Sonics Show ‘Guts,’ Defeat Kings

With the game, the playoff series and their reputations on the line, the Seattle SuperSonics played nearly flawless basketball and silenced the critics who expected them to choke.

Hersey Hawkins’ 3-pointer capped a late 9-0 run as Seattle regained control of its first-round playoff series by rallying for a 96-89 win Tuesday night over the Sacramento Kings.

The SuperSonics lead 2-1 in the best-of-five series, with Game 4 Thursday at Sacramento and Game 5 - if necessary - at Seattle on Saturday.

“We wanted to let everyone know what type of team we are, what kind of guts we have,” Hawkins said. “We just had to keep our composure.”

Trailing 86-83 with 3:31 left, the Sonics scored nine straight points over the next 2-1/2 minutes. The spurt began with two free throws by Hawkins and ended with his 3-pointer from the corner.

It included layups by Detlef Schrempf and Shawn Kemp, as well as a steal by Kemp. Brian Grant missed two free throws for Sacramento during the streak.

“They started to hit the shots when they needed them,” said Kings guard Tyus Edney. “I don’t think it was so much that we were running out of gas down the stretch, they were just hitting the shots that they were missing earlier in the game.”

The Sonics, trying to avoid being upset in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight season, got 17 points from Sam Perkins and 16 from Schrempf. Kemp was saddled by fouls and held to seven points.

“We had trouble making shots, but we stayed together and pulled it out in the fourth quarter,” Schrempf said. “We were pointing fingers early, but we stayed together.”

Mitch Richmond had 24 points for the Kings, and Edney had 17. Olden Polynice, playing despite a painful thigh bruise, added 18 points and 14 rebounds.

The Kings, trying to become only the second No. 8 seed to win a playoff series since the NBA went to a 16-team playoff format in 1984, scored just 16 points in the fourth quarter on 4-for-20 shooting from the field.

The only successful No. 8 seed was Denver, which shocked the Sonics two seasons ago. Seattle also lost in the first round last year to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“It’s not over. Sacramento has really made this a great series,” said Seattle coach George Karl. “We stayed in the game. We didn’t lose our belief even though we were frustrated.”

It was the first playoff game in Sacramento in a decade, and fans gave the Kings a five-minute standing ovation during pregame warmups. Tickets sold for as much as $1,100, and the crowd intensity resembled that of a college game against a hated rival.

The Sonics, who lost 90-81 in Game 2 at Seattle on Sunday, have not lost consecutive games since November.

Richmond had 14 points as the Kings, who had a 10-0 run starting late in the first quarter, took a 50-48 halftime lead. Sacramento committed just one turnover in the second quarter.

“We were sitting there at halftime and saying, ‘They can’t play any better,”’ Hawkins said.

The Sonics scored five straight points to take a 59-58 lead with 5:27 left in the third quarter, but Edney had three assists, a steal and a bucket as the Kings went on an 11-0 run over the next 3:39 to lead 69-59.

The Kings led 73-64 entering the fourth quarter, but the Sonics crept closer on a pair of 3-pointers by Frank Brickowski, a 3-pointer by Schrempf and a 3-pointer by Perkins.

Richmond hit a pair of free throws to give Sacramento its 86-83 lead, but Grant missed a pair of free throws with 2:07 left and Kemp made a steal on Sacramento’s next possession.

Notes

Seattle broke a streak of six consecutive road losses in the playoffs. … The Kings were 26-15 at home during the regular season. … The Sonics are 14-17 in the third games of playoff series. … NBA commissioner David Stern attended the game.

SuperSonics 96, Kings 89

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 37 6-11 2-4 0-5 6 3 16 Kemp 22 3-8 1-5 3-9 0 5 7 Johnson 16 1-6 0-0 4-6 0 3 2 Hawkins 33 2-8 9-11 1-2 0 2 14 Payton 45 5-11 4-6 1-7 7 3 15 Perkins 31 5-13 5-8 2-5 1 3 17 McMillan 20 3-5 0-0 0-4 1 3 7 Askew 19 1-5 3-3 1-2 2 3 6 Brickowski 17 5-6 0-0 0-2 0 3 12 Totals 240 31-73 24-37 12-42 17 28 96

Percentages: FG .425, FT .649.

3-Point Goals: 10-22, .455 (Brickowski 2-3, Schrempf 2-3, Perkins 2-5, McMillan 1-2, Hawkins 1-2, Askew 1-3, Payton 1-4). Team Rebounds: 12. Blocked shots: 4 (Kemp 2, Payton 2). Turnovers: 12 (Schrempf 5, Kemp 2, Hawkins 2, Payton 2, Perkins). Steals: 8 (Kemp 2, Johnson 2, Hawkins, Payton, Perkins, Brickowski). Technical foul: Illegal defense, 2:20 second. Illegal defense: 1.

FG FT Reb SACRAMENTO Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Owens 36 3-9 2-2 2-10 6 5 8 Grant 36 4-13 0-4 3-7 2 6 8 Polynice 41 8-16 2-2 5-14 0 5 18 Richmond 48 6-17 8-11 0-5 2 3 24 Edney 35 7-13 2-2 1-6 5 0 17 Smith 18 1-2 1-2 0-1 2 3 3 Marciulionis 16 2-5 1-2 2-2 3 0 6 Simmons 10 2-4 1-2 0-0 1 3 5 Totals 240 33-79 17-27 13-45 21 25 89

Percentages: FG .418, FT .630.

3-Point Goals: 6-19, .316 (Richmond 4-10, Edney 1-3, Marciulionis 1-3, Simmons 0-1, Owens 0-2). Team Rebounds: 12. Blocked shots: 5 (Grant 2, Polynice 2, Owens). Turnovers: 8 (Owens 2, Grant 2, Edney 2, Polynice, Richmond). Steals: 7 (Marciulionis 3, Simmons 2, Edney 2). Technical fouls: Illegal defense, 5:22 first; illegal defense, 10:48 second; illegal defense, 5:11 second; Simmons, 2:49 second. Illegal defense: 1.

Seattle 26 22 16 32 - 96 Sacramento 28 22 23 16 - 89

A-17,317 (17,317). T-2:27.