• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Hot-shooting Allen, Sonics hand Lakers first loss

Nov 6, 2006 - 4:54 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- After failing to come up big down the stretch in the first two games, Ray Allen made sure he put away the Los Angeles Lakers.

Allen scored 32 points and Rashard Lewis nailed six 3-pointers as the Seattle SuperSonics posted a 117-101 victory over the Lakers in the second meeting between the teams in the last three days.

Luke Ridnour had 22 points and seven assists for the Sonics, who shot 52 percent (41-of-79) from the field and avoided starting 0-3 for the first time since 1985.

"At home, we definitely wanted to get this win," Ridnour said. "We felt we could have won two (prior to Sunday) but we didn't get it done. It was a big win for us."

"We needed the win obviously, and I talked to (the team) before the game, that we gave two away," Seattle coach Bob Hill said. "I reminded them during a timeout and they took care of business."

In Wednesday's season-opening loss to Portland, Allen missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer with five seconds remaining. Two days later, he missed several critical shots in the fourth quarter in a close defeat to the Lakers.

However, the six-time All-Star made up for it Sunday by shooting 10-of-16 from the field and 9-of-9 from the foul line in a stellar performance.

Despite the Sonics' high-powered offense, Allen said his team's defensive intensity was the biggest factor in the win.

"It was a combination of us working harder and our whole defense shifting," Allen said. "We were so slow, they were finding holes. It takes five guys, everybody reacting to the ball."

The 6-5 sharpshooter was honored at halftime as a member of Seattle's 40th anniversary team. Allen and Lewis were named to the squad, in addition to former players Lenny Wilkens, Nate McMillan, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Xavier McDaniel and Spencer Haywood.

"That was great," Allen said. "Just to be able to see all those guys."

Lewis netted 25 points, including three shots from the arc in a decisive 23-6 run to start the second half. Ridnour capped the spurt with a 3-pointer to make it 80-55 with 6:26 remaining in the third quarter.

"I think (the 3-pointer) opened it up for us and I felt the rhythm all night," Lewis said. "I didn't hesitate to shoot the three and I was wide open."

Kobe Bryant scored 15 points for Los Angeles, which committed 22 turnovers and trailed by as many as 26 points after halftime.

"They came up with big steals when they needed to keep their runs going," Bryant said. "They help each other a lot and you've just got to be careful with the ball around them."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson coached his first road game of the campaign after recovering from offseason hip surgery.

"They were the aggressor," Jackson said. "When they are an aggressive team, things happen for them. They were at the free-throw line and they got steals. We warned our guys today that this team was desperate and they needed to win a game before they go out on the road, and we weren't prepared."