Sonics
Notebook: Lewis, Mason reunite in Milwaukee tonight

By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter

	Ronald Murray
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MINNEAPOLIS — They were two young stars the Sonics planned to build around. Everybody told them so — the owner, the general manager and the coach.

Rashard Lewis and Desmond Mason were poised to carry the Sonics back to prominence until those plans were altered and Mason was traded to Milwaukee in a deal that delivered Ray Allen.

"It's going to be different, the first year playing against each other in opposite uniforms," Lewis said yesterday, anticipating today's game against the Bucks at Bradley Center. "I know what type of person he is. Once he steps out on the court, he's strictly business; that's what type of person he's always been.

"I'm sure we'll laugh a little bit, but mostly it will be strictly business."

Since they parted, Lewis' career has skyrocketed, while Mason, a reserve last season with the Sonics, is backing up Milwaukee's leading scorer, Michael Redd.

Lewis is averaging 24.6 points per game, and he tossed in a career-high 50 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in Japan.

Mason, who signed a three-year extension last month, is Milwaukee's top reserve and fourth-leading scorer, averaging 12.6 points.

"After that trade, I took the NBA as more of business," Lewis said. "Anything can happen. If (teams) can get a good deal, they'll take it. You never know what will happen.

"Sometimes I sit back and think about it. Could it have really worked out? But I guess now we'll never know."

Player of the game: Ronald Murray scored 13 of Seattle's final 20 points, including a winning 13-foot buzzer-beater. The second-year guard finished with 29 points and eight assists, both career highs, and six rebounds.

Play of the game: On the final play, Murray dribbled to his left around Latrell Sprewell and shot a jumper that hit the front of the rim, rolled around and fell through as time expired.

Turning point: Murray scored six unanswered points, cutting Seattle's deficit to 80-78 with 3:40 left. At that point, the Timberwolves appeared out of sync and the Sonics were steadily feeding Murray.

Next: Milwaukee, 5 p.m. today at Bradley Center.

Murray returns

Ronald Murray isn't bitter that he spent most of his rookie season with Milwaukee on the sideline. He played in just 12 games and averaged fewer than two points last season.

"It's not like I'm going back there to get Milwaukee. I had fun in Milwaukee," said Murray, who scored 29 points last night and is averaging 24.6. "When they drafted me, they gave me the opportunity to play in the NBA, and that's what I'll always remember."

Murray, a second-round draft choice, never had a chance to showcase his scoring ability behind Allen and Redd.

Note

• Storm guard Sue Bird will appear Tuesday (7 p.m., Channel 4) on a celebrity version of "Wheel of Fortune." Bird's charity is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company