Lowly Bobcats edge lowlier Sonics
SEATTLE – Raymond Felton hit a crucial basket along with a pair of free throws in the final minute Friday night to help lift the Charlotte Bobcats to a 96-93 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.
Felton hit a 20-footer with 49.8 seconds left to give the Bobcats a 92-91 lead. On the Sonics’ next possession, Earl Watson turned the ball over to foil Seattle’s chance to respond.
Felton was then fouled with 9.6 seconds left and he hit both shots. Kevin Durant’s attempted 3-pointer with 5 seconds left bounced off the rim.
Jason Richardson finished with two free throws with 5 seconds remaining to seal the win. Luke Ridnour’s layin at the buzzer provided the final margin.
Richardson finished with 27 points, Felton had 21 and Emeka Okafor had 19.
Durant, who had scored at least 20 points in four consecutive games, lead the Sonics with 18 points. Watson had 16 points.
The teams came in a combined 49 games behind first place in their divisions. The Bobcats (27-45) have the fourth-worst record in the East.
The Sonics (17-56), with the worst record in the Western Conference, have lost 13 of their last 15.
The Bobcats have won two in a row and three of their last four. They beat the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
The Bobcats, leading by just two at the half, had a 64-57 lead midway through the third quarter. But the Sonics closed out the last 6 1/2 minutes by scoring 19 of the final 27 points for a 76-72 lead at the buzzer. Watson had 10 points in the quarter.
The Bobcats attacked the Sonics from long range to open the final period, with successive 3-pointers by Earl Boykins, Gerald Wallace and Richardson for an 82-78 lead at the 9:16 mark.
Donyell Marshall stroked a 3-pointer from the left side of the arc with 3:08 left to give the Sonics an 87-86 lead.
The Bobcats then went up 90-87 before Watson and Durant hit baskets to take their final lead, 91-90.
The Sonics announced that forward Chris Wilcox will miss the rest of the season, needing at least six weeks to heal a dislocated finger.