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Rashard leads Sonics past Blazers

11:46 AM PDT on Monday, March 19, 2007

By ANNE M. PETERSON, AP Sports Writer

Rashard Lewis had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and the Seattle SuperSonics snapped a five-game losing streak with a 95-77 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.

Chris Wilcox scored 26 for the Sonics, who led by as many as 14 points early, but let the Blazers close the gap in the fourth quarter before pulling away with a 20-4 run.

Jamaal Magloire had 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers, who have lost four straight and eight of their last 10 games. Portland was coming off a 116-111 overtime loss to the Lakers in which Kobe Bryant scored 65 points.

Seattle had its losing streak extended in a 99-98 loss to Golden State on Saturday.

The Sonics began to pull away from what had been a close game midway through the second quarter. Lewis hit a 3-pointer then added a layup and a free throw in the midst of a 12-0 Seattle run that made it 43-31.

The Sonics led by as many as 12 early and were up 47-37 at the half.

Martell Webster's baseline jumper moved Portland to within 60-57. After Lewis hit a free throw, Brandon Roy's layup got the Blazers as close as 61-59.

After the Sonics stretched it out again to 67-60 on Wilcox's jumper, the Blazers made another push -- getting to 67-66 on Dan Dickau's 3-pointer.

Portland could not get any closer than one and Lewis got a 3-pointer and a tip-in before Wilcox's layup and free throw made it 83-73 for Seattle.

Seattle outscored their Northwest Division rivals 28-16 in the fourth quarter.

Nick Collison had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Sonics, who have won four straight at the Rose Garden.

Zach Randolph had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers.

Notes: Seattle guard Luke Ridnour started for the second game after missing five straight with a herniated disc in his neck. ... A 22-year-old fan, Evan Powell of Beaverton, Ore., earned the biggest cheer of the game by making a halfcourt shot to win a Toyota truck. ... Blazers coach Nate McMillan is 2-5 against the Sonics, a team he coached and played for to earn the nickname, Mr. Sonic. ... Portland hasn't lost four in a row since Dec. 29-Jan. 3. ... Seattle leads the series between the teams 2-1. The Sonics defeated Portland 97-73 at Key Arena last month.

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