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 Durant swished an open shot created by a screen from Kurt Thomas, whose consecutive open jumpers had given Seattle an unlikely lead with 90 seconds to go. Luke Ridnour hit a free throw with 12 seconds left before Manu Ginobili, who had 29 points, missed a leaning 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining that would have tied it.
The Spurs lost for a season-high third consecutive time while playing without star Tony Parker. The point guard will be out indefinitely with a bone spur in his left heel, coach Gregg Popovich announced before the game.
San Antonio is now 9-9 this season without Parker, Ginobili or Tim Duncan. Duncan scored 27 points but was frustrated for much of the night while missing 11 of 21 shots.
The Spurs are 0-2 on a nine-game trip to both coasts, San Antonio's annual trek while the city's stock show and rodeo take over its home court.
Popovich said this week that his teams have often used the "rodeo trip" to improve focus. The Spurs went 8-1 on the trip in 2003 before lassoing the second of four NBA titles since 1999. They went 5-2 on the rodeo trip en route to winning it all in 2005.
Then again, the Spurs were only 4-4 on their trek last year -- then went 23-6 after the All-Star break and won another league title a few months later.
Now, they will have to get along without Parker, their catalyst who is averaging 19.2 points and 6.1 assists per game this season.
But they still have Duncan and Ginobili, who was playing his second game since taking off the protective device he'd been wearing this month over his sprained left index finger.
A visibly agitated Duncan got a frustration foul and went to the bench in the final minute of the third quarter after a turnover that he thought was a slap across his wrist by Thomas. While Duncan sat and stewed, Seattle turned a 64-59 deficit into a 69-66 lead.
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Normal NBA hierarchy was soon restored, with the Spurs seizing back the lead. But only briefly.
Thomas took advantage of Duncan leaving him virtually alone to make consecutive flat-footed shots from 16 feet and 17 feet and give Seattle an 82-81 lead with 90 seconds left. Duncan just grimaced while arriving late to watch Thomas' second, go-ahead basket.
A free throw by Ginobili tied it before Chris Wilcox gave Seattle the lead again with a turnaround shot in the lane with 55.8 seconds left. Then Ginobili shook off a near steal in the open court by Durant and coldly swished a 24-foot 3-pointer far beyond the top of the key to give San Antonio an 85-84 lead with 43.5 seconds remaining.
Ginobili then fed an open Fabrico Oberto for a layup attempt, but Oberto rushed and banged that off the glass without hitting the rim with 15 seconds to go. Seattle rebounded and Ridnour made two free throws to put the Sonics ahead 88-85 with 12 seconds remaining.
Ginobili stepped back to try a leaning 3-pointer after pump-faking Earl Watson out of position, but the shot missed off the right side of the rim.
Notes: Since starting 17-3, the Spurs are 11-13. ... Durant has 51 points in two games this season against the Spurs, who entered Tuesday with the third-best scoring defense in the league. ... Jacques Vaughn played a season-high 37 minutes as the surprise starter for Parker. He had four points on 2-for-9 shooting, with four assists and two turnovers. ... The Sonics were without G Damien Wilkins, who is averaging 9.4 points. A team spokesman said he had a stomach flu.
[Associated Press; By GREGG BELL]
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