Sonics get well with Allen back in lineup after illness

SEATTLE — Ray Allen scored 25 points after missing two games because of the flu, leading the Seattle SuperSonics to a 113-99 victory over the expansion Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night.

Allen, who returned to practice Friday, played 31 minutes in the first three quarters and made 9 of 14 shots, including two 3-pointers.

The Sonics, who had lost three of their previous four home games, got 23 points from Vladimir Radmanovic, including five 3-pointers, and a career-high 21 rebounds from Reggie Evans. Rashard Lewis added 18 points, and Luke Ridnour had 17 points and eight assists for Seattle.

Melvin Ely had a career-high 22 points for Charlotte, and Jason Kapono had 17 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats are 2-21 on the road.

The game was virtually over at halftime, when the Sonics held a 69-46 lead. Radmanovic had 12 points on four 3-pointers in the second quarter after Allen scored 14 points in the opening period.

In the fourth quarter, Charlotte got within 13 points at 109-96 with 2:44 to go, but Ronald Murray, who started in place of Allen when he was out, made a pair of baskets in the final 2 minutes.

Seattle led from wire to wire after Lewis and Allen opened the game with 3-pointers in the first 1:28.

Charlotte dropped to 1-2 without star rookie center Emeka Okafor, who is on the injured list with a sprained left ankle. Okafor, who is leading the Bobcats with averages of 14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds, is scheduled to return against Miami on Friday night in Charlotte.

Notes

Sonics coach Nate McMillan will return to direct the team Tuesday night against New Orleans. The Sonics were coached for their third straight game by assistant Dwane Casey because McMillan was in Raleigh, N.C., where his mother died. Her funeral was Friday. … Okafor had a career-high 27 points in a loss against Seattle on New Year’s Eve in Charlotte.