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Perkins’ 3-Pointers Key Win As Sonics Edge Bulls In Ot

Associated Press

Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Detlef Schrempf will represent the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA All-Star game. But it was center Sam Perkins who led the team down the stretch against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.

Perkins sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer and scored eight points in the extra period to give Seattle a 126-118 victory.

Perkins finished with 21 points, including a 3-pointer that put the Sonics ahead to stay, 117-114, with 1:48 left in overtime. He made another 3-pointer with 38 seconds left, and the Bulls got no closer than four points the rest of the way.

“We’ve got a deep team and that depth is our salvation on nights like this,” said reserve Nate McMillan, who had six rebounds, six assists and five steals for the Sonics.

Until Perkins hit his game-tying 3-pointer with 21.1 seconds left in regulation, it appeared the Sonics were heading to their fourth straight home loss.

Bulls coach Phil Jackson couldn’t believe Perkins hit the shot.

“Will (Perdue) was right there with him, but the shot went in,” Jackson said.

Perkins, who was 5 for 9 from long range, also was surprised the shot went in.

“Perdue ran out to block the shot,” he said. “I could barely see the basket but the ball went in anyway.”

Seattle coach George Karl was relieved his team escaped with the win.

“It’s a lucky win,” Karl said. “We probably quit playing on Monday. Fortunately, we go 1-1 this week. We could have been 0-2.”

Kemp scored 30 points on 10-for12 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two blocks. Schremp had 24 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Ron Harper scored 26 points for the Bulls, while Scottie Pippen had 24 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

Pippen’s two free throws gave the Bulls a 110-106 lead with 1:04 left in regulation. Kemp’s dunk trimmed the deficit to 110-108 with 56.5 seconds left before Cory Blount made one of two free throws to put the Bulls up by three.

After Perkins tied it with his 3-pointer, the Bulls had a chance to win in regulation. But McMillan stole the ball with 2.3 seconds left and Gary Payton’s 40-footer bounced off the rim as time expired.

Pippen defended

Bill Cartwright, who joined the Seattle SuperSonics as a free agent this season, understands Scottie Pippen’s frustration with Chicago.

“They promise you so many things and then you never see them,” Cartwright said. “I feel for Scottie. He’s the best all-around player in the NBA right now. He does things team-wise Michael never did. He really is a team player and they just haven’t rewarded him that way.”

MEMO: This is a sidebar that appeared with the story: SuperSonics 126, Bulls 118 (OT) FG FT Reb CHICAGO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kukoc 34 6-11 3-3 1-4 2 3 16 Pippen 45 7-21 8-10 2-9 9 5 24 Perdue 30 5-9 3-3 5-13 2 4 13 Armstrong 41 9-16 0-1 0-2 7 3 20 Harper 40 10-13 4-6 0-1 3 3 26 Blount 25 3-5 1-2 2-4 2 4 7 Longley 16 1-2 1-2 0-3 1 2 3 Kerr 16 3-6 1-1 0-1 0 2 7 Myers 9 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 Wennington 7 1-3 0-0 1-3 0 2 2 Buechler 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 Totals 265 45-87 21-28 11-40 27 30 118 Percentages: FG .517, FT .750. 3-Point Goals: 7-18, .389 (Armstrong 2-3, Harper 2-4, Pippen 2-7, Kukoc 1-4). Team Rebounds: 9. Blocked shots: 3 (Pippen, Perdue, Harper). Turnovers: 25 (Kukoc 5, Pippen 5, Armstrong 3, Harper 3, Blount 3, Perdue 2, Longley 2, Kerr, Myers). Steals: 13 (Pippen 5, Blount 4, Harper 2, Perdue, Wennington). Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 7:04, second. Illegal defense: 1. FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 36 10-12 10-11 2-8 1 6 30 Schrempf 46 6-15 12-14 1-5 8 5 24 Perkins 38 7-14 2-2 4-10 2 4 21 Gill 36 7-13 4-4 0-2 3 2 18 Payton 40 6-12 2-4 1-2 8 3 16 McMillan 30 4-8 1-2 0-6 6 2 10 Askew 21 0-3 3-3 0-0 1 4 3 Cartwright 18 1-1 2-2 0-3 0 0 4 Totals 265 41-78 36-42 8-36 29 26 126 Percentages: FG .526, FT .857. 3-Point Goals: 8-22, .364 (Perkins 5-9, Payton 2-5, McMillan 1-4, Askew 0-1, Gill 0-3). Team Rebounds: 7 Blocked shots: 5 (Kemp 2, Perkins, Payton, McMillan). Turnovers: 24 (Payton 5, Gill 4, Perkins 4, Schrempf 4, McMillan 2, Askew 2, Cartwright 2, Kemp). Steals: 17 (Kemp 5, McMillan 5, Schrempf 2, Payton 2, Gill, Askew, Cartwright). Technical fouls: Coach Karl, :39, first; Illegal defense, 1:22, second. Illegal defense: 1. Chicago 38 16 30 27 7 - 118 Seattle 40 27 26 18 15 - 126 A-16,709 (16,296). T-2:38. Officials-Ron Garretson, Tommy Nunez, George Tolliver.

