Wilkins rises to occasion

SEATTLE — Memo to anybody who considers Damien Wilkins’ emergence a surprise: Check the bloodlines.

Ray Allen scored 19 points and Wilkins added 17 starting in place of injured All-Star Rashard Lewis, leading the Seattle SuperSonics to an 89-87 win over the scrappy Portland Trail Blazers Friday night.

It was the third straight game scoring in double figures for Wilkins, a rookie from Georgia who is the son of former NBA player Gerald Wilkins and nephew of former league superstar Dominique Wilkins.

Nothing big, Wilkins insisted. He’s just filling in for Lewis.

“That’s a testament to him and to coach for doing a great job of making sure I’m ready,” Wilkins said. “I’ve disciplined myself and prepared as hard as I can to make sure when I’m called, when that time comes, I’d be ready.”

Nick Collison added 14 points and eight rebounds, Antonio Daniels scored 12 and Reggie Evans had 13 rebounds for Seattle, which reached the 50-win plateau for the 10th time in team history.

“A lot of guys in this locker room don’t understand what winning 50 games means,” Allen said. “You might not ever do it again. It’s a great milestone in the NBA. You could lose half your games, so to win 50 is a great achievement.”

If not for Denver’s victory over San Antonio, the Sonics would have clinched the Northwest Division title.

“Whenever we could do that would be great,” Seattle coach Nate McMillan said. “We’re not going to wait on Denver. Those guys are playing really well. Our plan is to continue to play.”

Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Blazers, who lost their ninth straight road game and lost for the 10th time in 11 games.