Sonics Can’t Find Right Cure

Hersey Hawkins would take back his team-leading 22 points and powers of prophecy Tuesday night for a triumph over the Vancouver Grizzlies.

To his dismay, Hawkins’ perspective was right on the money prior to the Sonics’ 94-93 loss to the Grizzlies before a roaring G.M. Place crowd of 16,701.

Before facing an expansion team struggling with a 3-21 record, Hawkins said: “They have talented, experienced guys who’ve been around. They showed us that when they beat us in the preseason. They are NBA players. They have pride and they are aggressive, and if you let them hang around, they can beat you.”

The flu-ridden Sonics let the Grizzlies hang around and found themselves trying to fire back with 6 seconds left in the game. Nate McMillan made an entry pass to Shawn Kemp, who dribbled across the key, setting up a potential game-winning bank shot or dunk.

But Kemp, one of the Sonics weakened by chills and a headache, lost control of the ball. It squirted out to Sam Perkins, who was holding his aching head in his hands in the locker room before the game. Perkins rushed a desperation 3-pointer that just missed, setting off fireworks and a joyous celebration by Sonics slayer Blue Edwards.

“It was just a prayer,” Perkins said. “I looked at the clock, it was on 1 second. The shot was straight, but it was too long.”

Although Sonics coach George Karl said before the game that Perkins was dangerously close to sitting out because of the flu, Perkins said that if he sat down, four or five of his teammates would have had to join him.

“Everybody felt the same,” he said. “We tried to play through it. It’s still no excuse. We had the game.”

The Sonics led by as many as 10 in the first and second quarters. But at the start of the fourth, their lead was trimmed to 73-69.

Grizzlies 94, SuperSonics 93

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Wingate 16 1-6 2-2 0-0 0 3 4 Kemp 37 4-10 4-6 2-8 3 3 12 Perkins 28 2-6 1-2 1-4 3 4 7 Hawkins 38 7-13 6-6 0-7 2 3 22 Payton 42 9-23 1-1 3-7 7 4 20 Askew 24 6-10 0-0 2-4 2 2 13 Brickowski 14 2-4 1-4 0-0 0 4 6 McMillan 24 2-2 2-2 0-3 4 3 7 Johnson 16 1-1 0-0 1-4 0 1 2 Scheffler 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 34-75 17-23 9-37 21 27 93

Percentages: FG .453, FT .739.

3-Point Goals: 8-18, .444 (Perkins 2-5, Hawkins 2-5, McMillan 1-1, Brickowski 1-2, Askew 1-2, Payton 1-3).

Team Rebounds: 10

Blocked shots: 6 (Kemp 4, Brickowski, Johnson).

Turnovers: 21 (Kemp 6, Askew 5, Hawkins 3, Payton 3, Brickowski 3, Wingate).

Steals: 7 (Perkins 2, Askew 2, Kemp, Payton, McMillan).

Technical fouls: Payton, 5:57 second; Illegal defense, 5:00 second.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb VANCOUVER Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts King 19 4-9 1-2 3-4 2 4 9 Avent 23 6-13 1-1 5-7 1 3 13 Reeves 45 1-10 7-10 2-11 2 3 9 B.Edwards 33 8-13 2-2 1-5 2 5 22 Murdock 37 2-9 4-6 1-5 8 2 9 Amaya 7 1-1 0-0 1-1 0 2 2 D.Edwards 19 0-4 4-4 1-2 2 1 4 Mobley 21 1-3 0-0 1-6 2 2 2 Scott 25 5-10 6-6 0-2 3 1 18 Martin 11 2-4 0-0 0-1 1 2 6 Totals 240 30-76 25-31 15-44 23 25 94

Percentages: FG .395, FT .806.

3-Point Goals: 9-15, .600 (B.Edwards 4-4, Scott 2-2, Martin 2-3, Murdock 1-2, Reeves 0-1, D.Edwards 0-1, King 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 8

Blocked shots: 6 (Avent 3, King, Murdock, Mobley).

Turnovers: 15 (King 3, Murdock 3, Reeves 2, D.Edwards 2, Martin 2, Mobley, B.Edwards, Avent).

Steals: 7 (Murdock 3, B.Edwards 2, D.Edwards 2).

Technical fouls: Coach Winters, 9:19 first; B.Edwards, 6:17 first; Illegal defense, :38.5 third; Illegal defense, 8:36, fourth.

Illegal defense: 1. Seattle 30 26 17 20 - 93 Vancouver 25 24 20 25 - 94

A-16,701 (20,049). T-2:17.

Officials-Steve Javie, Terry Durham, George Toliver.