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--> --> Sonics battle back only to lose in OT MIAMI (AP) - Brent Barry found little consolation in the Seattle SuperSonics' comeback. Seattle scored the final seven points of the fourth quarter Tuesday night to force overtime, but ended up losing 87-85 to the Miami Heat. "There are no moral victories, but we're playing hard every night, and we certainly did that these last two nights," Barry said. The Sonics trailed by as many as 17 points in the third quarter before rallying to tie it at 80 on Gary Payton's jumper with 1:02 remaining in regulation. Seattle held Miami scoreless over the final 5:31 of the fourth quarter. Trailing 85-80 in overtime, the Sonics rallied on Vin Baker's tip-in and Payton's three-pointer. Seattle just couldn't overcome Eddie Jones. Jones, whose 3-point play started the Heat in overtime, hit the game-winner, a 17-footer over Payton with 1.7 seconds left. Payton had one final chance, but his 28-footer at the buzzer rimmed out. The Sonics outlasted the Orlando Magic in double-overtime Monday, with Payton, Rashard Lewis and Barry each logging 50 minutes or more. "We were still in the game," Seattle coach Nate McMillan said. "We were down by 17 and able to come back and make some shots, hang in there and have a chance to win it at the end." Seattle shot just 31.9 percent against Miami, but the Sonics didn't appear too fatigued judging from the way they charged back in the second half. "We didn't shoot the ball that well, but we still had an opportunity to win the game," said Payton, who was 9-for-28 and scored 24 points. "That says a lot about the team we have and the character we have." The Heat played without center Alonzo Mourning, who missed the game because of food poisoning. Sean Marks made his first career start in Mourning's absence and responded with 15 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes. "I'm glad I was able to play, but it came at the expense of Zo, and that's not a good thing," said Marks, who played in 13 NBA games before being signed by the Heat this year. Jones, who received a pep talk from coach Pat Riley earlier in the day about being a player whom the Heat should rely on, didn't disappoint. Jones scored 25 points, with five of them coming in overtime. "We knew we were going to be shorthanded without Alonzo," Jones said. Jones took the inbounds pass on the final possession and drove to the top of the lane before lofting his shot over Payton. "I was looking to be aggressive and to attack the rim," Jones said. "I wasn't going to end that type of game with a pass. I was going to make something happen." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing