NORTHWEST PASSAGES

GLENN NELSON, SEATTLE TIMES

“You know something’s gone horribly wrong for the Sonics when more than seven minutes are left and Nick Van Exel is shaking Del Harris’ hand on his way to the Laker bench.

“Such an early exit for Van Exel usually portends trouble between him and his coach.

“Last night, Van Exel had trouble in mind, but it was all for Seattle.

“He and Eddie Jones have been this way before. They got busted by the Sonics in Game 1 in 1995, found their bounce in the second game and the best-of-five series was all over.

“It remains to be seen whether the Lakers will do the same in this best-of-seven series. But Los Angeles seized the same two door prizes as they did in 1995--home-court advantage and the confidence to make it work for them.”

STEVE KELLEY, SEATTLE TIMES

“The Sonics can afford to have Vin Baker or Detlef Schrempf or Hersey Hawkins play a bad game. They can’t afford to have Gary Payton, who scored 25 points in their Game 1 victory, playing like anything less than an all-star.

“He is the ignition. He is as valuable to Seattle as Michael Jordan is to Chicago and Karl Malone is to Utah.

“When he isn’t sprinting up the sideline with the ball in his hands, or spinning in the lane past his defender, or swishing his unorthodox three-point jump shot, the energy leaks out of this team like helium from a Macy’s parade float.”