SAITAMA, Japan – The Seattle SuperSonics learned that they can win without Ray Allen. Mike Dunleavy learned it could be tough trying to win as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Rashard Lewis scored 25 points, and Ronald Murray had 24, leading the SuperSonics past the Clippers 109-100 Thursday in Dunleavy’s debut as Los Angeles’ coach.

Seattle made the trip to Japan without three-time All-Star guard Allen, who has an injured ankle.

Clippers forward Elton Brand sustained a hairline fracture in his right foot during the season-opening loss and is expected to be out four to six weeks.

Hornets 100, Magic 98

ORLANDO, Fla. – George Lynch scored on a fast-break layup with 36 seconds left as the New Orleans Hornets beat Orlando 100-98 in the Magic’s home opener Thursday night.

David Wesley scored 28 points for New Orleans, while Jamaal Magloire had 27 and Baron David added 22 points and eight assists.

Orlando’s Tracy McGrady scored 33 points, but Magloire blocked his potential tying layin with 3.9 seconds to go. McGrady also had seven rebounds and six assists. Drew Gooden added 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The Magic trailed by eight late in the third quarter, but held New Orleans scoreless over the next seven minutes to take an 85-84. The Hornets missed five shots and committed six turnovers during the stretch.

From there, the game featured four lead changes and three ties until Davis stole the ball from Shammond Williams, then fed Lynch for the go-ahead basket. Lynch finished with eight points.

Orlando appeared to have some breathing room with 2:11 to play when Juwan Howard’s three-point play put the Magic up 98-93. Howard had 15 points.

But Davis drained a 3 on the ensuing possession then grabbed a rebound, allowing Wesley to tie the game on a layup with a minute left.

New Orleans took advantage of its size in the third quarter, denying second-chance shots and getting Orlando’s big men in trouble, to build a 10-point lead. Rookie David West scored nine points and drew four fouls in the period’s final 3:23.

Wesley’s jumper put the Hornets up 79-69, and gave him 14 points in the quarter.

Magloire, with 13 points in the first quarter, almost doubled his scoring from the Hornets’ opener. Against Atlanta, he had seven points on 3-for-11 shooting.

Darrell Armstrong, returning to the arena where nine years of fast breaks and floor dives made him a fan favorite, scored four points in limited action.

The Magic led 51-50 at halftime.

Notes: Orlando forward Gordan Giricek strained his right arch in the third quarter and did not return. He had four points in 13 minutes. … Attendance was announced as 15,911, more than 1,300 short of a sellout. Orlando hasn’t sold out a home opener since in the lockout season of 1999. … Although the Magic were at home, they wore their blue road uniforms because team officials wanted the fans to see both versions of the franchise’s redesigned look. Orlando wore white at home during the preseason, and will continue to do so.

AP-ES-10-30-03 2158EST