Sonics upset Timberwolves

SEATTLE (AP) -- Although Vin Baker is still in a funk, coach Paul Westphal has found a way to end the Seattle SuperSonics' prolonged slump.

With Baker on the bench and three reserves in the starting lineup, the Sonics surprised the playoff-bound Minnesota Timberwolves with a 110-83 victory Wednesday night.

Rashard Lewis, Cuban Lazaro Borrell and Shammond Williams started with Gary Payton and Horace Grant. Baker was benched along with regulars Brent Barry and Ruben Patterson.

''We just had a lot more quickness tonight,'' Westphal said. ''We started a slashing team that didn't quit moving.''

The Sonics had lost three straight, and nine out of 11. Westphal decided it was time to roll the dice.

''Everything is a gamble in this league,'' Westphal said. ''I was just trying to shuffle the deck and see if things could work better.

''I'll take those results any night I can get them,'' he added, ''but I expected this lineup to do well.''

Payton led the Sonics with 29 points and Vernon Maxwell had his best performance, 20 points on 11-of-20 shooting, since undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Jan. 7.

Lewis, 20 years old, added 18 points and Grant contributed a dozen rebounds.

If only the Sonics could get Baker back on track. He was woeful again against Minnesota, scoring four points and picking up five fouls in 14 minutes, with just one rebound. In his last five games, he's averaging 6.4 points and 5.1 rebounds.

This is a player who signed an $87 million contract in the offseason.

''It's going to depend on how well he plays,'' Westphal said. ''We're not mad at him. We want him to play well.''

Said Baker: ''My situation is important, but more important is the situation of this team.''

Westphal wouldn't say whether he plans to use the same lineup again.

''All I can say is, 'So far so good,''' Westphal said.

''I like it a lot,'' Grant said. ''I think we're going to stick with it for a while.''

Kevin Garnett paced the Timberwolves, whose four-game winning streak was broken, with 18 points.

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders admitted he was surprised at the five players Westphal started. That lineup got Seattle a 17-12 lead before Westphal brought in Baker and Patterson with 7:43 gone.

''That lineup was so effective against the Lakers (a loss in overtime on Monday night in Los Angeles),'' Saunders said. ''It also gives them a little pop off the bench.''

Baker, who didn't play in the fourth quarter, said he wasn't upset about being benched.

''If we weren't up by 20, do you think Paul would have left me sitting?'' Baker asked.

The Timberwolves said the Sonics deliberately ran up the score by leaving Payton in the game until late in the fourth quarter. Payton played all but three minutes in the final period.

''It's kind of dangerous,'' Garnett said. ''That's how players get hurt. Guys in our league are competitive. You can't do that.''

Notes: Williams' start was the first of his career, Borrell's second and Lewis' 11th. ... Payton's 29 points gave him 13,383 for his career, tying Rudy Tomjanovich, the Houston Rockets coach, for 118th place on the NBA's scoring list. ... Williams had a career-high 28 points in Monday night's overtime loss to the Lakers. The small guard delighted the crowd with a two-handed dunk on a fast break with 1:37 left before making a 3-pointer and drawing another ovation.

MINNESOTA (83)

Garnett 7-14 4-6 18, Szczerbiak 6-12 2-3 14, Nesterovic 3-6 1-1 7, Brandon 4-13 0-0 8, Sealy 1-8 2-3 4, Smith 1-5 5-6 7, Mitchell 1-2 2-3 5, Peeler 3-10 1-2 8, Jackson 1-6 3-4 5, Hammonds 0-2 1-3 1, Avery 2-6 1-2 6, Garrett 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-84 22-33 83.

SEATTLE (110)

Borrell 5-14 0-0 10, Lewis 7-13 3-3 18, Grant 1-4 1-4 3, Payton 11-20 5-6 29, Williams 3-9 1-2 8, Baker 0-1 4-4 4, R.Patterson 1-2 0-0 2, B.Barry 3-6 1-1 9, Maxwell 5-10 6-6 20, McCoy 2-4 1-2 5, Vinson 0-2 0-0 0, Foster 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 39-90 22-28 110.

Minnesota 16 23 24 20 -- 83

Seattle 27 27 20 36 -- 110

3-Point Goals--Minnesota 3-16 (Mitchell 1-1, Avery 1-4, Peeler 1-6, Garnett 0-2, Jackson 0-3), Seattle 10-25 (Maxwell 4-7, B.Barry 2-3, Payton 2-5, Lewis 1-3, Williams 1-5, Vinson 0-1, Borrell 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Minnesota 62 (Smith 10), Seattle 61 (Grant 12). Assists--Minnesota 20 (Garnett, Brandon 5), Seattle 25 (Payton 9). Total fouls--Minnesota 24, Seattle 27. Technicals--Mitchell. Ejected--Mitchell. A--14,178 (17,072).