Sonics follow Durant past Raptors

SEATTLE – Kevin Durant did it all Friday night, hitting deep 3-pointers, slamming a poster-worthy baseline dunk over a 7-footer and throwing a no-look pass on the fastbreak.

Yep, the Seattle rookie had fun against Toronto.

Durant scored 27 points, Wally Szczerbiak added 23 off the bench, and the SuperSonics held off Toronto’s late rally for a 123-115 victory.

The Sonics rebounded from a lackluster, uninspired effort two nights earlier against New Orleans, thanks largely to Durant.

He scored 14 in the third quarter alone, keeping Seattle close long enough for his teammates to make a spirited run to pass and pull away from Toronto over the final 16 minutes.

Szczerbiak made four 3-pointers and Chris Wilcox was 7 of 7 from the field and finished with 16 points for Seattle.

Chris Bosh scored 16 of his 26 in the first half, but made just 4 of 13 shots in the second half for Toronto, which dropped its second straight game on a seven-game Western Conference swing.

Seattle took its biggest lead at 116-98 on Durant’s fourth 3-pointer with 4:09 left. Toronto made a furious rally, outscoring Seattle 13-0 the next 2 1/2 minutes, behind a trio of 3-pointers and two baskets by Jose Calderon.

Szczerbiak’s jumper with 1:25 left stemmed the surge, but Calderon scored again. Calderon finally missed, but a Seattle turnover gave Toronto the ball with 36 seconds left, down 118-113.

Carlos Delfino hit a wide-open 3 with 21 seconds left, but officials correctly ruled his left foot was on the sideline when he caught the ball.

After Damien Wilkins made 1 of 2 free throws, Bosh dropped an inbound pass that Wilkins grabbed. He hit both free throws this time to seal it.

Nick Collison had 10 points and 10 rebounds as seven Sonics scored in double figures. Earl Watson, Jeff Green and Luke Ridnour all added 10 points.

Seattle took control late in the third quarter, but it was the start of the quarter where Durant kept the Sonics close. He scored Seattle’s first 11 second-half points, including his baseline dunk that hit Rasho Nesterovic on the head.