McKey’s Last-Second Shot Pits Sonics Against Lakers

The Lakers will play the Seattle SuperSonics in their first game of the second round of the National Basketball Assn. playoffs Sunday at the Forum.

This was determined when Derrick McKey made a driving layup at the buzzer to give the SuperSonics a 98-96 victory over the Rockets Friday night at Houston. The Sonics won the series, 3-1.

With his shot, McKey made sure that this was the only one of the night’s three playoff games that didn’t go into overtime. Atlanta defeated Milwaukee, and Cleveland beat Chicago in overtime games that squared those Eastern series at 2-2 each, with the final games to be played Sunday.

Although McKey made the decisive basket, Dale Ellis was the star of the game for Seattle. Ellis, who suffered a broken nose during Sunday’s game, scored 26 points. He made only five of his 17 two-point shots but sank all four of his three-point attempts.

There was only one second left when Seattle’s Nate McMillan made a long pass over 7-foot-5 Chuck Nevitt to McKey for the winning layup. McKey had been a disappointment in the first three games of the series.

“The plan was for Dale (Ellis) to set a back screen for Derrick,” SuperSonic Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. “I still don’t know whether he did or not.”

McKey, who is 6-9 and was being guarded by 6-2 Allen Leavell, said, “When I caught the ball, I knew I didn’t have time to bring it back down, so I just gave it a leaning layup.”

As always, Akeem Olajuwon kept the Rockets from falling apart. He made 11 of 17 shots, grabbed 13 rebounds and had four steals.

But Sleepy Floyd, who had a big game Wednesday night when the Rockets won their only game of the series, made only five of 14 shots and finished with 14 points.

Cleveland 108, Chicago 105--As he is accustomed to doing, Michael Jordan carried the Bulls within sight of the second round of the playoffs at Chicago, scoring 50 points.

But after Cleveland’s Larry Nance sent the game into overtime, Jordan fouled out, and the Cavaliers tied the series at 2-2.

In the final seconds of regulation, Jordan was being double-teamed at the side of the free-throw lane when his forced jumper bounced off the rim.

Nance, who finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots, and Mark Price took charge for the Cavaliers in overtime and sent the series back to Richfield, Ohio.

Jordan, who started slowly in the series, has closed with a rush, scoring 94 points in the last two games to give him 155 in four.

Price, hampered by a groin injury that caused him to miss the first game of the series, made eight of 13 shots for 24 points.

Atlanta 113, Milwaukee 106-- The Bucks lost Terry Cummings because of a sprained ankle he suffered six minutes into the game at Milwaukee.

Moses Malone led a second-quarter spurt that enabled the Hawks to build a 58-45 lead.

But reserves Jack Sikma and Ricky Pierce rallied the Bucks.

Sikma had a chance to win it for Milwaukee after being fouled with two seconds left. One of the best free-throw shooters in the game, Sikma missed one, and the game went into overtime.

Malone took over in overtime, and the Hawks won going away. He finished with 24 points and 17 rebounds.