[0] LAKERS BOOM SONICS; L.A. WINS CLOSE ONE TO LEGITIMIZE STREAK : LAKERS 103 SEATTLE 100.Byline: Howard Beck Daily News Staff Writer No string of victories, no number of Dennis Rodman scissor-kick rebounds and no scientifically sound hypotheses about the Lakers' quick turnaround could dispel the theory, however quietly spoken, that just maybe this sudden success was a mirage. Five wins in five games sounded good, but too many of them came against the winless Clippers and the inconsistent Phoenix Suns, leaving an opening for cynics Cynics (sĭn`ĭks) [Gr.,=doglike, probably from their manners and their meeting place, the Cynosarges, an academy for Athenian youths], ancient school of philosophy founded c.440 B.C. by Antisthenes, a disciple of Socrates. to brush aside to remove from one's way, as with a brush. See also: Brush the streak as the product of scheduling. But maybe legitimacy was just one victory away, and the Lakers' heart-stopping 103-100 defeat of the Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (or simply Sonics) are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Their mascot's name is Squatch. at the Forum on Friday certainly qualified as a true test of their newfound success. Overcoming a 15-point fourth quarter by the Sonics' incomparable Gary Payton
``It was huge. It was huge,'' said Derek Harper Derek Ricardo Harper (born October 13 1961 in Elberton, Georgia) is a former professional basketball player from the University of Illinois, who spent 16 seasons as a point guard in the National Basketball Association with the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and , and the 16-year veteran was qualified to make such declarations after carrying the Lakers in the crucial final minutes with a pair of clutch 3-pointers. It was the kind of ending the Lakers hadn't seemed capable of just 10 days ago, when they were losing three straight, starting at Seattle. Tied at 94-94 with 1:58 left, the Lakers took the lead on a Harper 3-pointer, only to watch Dale Ellis Dale Ellis (born August 6, 1960 in Marietta, Georgia) is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. After his time at the University of Tennessee, Ellis was selected ninth overall in the 1983 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. - Harper's one-time teammate and close friend - answer with a 3-pointer of his own. Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). hit a baseline jumper, but Ellis canned another 3. Harper proved up to the challenge against his old running mate running mate n. 1. The candidate or nominee for the lesser of two closely associated political offices. 2. A companion. 3. A horse used to set the pace in a race for another horse. , taking a kickout from O'Neal and hitting the 3-pointer to make it 102-100 with 37.8 seconds left. ``I feel confident taking big shots,'' said Harper. ``I have throughout my career.'' Even sweeter to outduel Ellis, the NBA's second all-time leader in 3-pointers and Harper's teammate when both were drafted by Dallas in 1983. ``Without a doubt,'' Harper said. ``I'm waiting for him to come over now.'' The Sonics had three chances to tie or win the game, but Payton missed a running jumper, and Vin Baker Vincent (Vin) Lamont Baker (born November 23, 1971, in Lake Wales, Florida) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA, currently a free agent. He appeared in four consecutive All-Star Games before his career was troubled by alcoholism. and Hersey Hawkins Hersey R. Hawkins, Jr. (born September 29, 1966, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former professional basketball player. After starring at Westinghouse High School in Chicago, the 6' 3" shooting guard attended Bradley University, where he averaged an NCAA Division I-high 36. each came up short on 3-point tries, the final buzzer sounding as Hawkins' shot bounced off the front of the rim. Minute for minute, the victory over Seattle ranked with the best the Lakers have played this season. They shot 50.6 percent as a team, outrebounded the Sonics 46-36 and never trailed by more than five points as everyone in the rotation but Rodman scored. O'Neal scored 31, but the Lakers were multidimensional, getting 20 from Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. , 17 from Harper and 10 from Travis Knight, who also had 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell chipped in eight points each, and the Lakers won despite an off night from Rodman, who had six rebounds in 26 minutes - his lowest board count since joining the team. Payton scored a game-high 34 points and almost single-handedly killed the Lakers with his fourth-quarter spurt. ``Payton's amazing, isn't he?'' Lakers coach Kurt Rambis remarked. ``I kept thinking he'd wear out and get tired, but he just got better.'' A hard-fought first half ended with a 50-48 Lakers lead. Bryant, picking up where he left off two nights earlier against Phoenix, came out blazing with 10 points in the first quarter, and O'Neal scored 15 in the half. Knight played solid defense against Olden Polynice, who hurt the Lakers with 15 points and 17 rebounds in their meeting two weeks ago. Rambis put Knight on Polynice, leaving O'Neal to cover Baker, and the move paid off. Polynice ended the half with four points and six rebounds, and Baker made just 2 of 12 field goals. So a test was passed, though another waits in Utah on Sunday. ``It was good for us,'' Bryant said, ``to show how much we've improved since the last time we played (Seattle). Maybe in the past we wouldn't have come through like we did.'' CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (Color) Dennis Rodman (73) battles for a rebound with Seattle's Vin Baker during the Lakers' victory. Tom Mendoza/Daily News Box: GAME RECAP |
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