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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- Don't retire Patrick Ewing just yet. He still has something left.
|  | | Patrick Ewing had his best game with the Sonics, compiling season-highs of 18 points and 18 rebounds. |
Ewing had season highs of 18 points and 18 rebounds as the Seattle SuperSonics won their fifth straight game, 106-97 over the New Jersey Nets Saturday night.
"He's looked a little live the past two nights," Seattle coach Nate McMillan said of Ewing, who came to the Sonics in a four-team trade last Sept. 20. "It was just a very good game by the big fellow."
The Nets lost for the fourth straight time despite Stephon
Marbury's 29 points.
Ewing had 11 points in the third quarter, when the Sonics overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to move in front by six at the end of the period.
Ruben Patterson led the Sonics in scoring with 21, while Gary
Payton added 17, including a 3-pointer with 1:35 to go and a free
throw with 1:14 on the clock that gave Seattle a 100-95 lead.
Brent Barry also scored 17 for Seattle.
"I don't like losing, but it's good to see Patrick Ewing play
like Patrick Ewing," Marbury said. "I'm not going to say I'm
happy for him, but he played well."
Ewing, 38, opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with a layup
after grabbing an offensive rebound before being taken out of the
game with 11:03 left to play.
He was given a loud ovation by the crowd at KeyArena when he left and another round of cheers when he returned to the game with 3:43 to go.
Matched against 6-foot-9 Aaron Williams, the 7-foot Ewing took advantage of his size advantage and shot 6-for-13 and also had four blocked shots in his most impressive performance in Seattle.
With his big night, Ewing is averaging 9.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 26.2 minutes. In his 15th and final season with the New York Knicks last season, Ewing averaged 15 points, 9.7 rebounds and 32.8 minutes in 62 games.
"I think I've been doing a pretty good job all year of rebounding the ball," Ewing said. "Now, I think they've been going to me a little more. I'm just trying to take advantage of it."
Ewing was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, but he hasn't played like one for most of the season. He's in the final year of a contract that he signed with the Knicks that is paying him $14 million this season.
"I feel fine, probably better than the start of the year," he said. "I'm in better shape now. I'm just trying to get my game on track. Whatever opportunities I get, I just try to take advantage of them."
Lucious Harris of the Nets dropped in a 20-footer with 1:02 left before Patterson hit two free throws with 20.9 seconds remaining.
Rashard Lewis' two free throws for the Sonics and a dunk by Barry at buzzer ended the scoring.
The Sonics opened up the second half with a 17-4 run as the Nets
missed 10 of 12 shots. That gave Seattle a 66-61 lead with 5:49
left in the third quarter. Patterson scored 10 of the Sonics'
points in the run, including a layup to cap the run.
Marbury had 13 points in the opening period, when the Sonics
committed 10 turnovers. He started off a 9-0 run by the Nets with a
3-pointer and, following a 7-footer by Kenyon Martin, added a fastbreak layup and two free throws.
In the second quarter, Marbury's 3-pointer with 4:26 left in the
first half gave New Jersey a 41-39 lead. Johnny Newman's 3-pointer
with 3:03 on the clock put the Nets in front 46-43.
Keith Van Horn of the Nets scored four points on 1-for-12
shooting. He preferred to talk about Ewing's game.
"I think he's going to wind up in the Hall of Fame," Van Horn said. "Anybody with his numbers should wind up in the Hall of Fame."
Game notes
Ewing notched his third consecutive double-double. He
scored 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against the Clippers in
Los Angeles and had 10 points and 12 rebounds at Golden State this
week. ... Ewing recorded his ninth double-double of the season. ...
The Sonics have played the most road games in the NBA this season,
26. ... New Jersey beat Seattle 126-91 at home Nov. 11. ... Patterson stepped on Martin's big right toe during the game, but the Nets did not bother to X-ray it. "It's sore, but I'm OK," said Martin, the top pick in last year's NBA draft.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
New Jersey Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
San Antonio 99
Utah 86
Toronto 90
Chicago 80
Minnesota 93
Portland 80
Miami 81
Orlando 59
Houston 110
Charlotte 97
Atlanta 101
Cleveland 90
Washington 89
Phoenix 82
Detroit 108
Milwaukee 103
Denver 102
Dallas 100
Seattle 106
New Jersey 97
Sacramento 101
LA Clippers 89
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