Nets hold off Sonics' rally for 98-93 win

Richard Jefferson kept up his stellar start to the season, scoring 30 points, and the New Jersey Nets held off the Seattle SuperSonics' fourth-quarter rally for a 98-93 victory Friday night.

Averaging a career-best 24.5 points so far, Jefferson continued to carry the Nets' scoring lead even with Vince Carter available again after missing time with a sprained right ankle. Jefferson scored 30 for the second straight game.

New Jersey needed all of Jefferson's points and the 15 off the bench from Carter to hold on after Seattle cut a 13-point, second-half deficit to one.

After dropping six straight, the Nets have won their last two. Meanwhile, Seattle has dropped three in a row and is 0-5 at home.

Delonte West led Seattle with 17 points, sparking the Sonics' rally with 10 in the fourth quarter. Rookie Jeff Green added 14 points and 14 rebounds off the bench for Seattle.

An already frantic final minutes got even more crazy in the closing seconds. With the Nets leading 96-93, Jefferson missed a short jumper in the lane with 6 seconds left. Out of timeouts, Seattle quickly pushed the ball up floor, but West was spun to the floor by Carter before getting off a shot.

West missed the first free throw, and purposely missed the second, but Jefferson darted in the lane to get a hand on the rebound and was fouled before the Sonics could tip the ball to the perimeter for a tying attempt.