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Durant, Wilcox help SuperSonics outlast Timberwolves in OT

March 2, 2008

The Seattle SuperSonics finally have a winning record—in overtime games.

Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Chris Wilcox added 18 points and 15 rebounds, and the Sonics snapped their four-game losing streak by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-108 in overtime on Sunday night.

The Sonics (16-43), the third-worst team in the Western Conference, improved to 2-1 in overtime this season.

After a couple of demoralizing losses to Denver and NBA-worst Miami, the Sonics needed a win like this. Seattle embarked on its longest road trip of the season—a seven-game stint that includes games with Detroit and league-leading Boston—in dramatic fashion.

“It doesn’t mean a thing if we don’t do a good job in the next six games,” Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo said. “Obviously, hopefully, we will go into Detroit and Milwaukee in a more positive frame. We are just such a different team when we compete at a real high level.”

Earl Watson had 15 points and Nick Collison 14 for Seattle, which won for only the second time in its last 15 road games.

Watson hit a key 3-pointer with 1:15 to play to give Seattle a 109-104 lead. Randy Foye answered with a jumper, but Al Jefferson missed two free throws with 35 seconds left. Foye added another layup and Durant iced the win with two more free throws.

“Guys did a great job of playing through adversity tonight,” Durant said. “They came out played very hard. We made a few turnovers, but we played through that and it’s a good win.”

Rashad McCants and Foye both missed 3s in the final seconds.

“It should’ve never been an overtime game, but it’s something you’ve got to learn from,” Jefferson said.

Jefferson led Minnesota with 30 points and 12 rebounds, while McCants had 18 points.

Durant sent the game to overtime on a driving layup in the closing seconds of regulation and Ryan Gomes missed from the corner as regulation time expired. The Wolves looked deflated coming off the court and never regained the momentum.

Minnesota shot 3-for-11 in overtime. Seattle went 2-for-7 but hit all four free throws. Seattle hit 19 free throws to Minnesota’s 13. That helped offset the Sonics’ 22 turnovers—seven by Durant.

“That is probably the biggest difference. We made our free throws, they didn’t,” Carlesimo said.

Jefferson, who recorded his 41st double-double, struggled to find his rhythm early, but Minnesota got a nice lift from McCants and improving rookie Corey Brewer. Brewer, who’s been showing more confidence lately, went 5-for-10 from the floor for 14 points, hustled for some key turnovers and hit some timely shots to help the Wolves keep pace with Seattle as the game wore on.

Wolves coach Randy Wittman blamed the loss on his team’s lackluster play in the first half.

“We just went though the motions like it was a Sunday afternoon,” he said. “We didn’t move the ball the way we are capable of moving it and we defended nobody.”

Durant and Collison took turns carrying the Sonics in the first half. Durant had 11 first-quarter points while Collison went 5-for-5 for 11 in the second. Collison helped spark an 18-8 run that gave Seattle a 15-point lead.