clippers 95-87 Saturday night.

Jeff McInnis scored 30 points and Eric Piatkowski added 20 for the Clippers, who slipped three games behind seventh-place Seattle and two games behind Utah for the eighth Western Conference playoff berth. Los Angeles has dropped 31 of its last 34 meetings with the Sonics.

Using their 18th different starting lineup, the Sonics dressed only nine players because of injuries to Vin Baker, Earl Watson, Vladimir Radmanovic, Calvin Booth and Rashard Lewis. Lewis strained his left shoulder in Friday night's home loss to Washington and didn't make the trip.

The Clippers, already without Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette and Keyon Dooling, lost sixth man Quentin Richardson late in the first half because of a deep thigh bruise.

The Sonics, who entered with a league-leading 46.6 field goal percentage, opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run fueled by six points from Drobnjak for a 76-63 lead with 9:36 to play.

Sonics 95, Clippers 87

- Record: 37-30.

- Tuesday: Golden State at Seattle, 7 p.m.

For more local news go to the Local Sports section.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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