RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Patrick Ewing didn't have a true
homecoming Saturday, just something vaguely resembling one. As
poorly as he played, it was a good thing this performance didn't
come against the Knicks.
Their fans would have booed him again.
|  | | Stephon Marbury's 41-point effort in three quarters against the Sonics was one short of tying his career high. |
Ewing's first pass was a turnover, his first shot hit nothing
but glass and his first four free throws were all misses. He ended
up with more bad moments than good in his first New York-area
appearance since being traded to Seattle as the New Jersey Nets,
behind 41 points from Stephon Marbury, beat the sloppy SuperSonics
126-91.
"This is not the way we would have liked to come out or I would
have liked to come back," Ewing said. "I didn't have a
particularly good game."
Ewing didn't even get all that great of an applause from a crowd
of 14,443 at the Meadowlands, which is about six miles and a world
away from Madison Square Garden -- the arena Ewing called home for
15 seasons.
The crowd cheered when Ewing was introduced and buzzed when he
got the ball the first time in the low post, but they saved their
loudest ovations for the home team -- and deservedly so.
Marbury thoroughly outplayed Gary Payton after halftime, scoring
17 of his points in the first seven minutes of the third quarter as
the Nets quickly turned an eight-point halftime lead into a
31-point bulge.
"I've never done that since ... well, I did it a lot in high
school," Marbury said.
Marbury played only 29 minutes and shot 17-for-26 from the
field, including 9-for-11 in the third, to finish one point shy of
his career-high of 42. Marbury has scored 30 or more points in five
straight games, becoming the first New Jersey player to do so since
John Williamson in 1977-78.
"Right now, most people label him as just a man who goes out
for his stats," Payton said. "That's the label on him, but if he
keeps playing the way he's playing, he'll be recognized."
Kendall Gill, who made a surprise start after knee tendinitis
kept him out of New Jersey's previous game, added 22 points, four
steals and three assists.
The Nets scored at will, collecting 67 points in the first half
and reaching 100 with 1:16 left in the third. Marbury didn't even
play in the fourth.
Ewing had 13 points on 4-for-11 shooting with five rebounds,
five turnovers and three blocked shots in 24 minutes. Payton led
the Sonics with 22 points but committed nine of the team's 31
turnovers.
It became apparent that Ewing might be in for a long afternoon
just a few minutes into the game. On his first touch, he tried to
throw a short bounce pass baseball-style and had it picked off by
rookie Stephen Jackson. On his next touch, he went to one of his
patented moves -- cutting to his left across the lane as he shot.
The ball didn't even hit the rim.
Ewing quickly atoned by hitting an 18-footer on his next touch,
but he followed that with another turnover as Gill stole the ball
and went in for an uncontested dunk.
Payton said the team has not yet learned how to adapt to having
the slow-footed Ewing in the lineup alongside a bunch of younger
teammates. A couple of times when Ewing got the ball down low, the
Sonics' offensive movement simply stopped.
"I don't know," Payton said. "If y'all have any suggestions
put 'em in a hat. I can't suggest how to use Patrick. Patrick has
to go up to the coach and do that himself, but he's not that type
of guy."
Ewing had a nice spin move on Jim McIlvaine and got away with a
goaltending violation against rookie center Soumaila Samake in the
second quarter, but things turned sour again in the third. Gill
stripped him of the ball, leading to a fast-break layup and
three-point play by Marbury for a 72-57 lead.
A missed layup by Ewing turned into another fast break, this one
ending with a dunk by Jackson that gave the Nets their first
20-point lead.
Finally, Ewing lofted an inbounds pass toward midcourt that
Marbury easily intercepted, leading to a 10-footer by Gill that
completed a 12-0 run and made it 84-58.
"I love beating Patrick Ewing," Marbury said. "It's no
different playing against him. Seeing him in a different uniform is
probably the most interesting thing."
Game notes
The Nets had a walk-up sale of about 600 tickets. ... It
was New Jersey's first home victory after three losses. ... Nets
coach Byron Scott took another shot at rookie Kenyon Martin, who is
off to a slow start. "It's disturbing that we have a guy who was
obviously the best player in college basketball last year, and you
have to give him a kick to get him jump-started for most games.
It's not what I expected. It's strictly an effort thing," Scott
said. Martin had two points and two rebounds in 22 minutes. ...
Rashard Lewis scored 21 for Seattle, including 15 in the first
quarter.
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NBA Scoreboard
Seattle Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
Ewing makes first N.Y.-area appearance as a Sonic
RECAPS
New Jersey 126
Seattle 91
Indiana 94
Detroit 84
Cleveland 86
Washington 73
New York 81
Charlotte 67
Philadelphia 85
Boston 83
Toronto 98
Chicago 75
Minnesota 103
Milwaukee 92
San Antonio 91
Vancouver 78
Phoenix 84
Miami 82
Portland 111
Houston 88
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