NBA PLAYOFF ROUNDUP : Seattle Takes Portland to Limit

The Portland Trail Blazers were supposed to coast through the first round of the playoffs, especially after beating the Seattle SuperSonics in the first two games.

It hasn’t happened.

Eddie Johnson scored 34 points and the SuperSonics evened the series, 2-2, beating the Trail Blazers, 101-89, Thursday night at Seattle.

By winning Games 3 and 4 of the best-of-5 Western Conference series in Seattle, the SuperSonics sent the series back to Portland for Game 5 on Saturday.

The Super Sonics became the first No. 8-seeded team to win two games in a first-round series since the 16-team playoff format was started in 1984.

The Trail Blazers, who had the league’s best regular-season record with 63 victories, missed seven of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter and made only 20 of 39 in the game.

Nate McMillan put the SuperSonics ahead to stay by putting in an offensive rebound for an 86-84 lead with 4:55 remaining. Seattle outscored Portland, 17-5, in the final five minutes.

Jerome Kersey had 20 points for Portland.

Portland, which was 4-0 against Seattle during the regular season, received 19 points from Clyde Drexler, but he disappeared in the final five minutes.

After McMillan put Seattle ahead to stay, Derrick McKey scored on a five-foot shot with 4:13 left.

Buck Williams made a free throw with 3:57 remaining to cut the SuperSonics’ lead to 88-85. But Seattle responded with a 9-0 run to break the game open. Sedale Threatt’s three-pointer capped the surge for a 97-85 lead with 57 seconds left.

Benoit Benjamin scored 14 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked six shots for Seattle.

Portland scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to take a 78-76 lead. The Trail Blazers also led 80-78 and 82-80 in the fourth quarter.

Referee Joe Crawford called technical fouls on Michael Cage of the SuperSonics and Williams of the Trail Blazers for getting into a pushing match near the Trail Blazers’ basket with 34 seconds left in the first half.

Atlanta 123, Detroit 111--Glenn Rivers scored 34 points and Sidney Moncrief had 12 of his 23 in the final five minutes as the Hawks stayed alive by beating the Pistons at Atlanta.

The victory evened the first-round series at 2-2, with the deciding game set for Sunday at Auburn Hills, Mich..

The Hawks made 44 of 51 free throws, and the Pistons made 14 of 22.

Dominique Wilkins added 24 for the Hawks, who never trailed after John Battle broke an 80-80 tie by hitting one of two free throws with 59 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Hawks led, 100-95, when Moncrief hit consecutive baskets and came back with a third on a steal and layup after Isiah Thomas’ three-point basket cut the lead to 104-98.

Dumars followed Moncrief’s steal with a three-point basket to cut the lead to 106-101 with 3:12 left.

Rivers made a three-point play at the 2:49 mark and Wilkins put it out of reach with 2:18 left, making three free throws after Thomas was charged with a personal foul and a technical.

Moncrief added a basket and four free throws down the stretch.

Vinnie Johnson scored 26 points for Detroit, and Joe Dumars and James Edwards each added 19.

Utah 101, Phoenix 93--Karl Malone scored 11 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter as the Jazz pulled away to eliminate the Suns, 3-1, in their Western Conference series at Salt Lake City.

Jeff Malone had 19 points and John Stockton added 14 points and 13 assists for the Jazz.

Jeff Hornacek scored 30 points for the Suns. Tom Chambers had 22 and Kevin Johnson added 17.

The Jazz will play the winner of the Seattle-Portland series in the second round.

Jeff Malone hit two long jump shots in an 8-0 run that gave the Jazz a 99-85 lead with 3:02 left.

Hornacek’s two baskets closed the gap to 99-89 with 1:14 to play, but it was too late for the Suns.

Phoenix went on 10-4 run to build a 58-49 lead midway through the third quarter, with Chambers scoring three baskets in the surge.

The Jazz countered with a 10-2 run to close the third quarter. Jeff Malone scored six of those points, including a 15-foot basket that gave the Jazz a 67-64 lead.

Mark West’s dunk with 20 seconds left moved Phoenix within a point going into the final 12 minutes.