Seattle rookie Kevin Durant scored 27 points and the Seattle SuperSonics handed the Toronto Raptors their second straight loss, 123-115 Friday night.
Durant's baseline slam over seven-foot Toronto centre Rasho Nesterovic was certainly impressive enough.
Toronto's Jamario Moon, left, tries to guard Seattle rookie Kevin Durant as he drives to the basket Friday night.
(Kevin P. Casey/ Associated Press)
When Durant caught the touch pass from Earl Watson and took one dribble toward the basket, he didn't plan on dunking over Nesterovic. But when the burly centre went to challenge Durant, the rookie showed he can power the big guys on the inside.
"I've just got to start doing that more, trying to finish when guys attack," Durant said. "That was one of the turning points of the game."
The Sonics rebounded from a lacklustre, uninspired effort two nights earlier against New Orleans, thanks largely to Durant, who made 11 of 18 shots, and 23 points from Wally Szczerbiak.
Durant scored 14 in the third quarter, including Seattle's first 11 of the second half. His dunk and subsequent free-throw pulled Seattle within 70-67, but it was Durant's no-look pass to Chris Wilcox for a fastbreak dunk minutes later that ignited a 21-9 Sonics' run to close the third quarter.
Szczerbiak made four three-pointers and Wilcox was 7-for-7 from the field and finished with 16 points for the Sonics.
Seattle eventually built an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter, and it needed all of the advantage to hold off a late flurry by the Raptors.
"We have to play better defence. I think we just had a couple of breakdowns and their confidence went up a little bit," Toronto's Chris Bosh said.
He scored 16 of his 26 in the first half, but missed 9 of 13 shots in the second half.
The Raptors (15-12), who are 7-7 on the road, opened the year-ending trip by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 80-77 on Tuesday, but followed that up the next night with a 101-96 loss to Portland.
Seattle took its biggest lead at 116-98 on Durant's fourth three-pointer with 4:09 remaining. Toronto rallied, going on a 13-0 run over the next 2½ minutes, on the strength of a trio of three-point shots by point guard Jose Calderon.
The Raptors cut the lead to 118-113 but Carlos Delfino's three-pointer in the final minute was negated after officials ruled his left foot was on the sideline when he caught the ball.
"We needed that call, no question," Szczerbiak said.
After Damien Wilkins made one of two free throws, Bosh dropped an inbound pass that Wilkins grabbed. He hit both free throws this time to seal the victory.
"We battled back, but then you have to try and play perfect basketball and you make one mistake and it deflates you," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said.
The Raptors matched their season-high with 13 three-pointers. Anthony Parker scored 18 and Jason Kapono scored 16 off the bench. Delfino and Calderon both finished with 15.
With files from the Associated PressRelated
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