SuperSonics Offer an Opportunity

Momentum has come to the Lakers, but so have the Seattle SuperSonics. Talk about your collisions with the season hanging in the balance.

The Lakers are doing their best not to put it that way, but even they don’t downplay the week ahead and its implications on the Pacific Division, maybe a last chance to regain the lead if such a thing can be said with 19 games remaining. Considering the odds if things go bad for them over the five days, last chance might not be too harsh.

The SuperSonics tonight at KeyArena.

The Phoenix Suns, the team just behind the Lakers, Wednesday at the Great Western Forum.

The SuperSonics, again, Friday in Inglewood.

“I can’t predict the future,” said Del Harris, his Lakers on a six-game winning streak to pull within three games of Seattle. “But it’s a big week. There’s no denying that. As coach, you don’t want to overplay it, but it’s a big week. We’ve got to be ready.”

A loss to the SuperSonics in either outing also clinches the season series for Seattle, worth the tiebreaker and, in essence, another game in the standings.

TONIGHT

at Seattle

* 7

* Channel 9

Site--KeyArena.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 45-18, SuperSonics 48-15.

Record vs. SuperSonics--0-2.

Update--The Lakers are in danger of having their domination of the SuperSonics officially end, a superiority that continued even when Seattle may have finished higher in the standings. The Lakers were 12-5 in the matchup the previous three years, which includes two season-series wins, a 2-2 tie in another and a 3-1 playoff victory. While the Lakers are playing for the fourth time in six days, the SuperSonics have had one game since last Wednesday.