Kings cool SuperSonics, slice Seattle’s lead to 2-1

? Mike Bibby hasn’t lost his incredible playoff skills after all. The Sacramento Kings’ big-game guard simply left them at home.

Bibby had 31 points and seven rebounds in a dramatic improvement on his last two performances, and the Kings got back in their first-round playoff series with a 116-104 victory over the SuperSonics in Game 3 Friday night, cutting Seattle’s lead to 2-1.

Kenny Thomas scored 22 points, and Cuttino Mobley had 21 — both career playoff highs — for the Kings, who rode the energy from their deafening sellout crowd to a 21-point lead in the first half. With Bibby leading the way, Sacramento coolly stayed ahead throughout a foul-filled second half, making 50 percent of its shots.

Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Sunday night, with Game 5 on Tuesday back in Seattle.

Ray Allen scored 33 points, and Jerome James had 22 points and nine rebounds before fouling out in the final minutes of yet another surprising performance.

Seattle missed its final 10 three-pointers.