NBA : Lakers’ Van Exel Calls Shot and Sinks the SuperSonics

Third-year point guard Nick Van Exel scored on a driving layup with two seconds remaining Friday night to give the Lakers a 103-101 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics at Honolulu in the exhibition opener for both teams.

With eight seconds left on the clock and the Lakers coming out of a timeout, Van Exel timed his drive perfectly, catching the Sonics in a switch defense.

“The play out of the huddle was a high pick-and-roll at the top of the key,” Van Exel said. “But I knew they would switch, so I took it myself.”

Coach Del Harris wasn’t quite as confident as Van Exel that the play would work.

“What you saw is what you got,” Harris said. “We didn’t practice it. That’s our play with under 24 seconds left. But Nick executed it perfectly.”

Van Exel was the Laker offense down the stretch. After Anthony Peeler tied the score at 94, Van Exel scored the team’s final nine points.

A 3-point attempt by Seattle’s Hersey Hawkins bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Laker Cedric Ceballos led all scorers with 27 points.