Who Owns The Lakers? The Sonics Payton Keys Fourth Quarter Burst That Produces 101-89 Seattle Win Over L.A.

The fantasy finally ended Monday night, along with all the chatter about the Los Angeles Lakers somehow being the top team in the Western Conference.

Just ask guard Nick Van Exel, who saw enough to proclaim the Lakers’ pursuit of Seattle a folly after losing to the SuperSonics 101-89 before 17,072 at KeyArena.

“I don’t think we can catch them,” Van Exel said after the Lakers dropped to 0-3 this season against Seattle. “But maybe Utah can catch them.

“I guess we can play for third place. They’re definitely the best team right now.”

The Sonics improved their league-best record to 49-15, including 27-4 at Key Arena, with their fourth victory in a row. Seattle got 27 points from Gary Payton and 21 apiece from Vin Baker and Detlef Schrempf.

It appears the Lakers (45-19) will not enjoy home-court advantage even through the Western Conference playoffs, thanks to a 12-point loss that could have been worse and, for a time early in the fourth quarter, could have been better.

But in the end, it was just another loss, and it snapped the Lakers’ six-game winning streak.

“This was a tough one to lose,” Van Exel said. “They came out and put it on us. They ran the ball down our throats and did whatever they wanted in the first half.”

After secretly knowing they needed a sweep this week for any real hope of overtaking the Sonics as the Western Conference’s top team, the Lakers were just hoping to avoid humiliation after falling behind by 19 points (60-41) at halftime.

Then came the third quarter. The Lakers outscored the Sonics 25-11 and cut the deficit to 71-66.

They actually tied the game at 74 when Van Exel hit two free throws with 8:18 left. But then the Sonics went on a 17-3 run to put the game away.

Lakers coach Del Harris tried to focus on his team’s valiant comeback, but he might have had a harder time convincing his players of the silver lining than the media.

“To bring it back to a tie was a tremendous effort on our part,” Harris said.

That did little to impress some of the Lakers, however.

“I don’t think you can get any good out of it,” guard Kobe Bryant said.

Harris did basically concede that Lakers had little chance of overtaking the Sonics, who lead by four games with 18 left and are at the Forum on Friday for the final game of the regular season between the teams.

“Over the last few years, we’re about the only team that’s shown any ability to beat the Sonics, so we’re not counting on anybody to help us,” Harris said. “But your season is judged by how you do in the playoffs.”

“I still think we’ve got to keep the focus on winning 60 games,” Seattle coach George Karl said. “Putting a great mark up there and seeing someone catch us.” Buy Karl wasn’t ready to brag.

“We’re a lot closer to being equal than being a lot better,” he said comparing the two teams.

“We’ve played three tough games,” Baker said. “But we’re comfortable in close games because we think our veteran leadership will see us though.”

Payton and Schrempf each scored a dozen points in the final quarter for the Sonics, who squandered a 21-point lead before pulling away down the stretch.

Shaquille O’Neal led the Lakers with 25 points and Eddie Jones added 20.

Bryant, the Lakers’ 19-year-old All-Star, who is averaging 16.1 points, was held scoreless and took only one shot in 13 minutes.

The Sonics were upset when the Lakers’ Robert Horry committed a hard offensive foul against Payton with 6:38 left in the third quarter. Baker talked to Horry after the play. Payton, who had nine assists and two steals, finished the game wearing a wrap around his ribs. After the game, he said he took an elbow from Horry to his hip.

With the score tied at 74, Schrempf scored 10 straight Seattle points to give the Sonics an 84-77 lead with 5:42 left.

The Sonics had 10 steals and the Lakers committed 16 turnovers that led to 30 Seattle points.

SuperSonics 101, Lakers 89

FG FT Reb L.A. LAKERS Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Fox 38 3-8 2-2 2-4 4 6 9 Horry 29 2-5 1-2 3-7 1 5 6 O’Neal 45 10-13 5-7 3-8 3 4 25 Fisher 26 4-10 2-2 1-4 3 1 13 Jones 41 7-13 4-7 0-6 4 1 20 Campbell 19 2-6 2-2 1-3 3 5 6 Van Exel 22 3-6 4-6 2-4 1 3 10 Blount 6 0-1 0-2 1-2 0 1 0 Bryant 14 0-1 0-0 0-0 2 2 0 Totals 240 31-73 20-30 13-38 21 28 89 Percentages: FG .425, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 7-20, .350 (Fisher 3-6, Jones 2-6, Horry 1-1, Fox 1-4, Bryant 0-1, Van Exel 0-2). Team Rebounds: 8. Blocked shots: 3 (Fox, O’Neal, Fisher). Turnovers: 16 (Fox 4, Horry 2, O’Neal 2, Fisher 2, Jones 2, Bryant, Campbell, Team 2). Steals: 7 (Horry 3, Jones 2, Fox, O’Neal). Technical fouls: O’Neal, 7:02 second; Coach Harris, 3:43 fourth. Illegal defense: None.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Baker 41 7-10 7-13 2-5 1 5 21 Schrempf 39 8-16 5-5 0-5 0 3 21 McIlvaine 15 0-1 1-2 1-3 0 4 1 Hawkins 33 3-4 1-1 1-3 3 0 8 Payton 38 9-18 6-7 1-3 9 3 27 Ellis 20 3-5 1-1 0-2 1 1 9 Perkins 28 2-4 5-6 2-7 1 4 10 McMillan 10 0-1 0-0 0-0 2 5 0 Kersey 5 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 2 Anthony 11 0-4 2-2 0-4 2 1 2 Totals 240 33-65 28-37 7-32 19 27 101

Percentages: FG .508, FT .757. 3-Point Goals: 7-18, .389 (Payton 3-6, Ellis 2-2, Hawkins 1-2, Perkins 1-2, McMillan 0-1, McIlvaine 0-1, Schrempf 0-2, Anthony 0-2). Team Rebounds: 15. Blocked shots: 3 (Baker 2, Kersey). Turnovers: 12 (Payton 4, Baker 2, Schrempf 2, McIlvaine, Hawkins, Perkins, McMillan). Steals: 10 (Hawkins 4, Payton 2, Baker, Schrempf, Perkins, McMillan).

Technical fouls: illegal defense, 1:36 fourth. Illegal defense: 1.

L.A. Lakers 19 22 25 23 - 89

Seattle 23 37 11 30 - 101

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:18.