Spencer’s Future Rests On Practice

The Seattle SuperSonics’ slow start and tough November schedule are making it hard for coach George Karl to find any playing time for center Elmore Spencer, who will be paid a full season’s NBA minimum salary ($247,500) if he is on the roster after Nov. 15.

Spencer, a 7-foot center signed as a free agent the last week of training camp, has played only 5 minutes, all in the blowout victory over Portland.

“I’d like to see him play, but it’s hard to find time for a guy when you’re not playing well (as a team),” Karl said.

Sonics general manager Wally Walker has said it’s likely a final determination on Spencer will have to be made based almost solely on practice.

Complicating the issue, however, is the toe injury to Steve Scheffler. The team might be reluctant to cut Spencer if Scheffler isn’t available to add depth at center, and Karl said Thursday that Scheffler isn’t yet ready to come off the injured reserve list. Scheffler and guard Greg Graham are eligible to come off the injured reserve list after the game Friday night at San Antonio.

“It’s too bad Steve has been hurt because he would have gotten some time,” said Walker.

Suns try triangle

If Phoenix’s offense looked a little familiar Thursday night, it should have.

With Charles Barkley gone to Houston, the Suns are trying the “triangle” offense made famous by the Chicago Bulls. The offense puts a premium on motion and creating the proper space between players.

Green plays

Phoenix forward A.C. Green was listed as questionable for the game Thursday after a back spasm problem reappeared in the Suns’ loss to Minnesota on Tuesday.

Green didn’t start but entered the game with 12 seconds left in the first quarter.

Green now has played in 817 consecutive regular-season games, the third-longest mark in history behind Randy Smith (906) and Johnny Kerr (844).

SuperSonics 103, Suns 98

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 38 6-11 3-8 6-13 4 4 17 Kemp 36 4-9 8-13 2-7 0 6 16 McIlvaine 19 1-3 0-0 1-4 0 4 2 Hawkins 40 6-14 8-10 4-12 5 4 24 Payton 40 11-22 1-2 3-4 7 4 25 McMillan 22 2-5 0-0 0-5 4 2 4 Perkins 24 3-6 3-5 1-3 0 2 10 Ehlo 21 2-10 1-4 1-3 1 2 5 Totals 240 35-80 24-42 18-51 21 28 103

Percentages: FG .438, FT .571.

3-Point Goals: 9-33, .273 (Hawkins 4-10, Schrempf 2-4, Payton 2-9, Perkins 1-4, Kemp 0-1, Ehlo 0-2, McMillan 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 17.

Blocked shots: 7 (McIlvaine 3, Schrempf, Kemp, Payton, Perkins).

Turnovers: 22 (Kemp 7, Hawkins 5, Schrempf 3, Payton 3, McIlvaine, McMillan, Perkins, Ehlo).

Steals: 13 (Payton 5, Kemp 4, Perkins 2, Hawkins, McMillan).

Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 9:55 third.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb PHOENIX Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Horry 21 2-6 2-2 0-2 4 2 6 Manning 40 8-18 7-9 5-11 5 4 23 Kleine 22 2-3 3-3 3-6 0 3 7 Person 38 8-17 0-0 2-5 3 3 17 Cassell 35 3-13 5-5 2-4 8 4 12 Finley 27 4-9 0-0 1-2 2 3 8 Chapman 23 5-9 0-0 0-3 3 1 12 Green 2 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 Tisdale 4 0-2 0-0 0-1 0 2 0 Nash 9 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 3 0 Brown 16 3-5 6-6 0-5 1 3 12 Davis 3 0-0 1-4 0-2 0 1 1 Totals 240 35-82 24-29 13-42 27 29 98

Percentages: FG .427, FT .828.

3-Point Goals: 4-19, .211 (Chapman 2-3, Cassell 1-4, Person 1-7, Finley 0-1, Horry 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 5.

Blocked shots: 7 (Manning 4, Horry, Person, Chapman).

Turnovers: 19 (Person 4, Manning 3, Cassell 3, Chapman 3, Nash 2, Kleine 2, Horry, Finley).

Steals: 8 (Manning 2, Person 2, Horry, Cassell, Finley, Chapman).

Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 3:40 third; Illegal defense, 8:32 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1.

Seattle 33 22 29 22 - 103

Phoenix 23 14 28 33 - 98

A-19,023 (19,023). T-2:18.