Player of the game: Sonics guard Gary Payton made all seven field goals in the first half, when he scored 15 points and passed for seven assists. With another game tonight, Payton needed only 29 minutes for 20 points (on 8-of-11 shooting), nine assists and four rebounds.
Top reserve: Desmond Mason led the bench brigade with 22 points (on 9-of-14 shooting) and five assists.
Key to the game: The Sonics didn't give Houston any confidence by playing sharp from the tipoff. The game was essentially over by halftime, when the Sonics led 61-34.
Next: Today at 7 p.m. vs. the Nuggets at Denver's Pepsi Center.
After traveling to various cities this week, NBA Commissioner David Stern was in town yesterday as part of a star-studded panel organized by owner Howard Schultz. After the business event ? billed "Building a Championship Team" ? Stern gave the local media a state of the NBA while expounding on issues regarding the Sonics.
"We're having a good year," said Stern, who traveled this week to Denver, Minnesota, Utah and New Orleans. "The game looks good, the ratings are up a bit, attendance is up a bit, and we're going to have a great playoffs. So we're feeling very good about where we are."
But one problem Schultz has brought to public attention is the proliferation of new arenas and the threat of teams bolting elsewhere without them. Because of that trend, Schultz believes KeyArena ? considered one of the best arenas to watch an NBA game ? hinders the Sonics' ability to survive financially.
The commissioner didn't disagree with the Sonics owner.
"It's a good arena," Stern said. "I think when the team's lease is up in 2010, it won't be as new and as modern as it was when it was reconfigured (in 1996). And the team will have to make (a decision).
"We have sort of rolling evaluation of arenas as they go, and increasingly the model has to do with club seats and suites in restaurants, and large numbers of seats in the lower bowl and a variety of accouterments."
Casey open to UW job
Dwane Casey's name has been bandied about as a possible candidate to replace the recently departed Bob Bender at the University of Washington. Although the Sonics assistant hasn't been contacted, he won't rule out the scenario.
"It's a great job, a great situation with a new arena, a great city in Seattle, a great university, a great academic situation," Casey said. "My mission right now though is to get our team in the playoffs. I'm not thinking about (UW), but it's flattering that my name has been mentioned."