SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 2 -- Gary Payton scored 10 of his 29 points in the third quarter and Shawn Kemp added 23 points and eight rebounds, allowing the Seattle SuperSonics to shake their first round jinx and advance to the Western Conference semifinals with a 101-87 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Payton hit 4-of-5 from three-point range, grabbed six rebounds and handed out five assists and Detlef Schrempf came within one assist of a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Sonics. Seattle won the best-of-five series, 3-1, and advanced out of the first round for the first time since 1993. The Sonics will next face the Houston Rockets. Hersey Hawkins had 17 points for Seattle, which shot 45 percent (37- of-82) from the field and 39 percent (9-of-23) from three-point range. Lionel Simmons scored 24 points, Tyus Edney had 14 and Brian Grant 13 for the Kings, who remained winless at home in the playoffs since April 22, 1981. Sacramento played the entire second half without star guard Mitch Richmond, who suffered a sprained right ankle with 5:29 left in the second quarter and did not return. He finished with five points. The Sonics used a 15-2 run to take a 71-57 lead with 5:58 left in the third quarter. Sacramento got no closer than eight points the rest of the way. Edney's three-pointer with 9:28 to go in the third got the Kings within 56-55, but Payton answered with a three-pointer of his own and hit a short jumper with 8:43 left to give Seattle a 61-55 edge.
Hawkins converted a three-point play, and after Olden Polynice sank a pair of free throws, Sam Perkins hit a jumper to make it 66-57 with 7:12 remaining. Hawkins added a three-pointer and Perkins made a hook shot to cap the burst with 5:58 to play in the third quarter. Michael Smith's one-handed shot in the lane pulled Sacramento within 85-77 with 7:06 left, but Kemp converted a three-point play and Nate McMillan and Payton each made a foul shot to give Seattle a 90-77 advantage with 5:57 remaining. The Kings held their final lead of the game, 40-39, with 3:44 left in the first half before Schrempf's three-pointer put the Sonics ahead, 42- 40, with 3:13 to play. Kemp and Payton each had 12 points in the first half as Seattle took a 50-48 lead at the intermission.
