RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
TORONTO (AP) -- With Vince Carter sitting, Alvin Williams stepped
up for the Toronto Raptors.
Williams scored the winning basket with 0.1 seconds left as the
Toronto Raptors overcame a late injury to Carter to beat the
Seattle SuperSonics 94-92 Sunday.
| | Raptors Vince Carter (15), Alvin Williams, left, and Corliss Williamson celebrate after Williams sunk the Sonics. |
Carter, who had a game-high 23 points, collided with teammate
Morris Peterson trying to prevent Rashard Lewis' dunk with 1:30
left and had to be helped off the floor with a bruised right calf.
"I'm a little sore right now. I'll have to rest it a while and
see how it feels," said Carter, who had ice wrapped on it after
the game but is not expected to miss any games. "It should be
OK."
After Vin Baker knotted the score at 92 on a layup with 14
seconds remaining, Mark Jackson brought the ball up the court and
missed a tough drive to the basket. Kevin Willis missed the tip-in
and Williams came flying in from the key to put down the winner, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
"You have to crash the boards because you never know what's
going to happen," said Williams, who scored four points. "We've
been struggling a bit but we played well and that was a big win for
us."
Peterson had a career-high 22 points in his first start since
leading Michigan State to the NCAA championship last year. The
rookie's previous high was 18 against Chicago.
"I was a little nervous. Anybody would have been for their
first NBA (start), but the guys made me feel comfortable out
there," said Peterson, who was averaging seven points in 16.7
minutes entering the game. "I wanted to come out and play with
some fire and get the crowd into it."
Willis had 16 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high six blocked
shots to help push Seattle's losing streak to a season-high four
games.
Charles Oakley, with 12 points and 10 rebounds, also had a
career-high six blocked shots as Toronto had an 18-4 edge over
Seattle.
"That was a great effort from everyone. We were looking for
them when they came to the basket," Willis said.
Lewis led Seattle with 21 points, Baker added 20 and Ruben
Patterson had 18 points. Gary Payton was limited to 13 points on
6-for-20 shooting.
"We are so slow getting into the offense, they were able to see
it and trap it," Seattle coach Nate McMillan said. "A couple of
times we got into our offense with 10 seconds left and they weren't
even pressuring us. The bottom line is you've got to play within
the system and we're not doing that."
Patrick Ewing needed just five points to reach 24,000 in his
career, but was shut out on 0-for-4 shooting in 14 minutes.
Seattle, down by 14 points in the second quarter, fought back to
82-80 four minutes into the fourth quarter on Baker's hook shot,
but Toronto strung off eight straight points to go up 10 with 5:17
remaining.
Carter led the Raptors to an early 12-point lead in the first
quarter, hitting an alley-oop and a 3-pointer off pretty passes
from Mark Jackson.
"It was a tough loss for us because we fought our way
through," Baker said. "Mo Peterson was definitely the x-factor
for them."
The Sonics fought back in the second with Brent Barry's
3-pointer giving Seattle its first lead of the game, 48-47, but
Carter and Corliss Williamson's baskets gave Toronto a 50-47 lead
at the half.
Game notes
The Sonics shot 28 percent in the first quarter. ...
Peterson started in place of Williamson, who was averaging 10.6
points and 4.1 rebounds entering the game. ... Toronto's Antonio
Davis missed his third game with a strained left groin. ... Toronto
coach Lenny Wilkens and Seattle coach Nate McMillan are two of only
four players to have their numbers retired by the Sonics. ...
Toronto Maple Leafs Sergei Berezin and Tie Domi sat courtside.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Seattle Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
With interim title gone, Sonics may want McMillan for long term
RECAPS
Toronto 94 Seattle 92
Vancouver 120 Milwaukee 117
New York 103 Washington 87
Minnesota 108 Phoenix 88
Denver 94 Charlotte 87
LA Clippers 118 LA Lakers 95
AUDIO/VIDEO
Toronto's Alvin Williams scores the game-winning basket with 0.1 seconds left.
avi: 1040 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
FROM ATHLETESDIRECT
Vince Carter Official Site
Mark Jackson Official Site
Lenny Wilkens Official Site
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