Sonics Let Another Get Away Hardaway’s 3 Sends Seattle To 106-103 Loss To Golden State

Tim Hardaway’s right wrist is ailing and he’s facing an early exit to the Golden State Warriors’ nightmare season. In fact, he might have played his final game. Still, Hardaway was Hardaway on Monday night.

He scored 31 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:06 left, and Latrell Sprewell added 26 to lead Golden State to a 106-103 victory over Seattle.

After the game, Hardaway said he’s facing the possibility of surgery on his right wrist this weekend. He said he will go to the doctor Wednesday to find out if his wrist is broken as he suspects.

“I wasn’t thinking about (the wrist). I was just thinking about winning,” Hardaway said. “If this was my last game, it was my last game.”

Because of injuries, interim coach Bob Lanier dressed only nine Warriors and Victor Alexander fouled out with 1:27 left.

Hardaway’s sixth 3-pointer of the game came from 5 feet behind the 3-point line and broke a 97-97 tie to help Golden State break a six-game losing streak.

Despite Golden State’s big victory, Lanier had to face the realization of losing one of the league’s top point guards.

“If his wrist is hurt, he’ll be tied up in a cast for 12 weeks,” Lanier said. “Timmy and I will sit down and evaluate it.”

Clifford Rozier set a pick to give Hardaway room to take his shot.

“Me and Cliff made eye contract,” Hardaway said. “There was no doubt I was shooting it. I had no idea how far out I was.”

Hardaway, who missed last season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, is tied in the NBA in assists with 9.2 a game. He is Golden State’s No. 2 scorer with 19.4 average.

The SuperSonics, losing their third game in four starts, were led by Detlef Schrempf’s 23 points.

After Hardaway’s go-ahead 3-pointer, Golden State went up 102-97 on Donyell Marshall’s two free throws with 21.5 seconds to go. Gary Payton made a layup for Seattle with 19.7 seconds left, but the Sonics had to foul Marshall again and he made both shots with 18.3 seconds left.

Alexander added 17 points for Golden State. Payton scored 19 points for Seattle. Kemp had 18 points and 16 rebounds.