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Cowboy and Friends Lasso a Playoff Spot
Mason Hits for Career-High 36, Game Winner, as Sonics eliminate Clippers
By SonicsKevin
Desmond Mason's contributions on defense were overshadowed by his silky smooth jumper tonight. The second-year forward made 16 of 22 shots from the field and scored 36 points.
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Earlier today, a column posted on this website argued that Desmond Mason didn't stack up to Quentin
Richardson in the race for the NBA's top Sixth Man. Might the second-year forward have been motivated
by reading the article? Nah, probably not, but Mason nevertheless provided a strong argument in his own
favor while going head-to-head against Richardson, scoring a career-high 36 points. None were more
important than his final two, coming with 19 seconds left to put the Sonics up by two points. A defensive
stop and two free throws later, Seattle was playoff-bound, making their return to the post-season after a one
year absence official with a 102-100 victory.
After a strong March had pushed the Sonics to the precipice of the playoffs, they had struggled to start the month of April, losing three straight. The games had in common that they were all winnable for the Sonics down the stretch, but each time the team failed in clutch time. Tonight looked like more of the same, as Seattle seemed about finished when they trailed by five, 95-90, with just three and a half minutes remaining. Unlikely heroes started coming out of the woodwork for the Sonics, starting with Vin Baker. Though Baker had struggled throughout the game, with as many turnovers (four) and more fouls (five) than points, he made a strong move to the hoop to cut the lead to three. Thirty seconds later, a Peja Drobnjak jumper made it a two-point game. Richardson, struggling through an uncharacteristically poor evening, missed two free-throw attempts to leave the door open for the Sonics to tie. That score too came from Baker, who took to the perimeter to make an open jumper and briefly tie the game. A Clipper score was answered by Drobnjak, after a Gary Payton drive went awry and Baker recovered the loose ball. Having scored on their last four possessions -- none by usual suspects Payton, Brent Barry, or Mason -- the Sonics needed a stop. They got it, forcing Los Angeles guard Jeff McInnis to take a 17-foot jumper that missed. Drobnjak grabbed the rebound, and Seattle called timeout to draw up a play that would send them to the playoffs. Payton, as might be expected, had the ball in his hands. After his chances for entry into the lane were cut off, he dealt the ball to Drobnjak, who looked as if he might attempt another jumper before sending the ball off again, this time to Mason, who dribbled to the top of the key and leaned into a 20-footer that was all net. The Clippers would still have a possession to tie and keep their playoff hopes alive. They returned the Sonics' fire in kind, working the ball to Richardson, who made just two of eight from the field. He drove the right baseline, pulling up for a strongly-contested 13-foot jumper which was nearly goaltended by an overeager Baker. The flat shot rolled off the rim and into the hands of Seattle forward Ansu Sesay -- whose status as an NBA player was precarious a day ago but was now in for defensive purposes at the critical part of the game. Sesay was fouled and put the Clippers away with two free throws, before a meaningless layup by Eric Piatkowski produced a 102-100 final. It was a breakout game for Mason, which hardly could have been more different than the game in which he previously set his career-high, nearly a year ago. That was last April in a meaningless season-ender against the San Antonio Spurs which meant nothing. This meant everything to a Sonic team that is trying to rally a recently-indifferent Seattle fanbase behind the team's new ownership and direction. Mason, one of the youthful and fan-friendly players who is key to this direction, provided a glimpse into what his future might hold during a third quarter where he was largely unstoppable, scoring the team's first 13 points of the half before settling for a total of 19, including a buzzer-beater to put the Sonics up eight. It was Mason and Payton -- 22 points, 13 assists -- who put the Sonics ahead by seven points in a strong third quarter. The advantage quickly disappeared in the fourth quarter as a struggling Seattle offense scored three field goals in the first six minutes. That allowed Los Angeles to go on a 15-4 run and turn the tide in their favor. The Sonics might have benefited from a lapse in judgement by Clipper center Michael Olowokandi -- fined last week for commenting that his teammates were playing for stats -- who was called for a technical with five and a half minutes left. Mason had a chance to tie the game at 88 at the line, but the 86% shooter misfired. Seconds later, he made up for it with a jumper to briefly give Seattle the lead. The lead quickly changed hands again as Clipper Earl Boykins made a three that would put his team ahead . . . but it was not enough.
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