Sunday November 24th, 2024 5:54AM

Durant 3-pointer at buzzer beats Hawks

By The Associated Press
ATLANTA - Rookie Kevin Durant made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the second overtime, and Damien Wilkins scored a career-high 41 points in the Seattle SuperSonics' 126-123 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

With rookie Al Horford guarding him at the top of the key, Durant pumped once to get the defender in the air before shooting over his outstretched arm.

Durant, the No. 2 overall draft pick, finished with 21 points to help Seattle improve to 2-8 following a victory on Wednesday night at Miami.

Joe Johnson had a season-high 39 points for the Hawks, who have lost three of four.

Wilkins atoned for a mistake near the end of regulation, when he let an inbounds pass bounce away with the game tied at 107.

Before Wilkins lost the ball, Josh Childress missed the first of two free throws, but made the second to force overtime.

Childress had made his first 24 free throws this season before missing the potential winner.

Seattle's biggest lead was 14 early in the third quarter, but the Hawks came back several times in a game that featured 15 lead changes and was tied 20 times.

Atlanta's last lead came on Marvin Williams' basket on the first possession of the second overtime, making it 116-114. Wilkins hit a 16-footer on the right baseline with father Gerald Wilkins and uncle Dominique watching a few feet away.

Johnson was defending Wilkins tightly when his basket gave the Sonics a 120-118 lead.

Childress, who scored 22 points before fouling out, wasn't the only Hawk to miss an important free throw. Horford, the third overall pick, watched the first of two foul shots bounce off the rim with 29.4 seconds remaining in the first overtime.

He made the second attempt to give the Hawks a 114-112 lead, but Wilkins' 5-footer tied it on the next possession, driving the left baseline and getting Horford to commit too early on defense

After Atlanta called timeout with 23 seconds remaining, Salim Stoudamire missed a potential game-winning 3 as buzzer sounded to end the first overtime.

NOTES: The Hawks were without F Josh Smith (quadriceps) and three guards rookie Acie Law (ankle), Speedy Claxton (knee) and Anthony Johnson, who left Philips Arena before the game for personal reasons. ... Atlanta started Tyronn Lue in Law's place. ... Seattle has eight consecutive wins against the Hawks, including five straight in Atlanta.
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