Green’s 3s Bury Sonics In Ot Bench Plays Major Role As Suns Open 4-Game Lead Over Seattle In Pacific

A.C. Green isn’t known for being a perimeter shooter. The Seattle SuperSonics may think of him that way, though.

Of the five shots the Phoenix forward took against Seattle Friday night, three were 3-pointers, and one was a huge one. Green’s basket with 1:02 left in overtime gave Phoenix a five-point lead, and the Suns went on to a 122-118 victory over the Sonics.

“I like taking the long shot,” Green said. “I work out a couple of hours before each game, shooting from the perimeter.”

Elliott Perry gave Phoenix only its fourth lead since the first quarter with two free throws after 1:52 of ragged play by both teams, who finished regulation in a 114-114 tie. And Perry assisted on Green’s shot for a 121-116 lead.

Perry, usually Kevin Johnson’s backup, and Danny Schayes, who made two free throws before Green’s shot, were in the overtime because coach Paul Westphal thought the Suns needed a spark.

“We had gone a long time with the same group of guys, and I just wanted to get some fresh legs out there,” Westphal said.

Two who stayed in were Charles Barkley and Johnson. Barkley had 33 points and 12 rebounds and intercepted a pass to ice the game in the final seconds. Johnson had 25 points and 14 assists.

“I had a feeling it was going to be a good night

for the Chuckster, because I shot an 81 yesterday,” said Barkley, who missed two previous games because of a sprained left knee and then warmed up with a round of golf.

Detlef Schrempf scored 31 points and Gary Payton 30 for Seattle, which fell 4 games behind the Suns in the Pacific Division.

Shawn Kemp had 19 points and 13 rebounds.

But Kemp committed four fouls in the fourth quarter trying to guard Barkley, nullifying the Seattle power forward’s effectiveness.

It showed with 3:27 left in regulation when Kemp, who also picked up a technical in the fourth, had to give way to Barkley on a big rebound. Barkley got the ball back for a dunk that put Phoenix up 109-107 with 3:19 to go.

“Some of those fouls were kind of silly,” Seattle coach George Karl said. “You can’t defend the free-throw line.”

The Sonics went cold in the extra period, making just one of their first six shots.

Kemp scored with 56 seconds left, but Johnson hit a free throw with 10.8 seconds left before Barkley’s only steal of the game.

Schrempf, who made 11 of his first 16 shots, missed his last three. The costliest one was a 16-footer he couldn’t bank in after an in-bounds pass with 1 second left, sending the game to OT.

“I should have taken more time on my shot,” Schrempf said. “I just caught it and threw it up there, and I could have pivoted more and taken a better shot.”

Suns 122, SuperSonics 118 (OT)

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 40 9-12 1-1 2-13 1 5 19 Schrempf 46 11-19 6-6 2-7 8 4 31 Perkins 41 1-10 9-10 1-2 3 5 11 Gill 24 5-11 1-1 1-2 3 0 12 Payton 44 14-25 2-2 0-3 8 3 30 McMillan 30 2-4 0-0 2-7 8 2 4 Askew 21 1-6 3-4 0-3 1 1 5 Houston 6 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 Marciulionis 13 3-6 0-0 0-1 2 2 6 Totals 265 46-94 22-24 8-38 34 24 118

Percentages: FG .489, FT .917.

3-Point Goals: 4-19, .211 (Schrempf 3-4, Gill 1-4, Marciulionis 0-1, McMillan 0-1, Perkins 0-3, Payton 0-3, Askew 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 7.

Blocked shots: 3 (Perkins 2, McMillan).

Turnovers: 7 (Kemp 2, Schrempf 2, Perkins 2, Payton).

Steals: 10 (Payton 3, McMillan 2, Kemp, Schrempf, Perkins, Askew, Houston).

Technical foul: Kemp, 7:56 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb PHOENIX Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Barkley 42 10-17 9-12 4-12 3 2 33 Majerle 48 7-14 0-0 1-8 2 5 16 Kleine 8 2-2 0-0 1-3 0 2 4 K.Johnson 46 7-21 11-12 1-8 14 1 25 Person 17 3-6 0-0 0-0 3 0 8 Green 38 3-5 5-7 2-8 2 1 13 Tisdale 19 7-8 2-2 0-2 0 5 16 Ainge 26 0-3 1-1 0-0 3 2 1 Perry 17 2-6 0-0 1-2 3 0 4 Schayes 4 0-1 2-2 0-2 0 1 2 Totals 265 41-83 30-36 10-45 30 19 122

Percentages: FG .494, FT .833.

3-Point Goals: 10-28, .357 (Barkley 4-6, Green 2-3, Person 2-5, Majerle 2-7, Ainge 0-3, K.Johnson 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 8.

Blocked shots: 4 (Barkley, K.Johnson, Tisdale, Ainge).

Turnovers: 13 (Majerle 4, Barkley 3, Person 3, Green, Ainge).

Steals: 3 (Barkley, K.Johnson, Green).

Technical foul: Illegal defense, 10:18 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1. Seattle 29 29 30 26 4 - 118 Phoenix 26 31 29 28 8 - 122

A-19,023 (19,023). T-2:25.

Officials-Lee Jones, Joe Crawford, Ed F. Rush.