SONICS SWEEP PAST ROCKETS : ROCKETS ARE DETHRONED IN OVERTIME SEATTLE 114, HOUSTON 107.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. 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. swept away Houston's hopes for an NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= title three-peat. Using a 9-0 run in overtime, the Sonics fended off an emotion-filled comeback by the two-time champion Rockets to win 114-107 Sunday and complete a sweep of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals. The Rockets erased a 20-point second-half deficit, forcing overtime on Sam Cassell's 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left in regulation and took their first lead of the game in the overtime. Over the last two seasons, Houston had won its previous eight playoff games in which it faced elimination but couldn't do it a ninth time. Shawn Kemp Shawn T. Kemp (born November 26, 1969, in Elkhart, Indiana) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is widely regarded as one of the best slam dunkers of all-time. scored five of Seattle's 13 points in overtime and finished with 32 points and 15 rebounds. Gary Payton
Seattle will face the winner of the San Antonio-Utah series in the Western Conference finals. Clyde Drexler Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22, 1962 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he was named one of basketball's fifty greatest players by the NBA. had a free throw to open the overtime, then Mario Elie's shot went in off the glass with 3:18 to go to give the Rockets a 104-101 advantage. But Sam Perkins Samuel Bruce Perkins (born June 14 1961, in Brooklyn, New York) is a retired American professional basketball player, also known by the nickname "The Big Smooth." The Dallas Mavericks chose him with the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, one slot after the Chicago hit a pair of free throws, 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. had a layup, Kemp was fouled as his shot went in and converted for a 3-point play, then Hawkins made another pair of free throws to put Seattle ahead to stay. Houston, showing the heart that marked its tenure as NBA champion, tied the game at 101 with 4.1 seconds to go in regulation on Cassell's big shot. The Sonics had a chance to win in regulation, but Kemp, who took the inbounds in·bounds adj. 1. Basketball Involving putting the ball into play by passing it from out of bounds to a teammate on the court. 2. Sports Within the designated boundaries. pass from Nate McMillan following a timeout, missed a driving layup with Hakeem Olajuwon fronting him all the way to the hoop. The Rockets came to life during a 33-13 run over much of the fourth period by hitting 7 of 10 from 3-point range, including five by Robert Horry, two of them coming in the final minute. Seattle's swarming defense, a problem for the Rockets throughout the series, held Houston to 38 percent shooting, including 10 of 34 from 3-point range. Heading into the final quarter, though, the Rockets were just 2 of 22 from behind the arc. The Rockets, losing for the 13th consecutive time to Seattle, were led by Olajuwon's 26 points. Horry added 20, including 15 in the final period, before fouling out in overtime. The Sonics, who also got 18 points from Detlef Schrempf and 17 from Hawkins, will be appearing in the conference finals for the first time since 1993, when they lost in seven games to Phoenix. It's the first time the Rockets have lost a playoff series since the Sonics beat them in 1993 with an overtime victory in the seventh game of that Western Conference semifinal. The sweep was the first ever suffered by the Rockets in a seven-game series. Kemp scored the first Seattle basket with a spinning dunk and then accounted for 16 of the Sonics' first 20 points with an assortment of slams, layups and jumpers. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Seattle's Shawn Kemp celebrates during the closing se conds of his team's win over Houston Sunday. Associated Press |
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