NBA Game Summary - New Jersey at Seattle

Seattle, WA (Basketball News) - Jason Kidd registered his NBA-leading third triple-double of the season with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, as the New Jersey Nets defeated the Seattle SuperSonics, 93-70, at Key Arena.

Kidd returned to the floor after a one-game absence due to a sore left knee.

Kenyon Martin posted 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets, who halted a two- game losing streak. Richard Jefferson scored 18 points and Kerry Kittles had 11 in the win.

Rashard Lewis paced the SuperSonics with 14 points and seven boards. Brent Barry and Calvin Booth both had 12 points, while Ronald Murray netted 11 in the loss — Seattle’s third in their last four games.

Trailing by a 45-36 score at halftime, the Nets took back the lead at 47-45 less than four minutes into the second half as Jefferson’s free throws ended an 11-0 run to start the third quarter. Seattle never regained the lead and trailed, 64-59, after 36 minutes.

New Jersey put the game out of reach with a strong fourth quarter. The Nets surged out and outscored Seattle, 24-5, for a comfortable 88-64 lead with three minutes to go. The Sonics never made it interesting the rest of the way and suffered the 23-point setback. Seattle was outscored, 29-11, in the final quarter.

With the victory, New Jersey halted a four-game losing streak at Seattle. The Sonics, however, own an 11-6 mark in the last 17 meetings.

Murray nailed a three-pointer and followed with a jumper to give the Sonics a 13-8 lead early in the first quarter. That was the biggest lead of the quarter with Seattle clinging to a 25-22 edge after one.

Seattle opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run and Lewis’ 1-of-2 foul shots extended the lead to 33-24. The Sonics then headed to the locker room with a 45-36 advantage.

New Jersey received some bad news on Monday as center Alonzo Mourning announced that he will no longer be able to continue his professional basketball career because of an existing medical condition. In 12 games this season, Mourning averaged 17.9 minutes, 8.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest.

Mourning, who missed the entire 2002-03 campaign with a kidney disorder, is expected to undergo a kidney transplant soon. The 33-year-old Georgetown product was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 2000, a disease that causes chronic kidney failure.

The seven-time All-Star and two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year left the Miami Heat and signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Nets last July. He was cleared to play in May after a physical examination and became a free agent on July 1 when the seven-year, $105 million contract he had signed with the Heat expired.