Sonics
Miami hands punchless Sonics their 5th straight loss

The Associated Press

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The Heat led by 16 points in the first half — thanks to Seattle tying a franchise record for futility — but had to rally down the stretch after falling behind.

Alston hit back-to-back 3-pointers to rally the Heat to their fourth win in five games. Miami trailed 72-70, but Alston hit a 3 to put the Heat ahead then another to highlight a game-closing 12-2 run.

The Sonics, who lost their fifth straight game and ninth in 10, tied their all-time low for fewest points in a quarter and half. They had eight points in the first period and 25 at the break.

They didn't have a basket until Ronald Murray's 3-pointer with 4:56 left in the first quarter, and were 2-of-15 from the floor in the opening period.

Seattle also scored eight points in a quarter, against Denver on Oct. 31, 1985, and against Cleveland on Jan. 12, 2003. The Sonics scored only 25 points in a half one other time, against New Jersey on Nov. 25, 2003.

The eight points tied the franchise low for fewest allowed by the Heat in a period. It also was the lowest field goal percentage (13 percent) by a Miami opponent.

With the Sonics firing mostly blanks, the Heat built leads of 20-8 after one period and 36-25 at the half.

Still, the Sonics hung around and got to 42-36 in the first five minutes of the third period as the Heat went cold. Ray Allen's 3-pointer closed the gap to 50-47 with just under two minutes left in the third.

The Sonics kept chipping away in the fourth. Murray scored three straight baskets, and Rashard Lewis made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 62 with 6:21 left.

A pair of free throws by Allen gave Seattle its first lead at 70-69 with 3:19 remaining.
 
After Alston's second straight 3-pointer, Allen drove the lane for a dunk to get Seattle within 76-74. But Lamar Odom knocked down a 3-pointer to open a 79-74 lead with 49 seconds left.

Allen was scoreless in the first half, but responded with 10 points in the third quarter and finished with 16. Murray and Lewis also scored 16 points each.

Alston and Odom had 15 points apiece for Miami.

NOTES: The Sonics are 4-8 on the road against the Eastern Conference. ... The Sonics have dropped four straight on the road. ... Sonics guard Brent Barry, in his second game back after missing the previous 20 with a broken hand, scored four points. ... The Sonics have gone 10 straight games with fewer than 100 points. ... Miami has won three straight home games. ... Alston has made at least one 3-pointer in his last 32 games, the longest active streak in the NBA. AP-WS-03-12-04 2231EST

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