SuperSonics ride Lewis’ 36-point effort to win over struggling Jazz

SEATTLE – When Rashard Lewis gets on a roll, it’s sure tough for anyone to slow him.

Lewis scored 36 points, barely missing a season high, and Antonio Daniels added 24 points and eight assists, leading the Seattle SuperSonics to a 122-105 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday night.

This was a physical game, with plenty of bumps and collisions.

“We did a good job of playing through the contact and using it to our advantage, getting to the foul line and making things happen,” Daniels said.

Ray Allen added 20 points, and Vladimir Radmanovic had 12 for Seattle, which shot 59 percent (38 of 64) from the floor to snap a two-game losing skid. Luke Ridnour added 13 points and seven assists.

Lewis had a solid game, answering every time the Sonics needed him. Utah got to 109-101 and forced a timeout with 3:39 to play after Matt Harpring scored on consecutive possessions, but Lewis restored order.

Lewis, who scored a season-high 37 against the Clippers on Dec. 14, hit a 3-pointer and made a steal before swishing another 3-pointer that put Seattle ahead 115-103 with 2:20 left.

“What can you say? Rashard was just being Rashard,” Seattle center Jerome James said. “When he’s going like that, there’s not too many people in this league that can guard him.”

It was over moments later after Allen beat the buzzer with a jumper and added a 3-pointer.

Carlos Boozer led Utah with 20 points and 12 rebounds, but couldn’t stop the Jazz from losing for the fourth time in five games.

The Sonics also shot a season-high 45 free throws, making 33.

Bomb threat

Police ordered the evacuation of KeyArena immediately after the game, after a caller to the building’s security office phoned in a bomb threat.

The threat was phoned in late in the game. After the final horn, ushers ordered people out and the locker rooms and other areas were quickly cleared.