Rashard Lewis scored a game-high 27 points.
Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty
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San Antonio |
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32 |
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at Sonics |
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After five years with the Sonics,
Brent Barry made an early return to KeyArena with his new San Antonio Spurs team Sunday. Barry's squad entered the game 2-0 and is favored to win the Western Conference, but the Sonics dominated Sunday's game, outscoring them in all four quarters and posting a season-high 113 points. Six players scored double-figures, including reserves
Antonio Daniels (14),
Danny Fortson (15 points, 13 rebounds) and
Vladimir Radmanovic (15).
Ray Allen and
Rashard Lewis led the way, combining for 51 points, a then season-high 27 for Lewis. Fortson and
Jerome James helped contain Spurs star
Tim Duncan, who had 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks but shot just 4-for-16 from the field. The backcourt of
Tony Parker and
Manu Ginobili led San Antonio with 21 points apiece.
Allen's 29 points sparked a big win in Texas.
Chris Birck/NBAE/Getty
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Sonics |
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102 |
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at San Antonio |
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On Dec. 8, the Sonics headed into San Antonio to face a Spurs team that had won 21 straight regular-season games at the SBC Center, a streak that dated back to March. Clearly, that didn't bother the Sonics as all, as they came out red hot from the field and outscored San Antonio 29-12 in the second quarter to take a 19-point lead to halftime. The Spurs nearly got it all back in the third quarter, turning up the heat defensively and forcing 10 Sonics turnovers in the period. San Antonio got as close as two in the fourth, but Allen hit a pair of huge three-pointers and former Spurs guard Daniels delivered the knockout blow - a three with 1:09 to go that pushed the Sonics lead to 96-87. They finished out a 102-96 win to emerge as the last NBA team undefeated at home this season. Allen scored a team-high 29 points, and the bench - with both Daniels and Fortson scoring 14 points - outscored San Antonio's reserves 41-19. Duncan had a then season-high 39 points for the Spurs, the most scored against the Sonics this season to date.
Dwane Casey replaced Nate McMillan on the sidelines on Jan. 31.
Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty
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San Antonio |
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at Sonics |
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The Sonics took the season's first two matchups with the San Antonio Spurs, but had to go to battle a third time without Allen (viral infection) and Coach
Nate McMillan (following his mother's death). The Sonics trailed by just three points after one quarter, but Allen's absence in particular was felt in the second quarter, as Seattle was held to 12 points and trailed by 14 at the half. The Sonics never really threatened in the second half, falling 103-84 in their worst KeyArena loss of the season. San Antonio got double-doubles from Duncan (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Parker (17 points, career-high-tying 10 rebounds) and were led by Ginobili's 23 points. No Sonics player scored more than 13 points.
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Allen was held to 14 points.
D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty
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Sonics |
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13 |
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at San Antonio |
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Playing a night later in San Antonio, the Sonics could not recapture the magic they had in Memphis, seeing the offense struggle to 48 points in the first three quarters with Lewis sidelined. In Lewis' absence, the Spurs were able to sic defensive specialist
Bruce Bowen on Allen, and Allen was limited to 14 points on 6-for-17 shooting. Murray tried to pick up the slack, but shot 7-for-19 himself, while the rest of the starting five combined for nine points on 3-for-16 shooting. While the Sonics bench was reasonably productive, with
Nick Collison, Daniels and
Damien Wilkins again scoring double-figures, the Sonics fell behind by 13 points after one quarter, 16 at halftime and 20 through three periods as the Spurs cruised to an 89-76 win. Without Duncan, San Antonio had plenty of punch thanks to its backcourt, with Parker scoring 28 points on 11-for-19 shooting and Ginobili adding 15 points.
