Player of the game: Gary Payton missed 15 of 21 shots but ran the Sonics with aplomb and played tenacious defense, especially late. Payton finished with 20 points, 12 assists and four rebounds.
Top reserve: In only a couple of games, Desmond Mason has rounded himself into the form he showed before bruising his right knee. Mason had 16 points and five rebounds and brought his usual intensity.
Key to the game: The Sonics made 20 of 22 field goals in the third quarter. Golden State made a furious comeback, but the Warriors seemed to lose steam from expending so much energy overcoming Seattle's 90.9 percent in the second quarter.
Next: Tonight vs. Pistons, 7 p.m., KeyArena.
Alex Loughlen milled outside the Sonics' locker room, wearing an oversized Gary Payton jersey while talking to his mother.
Soon, Payton walked out of the locker room, and Loughlen's face lit up at the sight of his hero.
Payton hugged the little kid and rubbed on his belly.
"Are they taking care of you?" Payton asked in his characteristically loud voice.
"Yes," Loughlen responded shyly and softly.
Payton: "Good, good."
After exchanging pleasantries for a few minutes, Payton signed the back of Loughlen's jersey.
The previous 24 hours had been a whirlwind of excitement for Loughlen, who benefited from a program of the Gary Payton Foundation: "How the Glove Gave Christmas."
Loughlen had been living with his mother in Seattle's Providence Hospitality House, a shelter for homeless mothers and their children.
Southwest Airlines donated two tickets to the Loughlens for last night's game at Golden State. Thursday and last night, they stayed over at the Hilton and had dinner with two officials of the Payton Foundation, Steve Banks and Stephanie Aardal.
Then the Loughlens took a limousine to the arena before Alex's highlight of the trip: meeting Payton.
Why is Payton Alex's favorite player?
"Gary doesn't hog the ball like Allen Iverson," Alex explained, to laughter.
When told that Payton has been criticized in the past for shooting too much, Loughlen stood firm, perhaps realizing that Payton has always been among the league leaders in assists.
"Gary Payton passes the ball," Alex said. "Allen Iverson doesn't."
Notes
? Thursday, Jerome James practiced with the Sonics for the first time since spraining his right foot about month ago. The Sonics will determine James' return date after a few more practices. But the 7-foot center is expected to be activated in about a week. Calvin Booth (sprained right ankle) still hasn't been able to practice, so his return is further away.
? Golden State's Erick Dampier missed the game because of a hyperextended left knee. The power forward is averaging 9.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.