NBA PLAYOFFS / WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS : SuperSonics Even Things With Suns

PHOENIX —  Try finding a more unlikely hero.

Or a more likely one.

Sam Perkins, after making three of 11 shots two nights earlier and opening Game 2 of the Western Conference final by shooting three for 15, stepped up and beat the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, just as he had done to Chicago and Houston in previous memorably playoff games.

With the Seattle SuperSonics seemingly two minutes from an 0-2 deficit against the NBA’s winningest team, Perkins made a three-pointer to close the gap to one point and then another with 9.8 seconds to play for a 101-99 lead. The SuperSonics prevailed over the Suns, 103-99, at America West Arena and evened the series at 1-1.

“I didn’t think anything about the numbers,” Perkins said. “I thought about winning the game. If I thought about the numbers, I probably would not have taken the shot.”

The SuperSonics trailed by 10 with 9:57 to play and by six with 2:52 left. From there, Shawn Kemp cut it to 97-93 with two free throws.

Perkins’ three-pointer from the right side with 1:59 to play made it 97-96 Suns. Before Phoenix could score again, Kemp made two more free throws with 1:23 left for a 98-97 lead. Oliver Miller’s layup put the Suns back ahead by a point with 1:01 to play.

Perkins missed a long two-point attempt over the outstretched arm of Miller, and the Suns called time out with 37 seconds left, looking to run the clock down and put the game away. That notion worked for about 20 seconds, or until Dan Majerle’s pass to Charles Barkley sailed out of bounds with 17.4 seconds to play.

Timeout Seattle.

Perkins ignored the clock, choosing not to go for the final shot and letting go with about 11 seconds to give the SuperSonics a 101-99 lead. That’s OK. The play wasn’t designed for him, either.

“I’ll be the first to admit I did not draw it up,” SuperSonic Coach George Karl said.

The ball went through with 9.8 seconds to play. Phoenix called time out to prepare for its response. The first attempt ended when Kevin Johnson drove the left side of the lane, looked up and saw Perkins making a wall between him and the basket. Johnson passed the ball out.

Danny Ainge missed on a poor shot from the left side. Barkley was called for a loose-ball foul on the rebound, Kemp made two more free throws with 1.7 seconds to play.

“They came in, played hard all game, hung around, and that’s what you do on the road,” said Dan Majerle, who led Phoenix with 29 points but didn’t help his reputation as one of the game’s best defenders when Ricky Pierce scored 34. “Hang around until the fourth quarter, the last few minutes, and then steal it.”

That has been Perkins’ method of operation before.

As a Laker, he beat the Bulls in Game 1 of the 1991 Finals at Chicago Stadium with a late three-pointer.

As a SuperSonic, his 16-footer with 28.5 seconds to play in overtime provided a three-point cushion over Houston in Game 7 of the conference semifinals.

That was four days ago. This game-winner, Perkins said, was bigger than the basket against the Bulls, mainly because, in retrospect, that provided the Lakers their only win against Chicago while this one has the potential to turn into something much bigger.

“I saw Derrick (McKey) open and started to pass it, but it seemed like there was too much distance between him and me,” said Perkins, who finished with 19 points on five-for-18 shooting, including three of seven on three-pointers. “I was away from him, so I figured I might as well throw it up and see what happens.”

Said Karl: “He seems to like taking that shot. I sure like him taking it.”

Notes

Phoenix made only 26 of 41 free throws and is 64.9% over the last three games and 71.6% for the playoffs after going 75.3% during the regular season. . . . After making only 41.4% from the field in the opener, the SuperSonics improved to 44%. “Maybe that’s our destiny,” Coach George Karl said. “To figure out how to win when we don’t shoot well.” . . . Charles Barkley was presented with the most-valuable-player trophy in a pregame ceremony, then had 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.