This is a sidebar that appeared with the story: SuperSonics 126, Bulls 118 (OT) FG FT Reb CHICAGO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kukoc 34 6-11 3-3 1-4 2 3 16 Pippen 45 7-21 8-10 2-9 9 5 24 Perdue 30 5-9 3-3 5-13 2 4 13 Armstrong 41 9-16 0-1 0-2 7 3 20 Harper 40 10-13 4-6 0-1 3 3 26 Blount 25 3-5 1-2 2-4 2 4 7 Longley 16 1-2 1-2 0-3 1 2 3 Kerr 16 3-6 1-1 0-1 0 2 7 Myers 9 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 Wennington 7 1-3 0-0 1-3 0 2 2 Buechler 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 Totals 265 45-87 21-28 11-40 27 30 118 Percentages: FG .517, FT .750. 3-Point Goals: 7-18, .389 (Armstrong 2-3, Harper 2-4, Pippen 2-7, Kukoc 1-4). Team Rebounds: 9. Blocked shots: 3 (Pippen, Perdue, Harper). Turnovers: 25 (Kukoc 5, Pippen 5, Armstrong 3, Harper 3, Blount 3, Perdue 2, Longley 2, Kerr, Myers). Steals: 13 (Pippen 5, Blount 4, Harper 2, Perdue, Wennington). Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 7:04, second. Illegal defense: 1. FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 36 10-12 10-11 2-8 1 6 30 Schrempf 46 6-15 12-14 1-5 8 5 24 Perkins 38 7-14 2-2 4-10 2 4 21 Gill 36 7-13 4-4 0-2 3 2 18 Payton 40 6-12 2-4 1-2 8 3 16 McMillan 30 4-8 1-2 0-6 6 2 10 Askew 21 0-3 3-3 0-0 1 4 3 Cartwright 18 1-1 2-2 0-3 0 0 4 Totals 265 41-78 36-42 8-36 29 26 126 Percentages: FG .526, FT .857. 3-Point Goals: 8-22, .364 (Perkins 5-9, Payton 2-5, McMillan 1-4, Askew 0-1, Gill 0-3). Team Rebounds: 7 Blocked shots: 5 (Kemp 2, Perkins, Payton, McMillan). Turnovers: 24 (Payton 5, Gill 4, Perkins 4, Schrempf 4, McMillan 2, Askew 2, Cartwright 2, Kemp). Steals: 17 (Kemp 5, McMillan 5, Schrempf 2, Payton 2, Gill, Askew, Cartwright). Technical fouls: Coach Karl, :39, first; Illegal defense, 1:22, second. Illegal defense: 1. Chicago 38 16 30 27 7 - 118 Seattle 40 27 26 18 15 - 126 A-16,709 (16,296). T-2:38. Officials-Ron Garretson, Tommy Nunez, George Tolliver.