It was a night to go inside.

Not because of the downpour that hit Seattle yesterday, but because the Sonics' strong suit this season ? perimeter shooting ? suddenly experienced a drought.

Yet, playing the similarly center-less Phoenix Suns, Seattle chose to keep cranking the jumpers like a Pop-A-Shot contest, stumbling to a 92-91 loss at KeyArena when Suns backup center Jake Tsakalidis hit two foul shots with 4.7 seconds left.

The Sonics (3-6) were just 5 for 20 shooting from the three-point line, including the final clank from guard Gary Payton shortly before the final buzzer. It was not exactly the shot Sonics Coach Nate McMillan had planned.

"Go to the basket," McMillan said solemnly about what he would have done in the same situation. "Put your head down and go to the basket and force the officials (to call a foul) and the defense to play solid.

"Gary must have felt there wasn't enough time on the clock or saw something."

The Sonics, who have lost four of their past five games, hardly ever drove to the basket. In the first half, Seattle shot 23.1 percent from the three-point line and were outscored just 18-16 inside.