Rashard Lewis scored 13 of his 17 points in
the third quarter and the Seattle SuperSonics defeated the Portland
Trail Blazers 99-89 on Wednesday night in the first pre-season game
for both teams.
Zach Randolph had 20 points and seven rebounds for Portland,
which squandered an 11-point lead.
Dan Dickau, acquired in a draft-day trade, scored eight straight
points and gave the Blazers a 35-24 lead in the first half. Jarrett
Jack and draft pick Sergio Rodriguez made consecutive 3-pointers to
give Portland a 53-45 halftime lead.
Lewis' third-quarter outburst helped close the gap to 70-67, and
Nick Collison's layup gave Seattle a 73-72 lead.
It was close until Collison and Damien Wilkins made consecutive
layups to put the Sonics ahead 91-84.
Seattle guard Luke Ridnour injured his thumb and left the game as
a precaution, but X-rays were negative.
Blazers coach Nate McMillan, a former coach of the Sonics, grew
testy with the pre-season officiating, and a particularly loud
complaint late in the game drew him a technical.
Seattle finished last season 35-47, a year after winning the
Northwest Division title. But the Sonics have their top eight
players back from last year, including All-Stars Lewis and Ray
Allen.
In July the Sonics were sold to a group headed by Oklahoma City
businessman Clay Bennett for $350 million. Bennett doesn't
officially take control of the team until the NBA Board of Governors
meet at the end of this month.
The Trail Blazers were also up for sale by billionaire owner Paul
Allen, who abruptly pulled the team off the market this summer. He
attended the Wednesday night's game.
The Trail Blazers finished 21-61 last season, the worst in the
NBA.
Team management took action by making six deals on draft day,
including lottery selections LaMarcus Aldridge of Texas and Brandon
Roy of Washington, along with veterans Raef LaFrentz and Dickau.
Portland also acquired center Jamaal Magloire in an offseason
trade with Milwaukee.
Disgruntled forward Darius Miles, who told McMillan last season
that he wanted to be traded, is still with the Blazers, but is
sitting out indefinitely in the pre-season while he continues to
rehab a troublesome knee injury. He watched the game in street
clothes.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
