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Wednesday, Mar. 28 10:00pm ET
Ewing scores season-high 19 for Sonics

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SEATTLE (AP) – After 16 seasons, Patrick Ewing knows he's not going to be quicker than a youngster like Kevin Garnett.

Ruben Patterson
Ruben Patterson gets a hug from Patrick Ewing after a key play down the stretch.

But experience counts, too.

"The experience I've accumulated and knowledge I've accumulated is helping me here," the 38-year-old Ewing said after he helped hold Garnett to four points in the final quarter as Seattle beat Minnesota 94-93 on Wednesday night.

"I know sometimes I'm not going to be as quick as the other guy," he said. "If he goes around me, it's up to the other guys to step up and help."

Ruben Patterson did just that against the Timberwolves, soaring from the side to block a go-ahead shot by Garnett with fewer than 20 seconds left and the Sonics up by one.

Ewing missed two free throws with 15.7 seconds left, but Garnett missed his final shot and Patterson snared the rebound as the clock ran out.

Ewing scored a season-high 19 points and had 10 rebounds. He helped hold Garnett to just 2-for-10 from the field in the fourth quarter.

"Patrick just played an unbelievable game tonight," Sonics coach Nate McMillan said. "He defended Garnett about as well as you can."

"Just watching Pat play tonight juiced me up," Seattle's Desmond Mason said.

"Patrick got a lot more aggressive down at the end. That's what makes him a great player. He's slowed down, but he still possesses the knowledge and the skills," said the 24-year-old Garnett, who finished with 21 points.

Gary Payton led Seattle with 23 points, in addition to 11 assists, and Patterson added 19. Wally Szczerbiak had 20 for Minnesota, and Terrell Brandon had 16 points and 12 assists.

The victory snapped the Timberwolves' four-game winning streak and kept Seattle's slim playoff hopes alive.

"We fought hard all night. It's really tough not to come away with a victory in games like this," Szczerbiak said.

The Sonics (40-34) have now won nine of their past 10 games. With eight games left to play, they are 3½ games behind the Timberwolves (42-29) for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

The Timberwolves must run a gauntlet of playoff-bound Western Conference teams, as they move on to Sacramento and Portland on the road, then host Portland, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers. Seven of their remaining 11 games are away.

"If we win some games against the teams we're going to be playing against, that means we'll be playing well. That means we'll be prepared for the playoffs, and that is the positive about the way the schedule is," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said.

"We had some good shots," he added. "We just got totally rattled and didn't make the plays. We didn't make the defensive plays, more importantly."

Both teams shot better than 50 percent in an intensely competitive first half where neither led by more than six points.

Szczerbiak led Minnesota with 12 points in the half, including 10 on 5-for-7 shooting in the first quarter.

Payton had 14 points for the Sonics, who were up 50-49 at the half.

Game notes
Minnesota was without Anthony Peeler, who was placed on the injured list Sunday with a sprained left ankle. ... The sale of the Sonics from the Ackerley Group to a group of investors led by Howard Schultz, head of Seattle-based Starbucks, is expected to be approved at the NBA Board of Governors meeting on Friday. The sale would be completed on Monday. Schultz is selling 1.7 million shares of Starbucks stock to raise cash for the deal. ... The Sonics came in just 8-15 against the Midwest Division, including 0-3 against the Timberwolves. ... Sonics coach Nate McMillan said he considers Garnett the best player in the NBA. "He plays every possession, and he does dominate both ends of the floor." Garnett is averaging 22.7 points and 11.6 rebounds.

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RECAPS
New Jersey 99
Denver 96

Orlando 96
Philadelphia 95

Phoenix 103
Cleveland 94

Dallas 94
Portland 84

Seattle 94
Minnesota 93

Sacramento 108
LA Lakers 84


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