Gary Payton

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - It began with the Pistons' stunning road victory in Game 1, got better with Kobe Bryant's dramatic three-pointer that sent Game 2 to overtime, and grew more compelling with Detroit's 20-point romp in Game 3. The Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers arrive at a crossroads tonight, when the greatest mystery of these NBA Finals will be laid bare. In position to take a 3-1 lead at the Palace in Game 4, the Pistons are determined to prove that their smothering defense is doing to the Lakers what it has done all season.

This past week hasn't exactly been a ringing endorsement for the "I Love This Game" slogan the NBA has been trumpeting for so long. To wit, the conduct of Gary Payton, Marcus Camby and Tyrone Nesby heaps more fuel on the smoldering perception that the league is out of control. Payton, 32, a two-time Olympian, was suspended by new Seattle coach Nate McMillan for having to be separated from teammate Ruben Patterson on the court during a game Wednesday, then popping off in the locker room.

Around 10 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday night, the outlook for the NBA playoffs looked as topsy-turvy as any playoff in the past 10 years. Then, Kobe Bryant raised up with a second to go in the Los Angeles Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers game and hit an improbable last-second three-pointer to lift the Lakers to a Pacific Division title. Bryant's shot essentially reduced the postseason, which opens today, to the same question that has hovered over the playoffs for the past five seasons: Who can beat the Lakers four times in a seven-game series?

SEATTLE -- They were back home, in a building where they had lost just five games this season. They had not lost three in a row all year. Coach George Karl kept promising that his team was getting close, and one figured that the Seattle SuperSonics, after an encouraging Game 2, could well be on the verge of playing their best game of this NBA Finals.Guess again. The Chicago Bulls came out having what Karl described as "killer eyes." And in a series where they have yet to play their best ball, the Bulls came awfully close last night as they built a 22-point first-half lead on the way to a 108-86 victory.

Basketball NBA: Suspended Nets F Kenyon Martin one game and fined him $7,500 for actions in game Saturday against Jazz. Named SuperSonics G Gary Payton Player of Week in Western Conference and Pacers C Jermaine O'Neal Player of Week in Eastern Conference. Football BRONCOS: Waived WR Keith Poole. Signed CB Delvin Hughley and G Michael Moore. Hockey NHL: Named Red Wings G Dominik Hasek Player of Week.

NBA games lost yesterday: 9.Total games missed: 203.Earliest estimated date that season can start: Jan. 1.Projected player salary losses (through Jan. 1): $330 million.Negotiations: Will resume tomorrow in New York with full committees representing owners and players.Today's best canceled game: Seattle at Philadelphia. Allen Iverson has met with limited success when matched up against Gary Payton, who has made the NBA's All-Defensive team every year since the 1993-94 season.Pub Date: 12/02/98

Total games missed: 322Earliest estimated date season can start: Jan. 22.Projected player salary losses (through Jan. 22): $480 million.Negotiations: Nothing scheduled.Today's best game: "The Game on Showtime," which features 16 current or former All-Stars competing to raise money for charity and boost the players' flagging popularity. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. at the Atlantic City (N.J.) Convention Center. Cable customers who pay the premium for Showtime will see a "Red" team that includes Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and Reggie Miller face a "White" team with Alonzo Mourning, Chris Webber and Gary Payton.

BaseballAstros: Placed OF Brian Hunter on the 15-day DL. Purchased the contract of OF Ray Montgomery from Triple-A Tucson.Indians: Placed P Dennis Martinez on the 15-day DL. Purchased the contract of P Danny Graves from Triple-A Buffalo.Yankees: Recalled C Jorge Posada from Triple-A Columbus. Optioned P Billy Brewer to Columbus.Rochester (Triple-A): Activated 1B Billy Owens from the DL.BasketballU.S. Olympic team: Officially named G Gary Payton to replaced injured F Glenn Robinson.Hawks: G Craig Ehlo became a free agent after the Hawks declined to exercise their contract option, which would have paid him $1.8 million in 1996-97.

UP: Zach Randolph The Portland forward has gone from nowhere scrub to leading scorer, adding nearly 13 points to his scoring average. DOWN: Shareef Abdur-Rahim Did someone tell the Atlanta forward that the season has started? He's only the fourth-leading scorer on the roster. UP: Ronald Murray The Seattle guard has flipped out, as seventh-leading scorer in the league, after being a throw-in in the Ray Allen-Gary Payton trade last season. DOWN: Gerald Wallace Sacramento is counting on bigger things from the reserve forward, but a one-point-in-12-minute average won't get the job done.