Sonics Keep Confidence For Game 3

Their statistics and status in the series suggest that maybe they should feel otherwise, but the Seattle SuperSonics are unconcerned and confident. They believe they will rebound in more ways than one against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight in Game 3 of this suddenly intriguing and potentially frightening firstround playoff confrontation.

The Sonics, tied with the Lakers 1-1 in the best-of-five series, aren’t in a must-win situation. But they must connect at the Forum.

The Sonics shot a franchise playoff-low of 31.8 percent Saturday afternoon, enabling the Lakers to even the series with an 84-82 victory at Tacoma.

Shawn Kemp, the only player who has respectably accounted for himself in the first two games, said he thinks the Sonics will respond.

“We play our best when we have to play,” Kemp said.

Kemp is averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds and is shooting 59.3 percent in the first two games, but his teammates have been off target. The team is shooting 39 percent.

“I don’t think the answers are that far away,” coach George Karl said, noting that the Sonics need better spacing on the floor, better passing and more penetration.

Nate McMillan would like to get the Sonics back up and running, but that has proved difficult.

“You could run on them in the regular season,” McMillan said. “But they’re doing a better job of getting back in transition.”

Unquestionably, the Sonics need more direction from their leader, Gary Payton. Whether his broken finger or the Lakers’ Nick Van Exel is bothering him more is unclear, because Payton has avoided the media.

Averaging 20.6 points and shooting 50.9 percent in the regular season, Payton is scoring 12 points and hitting 33 percent in the playoffs.