Rockets Fire Away With Trey 3-Pointers Bring Down Sonics, 112-102

Charles Barkley thinks what the Seattle Sonics are doing defensively is a trap of a different sort.

Despite giving up an all-time NBA record number of 3-pointers in the regular season, and then being blistered outside in the first round by Phoenix, the Sonics are sticking with their trapping, rotating defense that often leaves perimeter shooters wide open.

It backfired in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Monday night as the Houston Rockets hit 15 of 28 3-pointers in taking a win that wasn’t as close as the 112-102 final score would indicate.

The Rockets hit 10 of 15 3-pointers in the first half when they jumped out to a 20-point lead, then hit three more in an 18-7 run to start the second half that turned the contest into a rout. Game 2 is set for 6:30 p.m. PDT Wednesday night at The Summit.

But Barkley figures the Sonics are maybe trying to set up the Rockets for a fall, enticing them to rely on the jumpers, figuring eventually they won’t drop.

“You can’t always live with the 3-point shot,” Barkley said. “The odds are in their favor. It’s a trap. I don’t care if you are the best that ever played, you are still only going to make 35-40 percent of them.”

So Barkley doesn’t figure the Sonics are going to change what they are doing defensively.

“It’s what they’ve been doing for five years and it’s been pretty darn impressive, I might add,” Barkley said.

But maybe it’s Barkley who is trying to set the trap.

Because after yet again dying at the hands of the 3-pointer, some of the Sonics seemed to think changes might be in order.

“We are going to have to find a solution because that’s what’s killing us right now,” said Seattle guard Gary Payton. “Twos are not killing us, the 3s are killing us, and everybody is hitting them right now.”

The Sonics knew coming in that the 3-pointer would be a big part of Houston’s offense, which revolves around getting the ball inside to Hakeem Olajuwon, Barkley or Clyde Drexler, then letting them work one-on-one or pass out to 3-point shooters. Barkley and Drexler also like to shoot 3-pointers in transition.

It all worked Monday night as the Rockets hit 6 of 9 3-pointers in taking a 35-25 first-quarter lead. Barkley and Drexler hit consecutive bombs in the final 34.5 seconds.

Mario Elie, who was a perfect 5-for-5 from long range and finished with 20 points, then hit three 3-pointers in the second quarter as the Rockets’ lead grew to 20 before Seattle cut it to 64-55 at halftime.

But a Barkely 3-pointer capped a 7-0 Houston run that started the second half and put the Rockets comfortably ahead for good.

Afterward, the Sonics were “it’s just one game,” even though Houston is 16-0 all-time in series in which it has won the first game.Sonics coach George Karl said he’s not certain of the solution, but feels it may simply involve hustling a little bit more.

“It’s been our burden this year that we have been spanked on 3-point shots,” Karl said. “I don’t know. One (Seattle assistant) coach felt they were covered pretty well, another felt they were open too much.”

Rockets 112, SuperSonics 102

FG FT Reb SEATTLE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Schrempf 29 5-8 3-3 0-3 4 3 15 Kemp 33 11-15 2-2 4-11 1 5 24 Cummings 30 7-13 0-0 3-8 3 2 14 Hawkins 33 4-10 0-0 0-1 3 1 12 Payton 43 7-16 4-6 0-3 3 2 19 Perkins 24 3-8 1-2 5-9 4 1 8 Wingate 15 1-7 0-0 0-2 0 1 3 Graham 7 1-3 0-0 0-1 1 1 2 McIlvaine 9 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 3 0 Snow 17 2-4 0-0 0-1 7 3 5 Totals 240 41-85 10-13 12-39 26 22 102 Percentages: FG .482, FT .769.

3-Point Goals: 10-22, .455 (Hawkins 4-7, Schrempf 2-2, Snow 1-2, Wingate 1-2, Perkins 1-3, Payton 1-4, Kemp 0-1, Graham 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 3.

Blocked shots: 5 (Kemp 2, Schrempf, Hawkins, Perkins).

Turnovers: 13 (Kemp 3, Payton 3, Schrempf 2, Cummings, Hawkins, Perkins, Wingate, McIlvaine).

Steals: 11 (Payton 5, Cummings 4, Hawkins 2).

Technical fouls: Kemp, 1:09 first; Payton, 10:12 fourth.

Illegal defense: None.

FG FT Reb HOUSTON Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts Elie 37 7-8 1-1 1-4 8 0 20 Barkley 35 7-14 3-5 1-9 3 3 19 Olajuwon 38 6-11 3-4 1-11 2 4 15 Drexler 35 8-15 3-4 2-9 5 0 22 Maloney 36 6-10 1-1 0-1 4 2 17 Willis 19 3-7 0-0 0-4 0 4 6 Threatt 19 2-4 0-0 0-0 5 2 5 Johnson 17 2-4 0-0 0-0 3 1 4 Harrington 4 0-0 4-4 0-0 0 0 4 Totals 240 41-73 15-19 5-38 30 16 112 Percentages: FG .562, FT .789.

3-Point Goals: 15-28, .536 (Elie 5-5, Maloney 4-8, Drexler 3-6, Barkley 2-5, Threatt 1-3, Johnson 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 3.

Blocked shots: 6 (Olajuwon 2, Elie, Barkley, Willis, Threatt).

Turnovers: 17 (Barkley 5, Maloney 4, Olajuwon 3, Elie 2, Willis, Threatt, Johnson).

Steals: 9 (Barkley 3, Drexler 3, Olajuwon, Threatt, Johnson).

Technical fouls: Barkley, 1:31 third.

Illegal defense: 1.

Seattle 25 30 16 31 - 102

Houston 35 29 32 16 - 112

A-16,285 (16,285). T-2:01.