Rashard nets nifty 50 in win against Clippers

SAITAMA, Japan — If there was any confusion that Rashard Lewis, the once soft-spoken teenager whom the Sonics drafted five years ago, is all grown up, then his career-high 50-point performance last night removed any doubt.

"He gets better every year," Eddie House, Los Angeles Clippers guard, said after the Sonics' forward led Seattle to a 124-105 victory at Saitama Stadium. "That's what he said he would do on draft day. He's making (every team) pay for not taking him in the first round."

Fifty has a special significance with NBA players. The mark was reached just seven times last season, and Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers guard, was the last to hit the plateau.

"There's just something about 50 that looks good when you read it," said Sonics guard Ronald Murray, who had another spectacular performance while filling in for injured guard Ray Allen.

"When you see it in print, that 5-0 just looks so good. You can say you did something special."

Only Fred Brown, Dale Ellis and Spencer Haywood have scored more points in a game for the Sonics, and no Sonics player has reached the mark in the past 14 years.

"It puts you in a different category," said Sonics president Wally Walker, who played for the Sonics for five seasons in the late 1970s and early '80s. "Most of the guys that drop 50 in a game are in the Hall of Fame at some point."

Lewis, who scored 25 points in Seattle's season-opening victory, may or may not end up in the Hall, but he certainly has began his All-Star campaign with a bang.

Without star forward Elton Brand, who discovered a hairline fracture in his right foot after the opener, the Clippers relied on Chris Wilcox to stop Lewis. The reserve forward was overwhelmingly outmatched.

Los Angeles rotated what seemed like its entire team on Lewis, and nothing worked. Rookie center Chris Kaman was too slow, Corey Maggette was too small, and Wilcox didn't have enough experience.

After the first quarter, Lewis tallied 15 points, and at halftime he had 26.

He connected on 18 of 25 field-goal attempts and 10 of 13 free throws. He also had eight rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes.

"I've known Rashard from high school, and I've definitely seen him become more comfortable," Clippers guard Quentin Richardson said. "I'm really happy for him, not because he scored 50 on us, but because he's a nice guy."

Lewis' scoring feat made the game seem secondary. The Sonics, which had five players reach double figures in scoring, took a commanding lead late in the second quarter (58-66) and stretched their advantage to 80-69 midway through the third.

With the outcome all but decided, the sold-out crowd stayed to see if Lewis would eclipse Clyde Drexler's Japan Games record of 41, not knowing that the Sonics' forward was attempting much loftier goals.

"I told him at halftime to keep it going," Murray said. "He kept it going and we played off of him. ... We wanted to get him 50. That was our goal."

Once Lewis hit 47 with less than four minutes remaining and the Sonics leading 109-88, coach Nate McMillan considered removing him from the game.

"I (asked) the staff should we let him try and get a 50-point game and they were waiting on me to say that," McMillan said. "Everybody nodded yes. Give him a 50-point game. And it wasn't to try and embarrass the Clippers, but I knew he never had a 50-point game with us"

Lewis had never had a night like this in his life. Not even when he starred at Alief Elsik High in Houston. As a senior, he said, he scored 43 or 45 points.

But 50?

"Never," Lewis said. "Not even on video games."

Afterward, McMillan beamed at the podium like a proud dad as Lewis answered questions from the Japanese media.

"To score 50 in a game, there's very few people who have had those numbers, and I think the percentages are they are All-Stars ... ," McMillan said. "I don't want to go Hall of Famers, but those types of nights are very special."

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com