Lakers Try to Return to Winning Form in Seattle
SEATTLE — The Lakers, who haven’t been on the road since Nov. 14, will play tonight against the SuperSonics, who have split their last 18 regular-season games against the Lakers here.
Seattle (5-4) lost the season opener to the Lakers, 113-109, at the Forum but is the only National Basketball Assn. team to have beaten the Lakers at least once in each of the last six seasons.
Derrick McKey, the SuperSonics’ 6-foot 9-inch rookie, made an auspicious debut against the Lakers with 18 points and 4 rebounds while playing four positions. The Lakers were forced to come from 11 points down in the third quarter to win the game.
The hottest SuperSonic has been forward Xavier McDaniel, who averaged 30 points a game and shot 61% in Seattle’s three wins last week.
Seattle guard Sam Vincent will not dress for tonight’s game because of a sore left ankle, and center Alton Lister--who had been benched for four games--will return to the starting lineup.
The Lakers (8-1) are coming off a 124-116 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday night at the Forum. Laker Coach Pat Riley called off the team’s scheduled practice here Monday, opting for rest instead.
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