FIRST QUARTER: LKAERS 32, SUPERSONICS 29

* Highlight Reel: Instead of chanting “Beat L.A.” shouldn’t those fans in KeyArena be chanting, “We use to live in L.A.”? Witness the courtside patron in the trendy black T-shirt speaking on the cell phone and waving toward the TV cameras as the game began. Calling his former neighbors in Encino? How very L.A.

* What You Won’t Find in the Box Score: Seattle quickly answered the question of who’s going to guard Shaquille O’Neal by playing what looked like a zone. Illegal? Only if it’s called.

* Winning Number: One measly turnover enabled the Lakers to get off to an almost perfect start in Game 1.

* Wrong Number: They also went three for seven at the free-throw line.

* Leading Scorers: Lakers: O’Neal 7; SuperSonics: Schrempf 9.

* Leading Rebounders: Lakers: Horry 2, O’Neal 2, Jones 2; SuperSonics: Baker 3.

SECOND QUARTER: SUPERSONICS 62, LAKERS 50

* Highlight Reel: A Jerome Kersey layup and Gary Payton’s two three-pointers in the first 1:38 set the tone for the quarter. Maybe that dude with the cell phone can call for defensive help.

* What You Won’t Find in the Box Score: The Lakers played short-attention span basketball too often in the quarter, giving Payton and Hersey Hawkins too much room to roam for open shots.

* Winning Number: The SuperSonics made six of eight from beyond the three-point line.

* Wrong Number: The SuperSonics made six of eight from beyond the three-point line.

* Leading Scorers: Lakers: O’Neal 8; SuperSonics: Hawkins 8.

* Leading Rebounders: Lakers: Horry 3; SuperSonics: Perkins 4.

THIRD QUARTER: LAKERS 79, SUPERSONICS 78

* Highlight Reel: The Lakers grabbed the momentum as if it was an umbrella on a rainy day in Seattle. They had the SuperSonics on the run, but forgot to cover former Laker Sam Perkins late in the quarter. Perkins’ three-pointer gave the SuperSonics a shot of energy just in time for the final quarter.

* What You Won’t Find in the Box Score: Better defense and rebounding (remember the fundamentals, fellas) led to the Laker rally.

* Winning Number: The Lakers held Seattle to one three-pointer in the quarter.

* Wrong Number: None. What’s not to like in a brilliant 12 minutes.

* Leading Scorers: Lakers: Fox 9; SuperSonics: Baker 5.

* Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal 5; SuperSonics: Ellis 2, Hawkins 2.

FOURTH QUARTER: SUPERSONICS 106, LAKERS 92

* Highlight Reel: Anyone notice where the Lakers went down the stretch? Poof! Hawkins helped the SuperSonics win the free-throw shooting contest in the final minutes. O’Neal’s hip check on Kersey early in the quarter provided the most humorous moment.

* What You Won’t Find in the Box Score: Payton’s three-pointer that gave Seattle a 91-86 lead was like a dagger in the heart to the Lakers, who were outscored, 15-6, in the game’s final five minutes.

* Winning Number: None for the Lakers, who crumbled in crunch time.

* Wrong Number: Lakers were outscored, 28-13, in the final quarter.

* Leading Scorers: Lakers: O’Neal 5, Van Exel 5; SuperSonics: Payton 9.

* Leading Rebounders: Lakers: O’Neal 2; SuperSonics: Kersey 4.

CHARTING THE LEAD

First Quarter: Lakers biggest lead 4; Super Sonics biggest lead 6

Second Quarter: Lakers biggest lead 3; Super Sonics biggest lead 14

Third Quarter: Lakers biggest lead 4; Super Sonics biggest lead 14

Fourth Quarter: Lakers biggest lead 2; Super Sonics biggest lead 14