Channing Frye

[The Jays]

Marbury sparks Knicks past Sonics

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stephon Marbury had 23 points and 15 assists, the final one setting up rookie David Lee for the tiebreaking basket with 21 seconds left, and the New York Knicks beat the Seattle SuperSonics 120-116 Sunday for their season-high third straight win.

The Knicks' best stretch of the season coincides with Marbury's, who is averaging 23.5 points and 12 assists over the last four games. He scored 15 points in the second half, including a flurry late in the third quarter.

Maurice Taylor also scored 23 points and Eddy Curry added 22 for the Knicks, who erased a 12-point first-half deficit. Nate Robinson finished with 17 points.

With the game tied at 113 after Ray Allen's miss, the Knicks ran the shot clock down before Marbury found Lee in the corner for a jumper.

Seattle had a chance to tie, but Luke Ridnour missed two free throws with 9.8 seconds remaining. Trevor Ariza rebounded and was fouled, making both free throws for a four-point advantage.

Vladimir Radmanovic's eighth 3-pointer made it 117-116, but Nate Robinson answered with two free throws with 6.1 to play. Allen missed a 3-pointer and Lee made one free throw for the final margin.

Radmanovic scored a career-high 30 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter. He scored five straight points to give the Sonics a 113-111 lead with just over a minute remaining before Curry tied it for the final time with two free throws.

Allen scored for 33 points for the Sonics, who fell to 1-2 since firing Bob Weiss and replacing him with former Knicks coach Bob Hill. Rashard Lewis added 19.

The Sonics shot 64 percent in the first quarter to open a 35-25 lead. Robinson scored seven straight points to key a 12-2 run that gave the Knicks a one-point lead with 1:52 remaining in the half, and Seattle took a 61-62 lead into the break.

Allen scored 22 points in the half.

There were eight lead changes and four ties in the third quarter. Marbury scored nine straight New York points, and his layup with 1 second remaining gave the Knicks a 91-89 lead entering the final period. ^Notes The Sonics lost for the first time in four Sunday games this season. ... Knicks swingman Quentin Richardson returned after missing three straight games with back spasms. ... New York guard Jamal Crawford missed his second in a row because of sprained left foot.