Allen delivers for Sonics
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Ray Allen made an off-balance 19-footer with 0.3 seconds left, and the Seattle SuperSonics overcame Pau Gasol’s 44 points to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 98-97 on Tuesday night.
The Grizzlies had their seven-game winning streak snapped despite Gasol’s franchise-record scoring total.
Allen dribbled to the left wing, and as Eddie Jones made a stab at the ball, Allen shot the jumper which bounced on the rim before dropping through. Shane Battier’s inbounds lob as time ran out hit the backboard.
Allen led the Sonics with 20 points and five assists, one of seven Seattle players in double figures. Johan Petro finished with 15 points, while Rashard Lewis added 14 before being helped off the court with a leg injury with 3:12 left.
Earl Watson had 13 points and six assists for Seattle, while Chris Wilcox and Luke Ridnour each scored 11. Mikki Moore scored 10 points and had seven rebounds.
Jones had 16 points for Memphis, while reserve Mike Miller added 11. Gasol grabbed nine rebounds.
The Sonics scored seven straight points midway through the final period and held an 89-86 lead with 5:21 left.
But Memphis retook the lead on Gasol’s runner that broke the franchise record, and back-to-back baskets by Miller. The Grizzlies held a 97-93 lead when Miller scored again on a fadeaway 15-footer with the shot clock running down and 1:07 left in the game.
Allen made a 3-pointer with the shot clock running down to cut the lead to 97-96 with 41 seconds left. When Chucky Atkins’ near turnover led to a shot clock violation against Memphis with 17 left, Seattle had one more chance.
The Grizzlies’ game plan was evident early, as the offense went through Gasol from the opening tip. In the first 4 minutes, the Grizzlies forward hit his first four shots and even had an assist as Memphis built a double-digit lead.
Memphis scored the game’s first 10 points and Gasol had 20 in the quarter, but Seattle still held the lead behind the long-range shooting of Ridnour with help from Lewis.
SuperSonics 98, Grizzlies 97
| FG | FT | Reb | ||||
| SEATTLE | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| RasLewis | 6-12 | 1-2 | 3-7 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Wilcox | 5-7 | 1-2 | 2-6 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| Petro | 6-9 | 3-4 | 2-5 | 0 | 4 | 15 |
| Allen | 8-17 | 1-1 | 1-5 | 5 | 1 | 20 |
| Ridnour | 4-11 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 7 | 1 | 11 |
| Moore | 4-6 | 2-4 | 0-7 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
| Watson | 4-9 | 2-2 | 0-1 | 6 | 1 | 13 |
| Swift | 0-5 | 0-2 | 4-7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Wilkins | 2-3 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Totals | 39-79 | 10-17 | 14-41 | 25 | 17 | 98 |
Percentages: FG .494, FT .588. 3-Point Goals: 10-19, .526 (Ridnour 3-4, Watson 3-5, Allen 3-8, Ras.Lewis 1-2). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 17 (18 PTS). Blocked Shots: 5 (Petro 4, Moore). Turnovers: 15 (Watson 6, Ras.Lewis 3, Allen 2, Ridnour 2, Moore, Petro). Steals: 6 (Ridnour 3, Ras.Lewis 2, Wilcox). Technical Fouls: None.
| FG | FT | Reb | ||||
| MEMPHIS | M-A | M-A | O-T | A | PF | PTS |
| Battier | 2-8 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Gasol | 17-28 | 10-12 | 1-9 | 3 | 1 | 44 |
| Wright | 3-6 | 1-2 | 5-14 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| EJones | 6-7 | 2-2 | 1-2 | 4 | 1 | 16 |
| Atkins | 3-11 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 9 | 3 | 7 |
| Cardinal | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jackson | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Miller | 5-9 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| DJones | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Warrick | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Totals | 39-77 | 14-18 | 10-32 | 20 | 15 | 97 |
Percentages: FG .506, FT .778. 3-Point Goals: 5-15, .333 (E.Jones 2-2, Jackson 1-3, Miller 1-3, Atkins 1-5, Battier 0-2). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 12 (16 PTS). Blocked Shots: 5 (Gasol 2, Atkins, Battier, Wright). Turnovers: 10 (Gasol 4, Warrick 2, Wright 2, Battier, Miller). Steals: 8 (Atkins 2, Battier 2, Cardinal, Gasol, E.Jones, Wright). Technical Fouls: None.
| Seattle | 28 | 31 | 17 | 22—98 |
| Memphis | 27 | 22 | 31 | 17—97 |
A—14,691 (18,119). T—2:12.