HOUSTON -- The Seattle SuperSonics used one second of perfection to eliminated the Houston Rockets.
Nate McMillan's inbounds pass from halfcourt to a wide-open Derrick McKey led to the game-winning shot as time ran out Friday night, lifting Seattle to a 98-96 victory over the Rockets.
Seattle won best-of-five, first-round NBA playoff series 3-1. The SuperSonics next face the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.
'I'm surprised it was so wide open,' McKey said. 'I thought they saw what we were running. I shot it, I didn't hear any whistles and I saw a lot of guys in green (jerseys) running to the locker room.'
Houston, which was outscored 16-4 to open the fourth quarter, rallied as Sleepy Floyd sank a 3-point jumper with 1 second left to tie the score 96-96.
After two timeouts, McMillan threw from halfcourt over 7-foot-5 Chuck Nevitt to McKey, who caught the ball in the air over Allen Leavell and banked the shot in.
'We did call the play,' Seattle Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. 'Derrick was supposed to have gotten a pick. Nate made a helluva pass over the big guy.'
Houston apparently had a defensive breakdown. While McMillan set up to throw in, both Akeem Olajuwon and Buck Johnson left the lane to guard Seattle players, leaving the 6-foot-2 Leavell alone with the 6-foot-9 McKey.
'There was nothing I could do in that situation,' an angry Leavell said. 'It was a bad matchup. They had a big height advantage with me covering McKey. They put the ball up over the rim and there wasn't a lot I could do but foul him, and I didn't want to do that.'
Olajuwon said the pass 'was a perfect play for them. We knew what they were going to do, but it still ended up we had the wrong defense out there.'
McKey finished with 15 points, while teammate Dale Ellis led all scorers with 26 points. Xavier McDaniel added 17 points for the SuperSonics.
Olajuwon led Houston with 24 points and Mike Woodson finished with 15.
The SuperSonics entered the fourth period trailing 79-76, but opened the final period by outscoring Houston 12-2 over the first four minutes to take an 88-80 lead. Sedale Threatt scored four of the points, including a 3-point play, and Ellis sank his third 3-point jumper of the half, and his fourth for the game, to spark the run.
Seattle increased its lead to 92-83 on a pair of Alton Lister free throws with 6:25 left.
Houston then rallied as Walter Berry, Olajuwon and Purvis Short hit consecutive jumpers to pull the Rockets to within 92-89 with 2:47 left.
McKey hit a short baseline jumper and Threatt sank a free throw to give the SuperSonics a 95-89 edge with 1:04 left.
Houston pulled to within 95-93 on baskets by Olajuwon and Woodson. Ellis was fouled, but made only one free throw with 11 seconds remaining, giving the SuperSonics a 96-93 edge.
Houston inbounded to Floyd, who passed to Woodson. Woodson missed a 3-point attempt, but Short rebounded and fired the ball to Floyd, who sank the game-tying 3-point jumper with 1 second left.
Seattle then pulled off the game-winning play.
'We never ran the play before,' McMillan said. 'Bernie just brought it up tonight. It was going to be a lob to Dale or Derrick.
'I saw Derrick in position. I'm surprised they didn't make the adjustment. They made a switch. I saw it, I saw a clear path. All I had to do was throw it high.'
Houston Coach Don Chaney said the defensive breakdown was his fault.
'They were setting backpicks,' Chaney said. 'We were supposed to switch on all the picks. I was a bad decision on my part. I should not have made the decision (to put Leavell in). I should have put a big guy on McKey. We bumped our own people from getting the ball. I take complete blame.'
