clarinews@clarinet.com (01/16/90)
SEATTLE (UPI) -- The Seattle SuperSonics didn't miss a beat Monday night with injured Dale Ellis and ejected Bernie Bickerstaff sidelined, using the scoring of Sedale Threatt and leadership of assistant coach K.C. Jones to beat the Houston Rockets, 105-101. Threatt scored 21 points in his second start for the high-scoring Ellis, who cracked three ribs in a car accident last week. Threatt pumped in 11 in the second quarter when the Sonics, 18-16, used a 13-0 run to turn a 10-point deficit into a 55-49 halftime lead. The Sonics, led by Xavier McDaniel's 25 points, never lost the lead in the second half but couldn't shake the Rockets. Akeem Olajuwon's layin cut the lead to 103-101 with 18 seconds left in the game, but McDaniel sank two free throws a second later to ice the win. Jones, who coached the Boston Celtics to two NBA championships in the 1980s before joining the Sonics this season, took over late in the first quarter when Bickerstaff drew two quick technical fouls and was ejected. ``Bernie left and said, `Take care of it.' The guys picked up the pace after Bernie left,'' Jones said. ``They were upset about some calls and Bernie stood up for them. The traps (late in the second quarter) got us active and Houston rattled a little bit.'' Houston Coach Don Chaney said his players couldn't overcome the Sonics' spurt during the last 3 1/2 minutes of the second quarter. ``That was the key for them,'' Chaney said. ``They put some pressure on us and we made six turnovers at the end of the quarter. That got their confidence up.You just can't do that and expect to win.'' Chaney said he was impressed with how the Sonics responded to being short-handed. ``We had a chance to win with Bernie being thrown out and with Dale Ellis out,'' said Chaney. ``But they had two pretty good replacements in K.C. and Sedale. They shot well and when they missed some in the fourth quarter, they got the offensive rebounds.'' The Sonics, who lead the league in offensive rebounds, had 16 against the Rockets. Threatt, who scored 15 points in his first start after Ellis' accident, hit nine of 15 from the field. ``I missed my first three shots,'' Threatt said, ``but K.C. said keep shooting. It's nice to start again, but it's still a role for me. I'm just filling in until Dale gets back.'' Mitchell Wiggins, playing in his third game since coming off the injured list, led the Rockets wtih 23 points. Buck Johnson added 21, and Olajuwon totaled 18 points and 12 rebounds.