Durant’s home debut spoiled
Tracy McGrady scored 30 points, and the Houston Rockets beat the Seattle SuperSonics 117-94 Saturday night to spoil Kevin Durant’s home debut.
McGrady, entering his 11th NBA season, was 10 of 20 from the floor and made all nine free throws. McGrady, who did not play the final 17 minutes, had seen limited time during the preseason because of a sore knee.
Shane Battier added 19 points.
Durant, the No. 2 pick out of Texas who was averaging 16.8 points in his first four exhibition games, finished with 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting. Delonte West, scoring 12 second-period points, finished with 22. Center Robert Swift had 10 points.
With the season opener in 10 days, Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo rested forward Chris Wilcox and guard Earl Watson and tried to limit the minutes for rookie forward Jeff Green, this year’s fifth pick out of Georgetown. But Green, who has a sore knee, entered three minutes into the game and played 22 minutes. He scored five points.
The Sonics were coming off Thursday’s 126-106 loss to Los Angeles, with Carlesimo saying “we went so far backward in the Lakers game … we need to maintain a level of consistency.”
But the Sonics (1-4) did not make much progress. They now have allowed 106.8 points per game, third worst in the league. The Rockets (3-1) reached their exhibition high for points.
Durant gave the Sonics their only lead of the game, 2-0, hitting his first shot 30 seconds in. Three minutes elapsed before he touched the ball again as the Rockets galloped away.
West, hitting his first seven shots, briefly snapped the Sonics back in the second period. He hit back-to-back buckets early in the quarter to bring the Sonics back within 26-23. The Rockets then outscored the Sonics 33-19 to led 59-42 by intermission.
Around the league
Guard Allan Houston ended his comeback attempt with the New York Knicks, saving coach Isiah Thomas from possibly having to cut one of the top scorers in franchise history. … Sacramento Kings reserve center Justin Williams and his girlfriend had consensual sex with the woman who is accusing him of sexual assault, his attorney said. … Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith was suspended for the first three games of the regular season “for conduct detrimental to the team.” … Former Eastern Washington University star Rodney Stuckey had 14 points in the Detroit Pistons’ 104-80 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at San Antonio.