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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sonics dismantle Kings


Ray Allen of the SuperSonics drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings' Chris Webber during the second quarter. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Jim Cour Associated Press

SEATTLE — Even Ray Allen is surprised at what the Seattle SuperSonics are doing.

Allen scored 20 points and Rashard Lewis added 18, leading the Sonics to their fourth consecutive victory, 108-78 over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

Allen, a four-time All-Star, knows Seattle’s roster isn’t the best in the NBA, but he and his teammates are outworking the opposition.

“Every year you talk about who’s going to win the championship and who’s going to come in last place, but that’s based on talent,” Allen said. “It’s not who works the hardest, and who works the hardest is going to win a game every night.”

The Sonics, who won 37 games last season and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year, got 16 points and 13 rebounds from reserve power forward Danny Fortson. His inside presence has been a key to Seattle’s 4-1 start.

With the addition of the 6-foot-8, 277-pound Fortson to their bench, the Sonics are outrebounding their opponents by eight boards per game. They outrebounded the Kings 54-39.

The Sonics were last in the NBA in rebounding last season.

“I’d have to say he’s a big key,” Allen said. “Most of the teams we’ve played had strong, dominant post players. He’s been able to take them out of the game, bang with them and get rebounds. Last year, we weren’t getting second-chance points.”

Fortson mixed it up with the Kings under the basket. He was called for one technical, Brad Miller one and Greg Ostertag one.

“Those guys played physical, too,” Fortson said. “You might not see as much of them as you do me. I caught some elbows tonight, but I’m not complaining or crying about it.”

The struggling Kings, a 55-victory team that reached the Western Conference semifinals last season, got 17 points from Miller and 16 from Peja Stojakovic.

New Sonics starting point guard Luke Ridnour scored a career-high 17 points.

SuperSonics 108, Kings 78

SACRAMENTO (78)

Stojakovic 6-15 3-3 16, Webber 2-13 7-8 11, Miller 7-12 3-6 17, Bibby 2-7 5-10 9, Christie 0-3 2-2 2, Jackson 4-12 2-2 10, Songaila 0-0 2-2 2, M.Evans 2-5 0-0 4, Ostertag 0-0 0-0 0, Barnes 2-7 1-6 5, E.Daniels 0-2 0-0 0, Martin 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 26-78 25-39 78.

SEATTLE (108)

R.Evans 1-3 0-2 2, Lewis 6-12 5-7 18, James 1-4 2-2 4, Allen 6-18 6-7 20, Ridnour 6-11 3-3 17, Radmanovic 5-9 2-2 14, A.Daniels 5-11 1-1 12, Fortson 3-8 10-12 16, Collison 0-3 3-4 3, Wilkins 0-1 0-0 0, Swift 1-2 0-0 2, Cleaves 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-82 32-40 108.

Sacramento2019211878
Seattle33202332108

3-Point Goals—Sacramento 1-13 (Stojakovic 1-7, M.Evans 0-1, Bibby 0-2, Jackson 0-3), Seattle 8-18 (Ridnour 2-2, Radmanovic 2-4, Allen 2-6, A.Daniels 1-2, Lewis 1-3, Wilkins 0-1). Fouled out—None. Rebounds—Sacramento 55 (Miller 9), Seattle 67 (Fortson 13). Assists—Sacramento 14 (Bibby 5), Seattle 19 (A.Daniels 6). Total fouls—Sacramento 26, Seattle 33. Technicals—Sacramento Defensive Three Second, Miller, Ostertag, Fortson. A—14,355 (17,072).