Sonic Gloom Richmond Helps Sacramento Overturn Seattle For Franchise’s First Nba Playoff Win In 15 Years

After getting the franchise’s first playoff victory since 1981, the Sacramento Kings were upbeat and looking ahead. The Seattle SuperSonics were downcast and thinking of past playoff failures.

“We’re not coming back,” Olden Polynice yelled to the KeyArena fans as he limped off the court Sunday night following the Kings’ stunning 90-81 victory over the heavily favored Sonics.

In the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, the Kings evened the first-round series at 1-1 and took the homecourt advantage away from the Sonics, who have been upset in the first round the last two years.

“Everything changes in the playoffs,” said Mitch Richmond, who scored 37 points for the Kings on 13-of-22 shooting. “It underlines what happens during the regular season doesn’t matter.”

The Sonics, the West’s No. 1 seed, won a franchise-best 64 games, while the eighth-seeded Kings are the only sub-.500 team (39-43) in the playoffs. Seattle was 4-0 against the Kings this season.

Games 3 and 4 will be played in Sacramento Tuesday and Thursday. Game 5, if necessary, will be Saturday in Seattle.

Burdened by the memories of first-round losses to Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Sonics might be questioning themselves again.

“We’re going to have to come up with some answers,” said Shawn Kemp, who came back from a one-game suspension for fighting in the regular-season finale and scored 21 points, but tied a career high with nine turnovers.

“It’s disappointing because I thought we were ready,” said Detlef Schrempf, one of Seattle’s Game 2 goats. “They outhustled us.”

The Kings’ last playoff victory occurred when the franchise was based in Kansas City in 1981 when Cotton Fitzsimmons was the coach. The Kings beat Houston in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals that year, their only win in the series.

The Sonics missed 11 of 16 shots in the fourth quarter, while the Kings were 9 of 19. Sacramento outrebounded Seattle 15-4 in the final 12 minutes, and Kemp had four of Seattle’s six turnovers in the fourth quarter.

The Kings, who committed 25 turnovers to Seattle’s 21, went ahead to stay 74-72 on a jump hook by Michael Smith with 6:34 left after Richmond sank a free throw to tie the score at 72.

After a dunk by Kemp with 4:38 left, the Kings scored the next six points, including a 3-pointer by Sarunas Marciulionis.

Payton, who scored 29 in Seattle’s 12-point win in Game 1, went to the bench after picking up his fifth foul with 4:37 left in the third quarter. The Sonics led 60-57 at the time.

Payton, who finished with 10 points, didn’t return until midway through the fourth quarter.

“Gary Payton’s really the key to their team,” Sacramento’s Billy Owens said. “Without him, they’re not nearly as aggressive. I thought Gary was smart enough not to gamble after he got his fourth foul.”

Kings 90, SuperSonics 81

FG FT Reb SACRAMENTO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Grant 39 4-10 1-2 2-7 2 3 9 Owens 39 6-9 0-1 2-6 5 4 12 Polynice 26 6-11 0-2 6-16 1 3 12 Edney 20 0-7 1-2 1-1 2 4 1 Richmond 48 13-22 8-9 1-4 4 3 37 Smith 30 2-3 1-3 3-8 3 5 5 Marciulionis 28 4-11 1-2 1-1 5 0 12 Simmons 10 1-3 0-0 1-2 2 2 2 Totals 240 36-76 12-21 17-45 24 24 90

Percentages: FG .474, FT .571.

3-Point Goals: 6-20, .300 (Marciulionis 3-7, Richmond 3-10, Owens 0-1, Edney 0-1, Simmons 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 10.

Blocked shots: 3 (Grant 3).

Turnovers: 25 (Richmond 7, Owens 5, Marciulionis 4, Grant 2, Edney, Smith, Simmons, team 4).

Steals: 11 (Edney 3, Owens 2, Richmond 2, Marciulionis 2, Polynice, Simmons).

Technical foul: Illegal defense, 10:04 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Kemp 38 6-13 9-11 4-8 1 3 21 Schrempf 40 3-10 4-6 0-2 2 4 10 Johnson 15 0-3 0-0 1-4 0 2 0 Hawkins 39 6-9 4-5 1-2 0 2 18 Payton 35 4-12 1-2 1-1 7 5 10 Perkins 26 4-10 0-0 0-2 3 1 8 McMillan 22 1-3 0-0 1-6 5 2 3 Askew 17 4-5 0-1 0-1 1 1 8 Brickowski 8 0-0 3-4 0-2 1 1 3 Totals 240 28-65 21-29 8-28 20 21 81

Percentages: FG .431, FT .724.

3-Point Goals: 4-15, .267 (Hawkins 2-4, McMillan 1-1, Payton 1-4, Schrempf 0-2, Perkins 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 11.

Blocked shots: 10 (Kemp 5, Johnson 3, Payton, McMillan).

Turnovers: 21 (Kemp 9, Schrempf 5, Johnson 2, Payton 2, McMillan 2, Askew).

Steals: 8 (Payton 2, Schrempf 2, Johnson, Perkins, McMillan, Askew).

Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 5:13 third; illegal defense, 6:46 fourth.

Illegal defense: 1.

Sacramento 22 21 22 25 - 90 Seattle 23 26 18 14 - 81 ,

A-17,072 (17,072). T-2:22.

ILLUSTRATION: Color photo