SAN ANTONIO -- Tim Duncan will miss Game 4 of the Spurs' playoff series against the SuperSonics because of the death of his father, leaving the team without both of its formidable 7-footers.

David Robinson will not be in uniform for the third straight playoff game after straining his lower back late in the regular season.

Sonics Saddened

SEATTLE -- The Sonics, who play host to the Spurs in Game 4 on Wednesday, were rattled by the news of the death of Tim Duncan's father. "I was saddened by it," coach Nate McMillan said. "It's somebody in the NBA family. Of course, we are competing against this guy. But he is part of the family and a friend. To see him lose his father is difficult." Seattle point guard Gary Payton said he knew Duncan's father, William, well. He said Tuesday that he knew Duncan's father was ill, but thought he was getting better. "Tim's father was really tight to me," Payton said. "I just don't want to hear things like that. It shocked me this morning." -- The Associated Press

Duncan left Monday's practice early after hearing that his father, William, had been hospitalized after a long illness. The elder Duncan died later that day in North Carolina.

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said Tuesday that his star forward "will rejoin the team as soon as he can, but he will not be in Seattle for Wednesday's game."

If Seattle wins Game 4, the best-of-five series would be settled Friday at the Alamodome.

Caesars Palace has adjusted the line on Wednesday night's game, with the Spurs falling to 4½-point underdogs after originally being favored byh 2½ points.

Duncan, on the short list of contenders for the NBA's MVP award, led San Antonio with 25.5 points and 12.7 rebounds. In the first three playoff games against the Sonics, he has averaged 26.7 points and 11.7 boards.

Spurs guard Antonio Daniels, a close friend, said Duncan has his priorities straight.

"At a time like this, I think for him basketball is not important -- he's there for his family," Daniels said. "We all have to get through this."

Robinson, who appeared only briefly in Game 1 before his back tightened, knows the Spurs need his presence in the middle, but not in his current condition.

"I want to be out there, but I also want to be there at a consistent level," he said. "At times, I think I'm really close to being back, at other times I don't. ... I don't want to put myself in a situation where I go back a few steps."

San Antonio may also have to play Game 4 without reserve forward Danny Ferry, who has a sprained wrist on his shooting hand. Ferry, one of the team's most reliable 3-point shooters, was injured Saturday in Game 3 in Seattle. He is listed as doubtful for Wednesday.

	Picking It Up
	The Spurs will be without both David Robinson and Tim Duncan for Game 4, but the good news is that the rest of the team has been picking it up in the playoffs anyway. Both Terry Porter and Tony Parker are both shooting at least 60 percent in the postseason after shooting around 42 percent during the regular season. Malik Rose, Steve Smith and Antonio Daniels have also raised their shooting percentages significantly.
		Reg. season	Playoffs
	M. Rose	46.3	53.8
	S. Smith	45.5	48.3
	A. Daniels	43.9	50.0
	T. Porter	42.4	60.0
	T. Parker	41.9	60.5

Popovich said the loss of the key players will force him to look further down his roster for quality minutes.

"We'll play some (lineup) combinations you haven't seen very much," he said. "We'll do everything in our power to perform well. We'll do what we have to do."

Forwards Malik Rose and Mark Bryant have filled in for Robinson during his absence. The only other big man available is 6-foot-11 Cherokee Parks, who has had injury problems of his own and has played only sparingly this season.

Robinson expressed confidence in the Spurs' ability to rise to the occasion, at least against the Sonics.

"They're really playing well, and are very capable of handling business, and that's really encouraged me," he said. "But I know we need a full team if we're going to make a move" in the playoffs.

A series win over Seattle would lead to a second-round meeting against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, who won three of the four games between the teams this season after sweeping the Spurs in four straight in the 2001 Western Conference finals.