clarinews@clarinet.com (01/14/90)
SEATTLE (UPI) -- Xavier McDaniel scored 15 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth quarter Saturday night to power the Serattle SuperSonics to a 113-106 victory over Atlanta. The Sonics, who have won just 6 of their past 15 games, have won 28 of 29 meetings with the Hawks in Seattle. McDaniel hit 13 of 19 field goal attempts and had 14 rebounds for Seattle, 17-16. Dominique Wilkins' 28 points led the Hawks, 18-15, who have lost five straight on the road, their longest losing streak away from Atlanta since the 1986-87 season. Atlanta was without point guard Doc Rivers, who missed his fourth straight game because of a sore back. The Sonics played without guard and leading scorer Dale Ellis, who was injured in a traffic accident Friday. After Atlanta closed to within 87-86 on Alexander Volkov's basket with 9:49 left in the game, Seattle went on to build a 108-98 lead when McDaniel hit two free throws with 3:02 remaining. The Hawks got no closer than six after that. Atlanta led 62-61 at halftime, but Seattle took the lead for good with an 11-0 run in the first 3 minutes of the third quarter. The Hawks, however, led by Wilkins' 8 points in the quarter, closed the gap to 86-82 by the end of the period. Atlanta shot just 30 percent in the third quarter. Seattle led by 7 in the first quarter, but Spud Webb hit all five of his field goal tries to carry Atlanta to a 32-29 lead at the end of the period. The Hawks led by as many as 7 in the second quarter before Seattle rallied in the final 90 seconds to close the gap to 1 at halftime.