Eric Williams covered the Sonics' last season in Seattle. A Tacoma native, Eric graduated from Mount Tahoma High and the University of Puget Sound.
Other sites of interest:
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| << < | > >> | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
- April 2009 (1)
- March 2009 (1)
- February 2009 (11)
- January 2009 (6)
- December 2008 (16)
- November 2008 (4)
- October 2008 (6)
- September 2008 (2)
- July 2008 (9)
- June 2008 (81)
- May 2008 (21)
- April 2008 (48)
- More...

The team practiced a little over two hours on Monday. Delonte West was not in attendance. He flew back to the Washington, D.C. area to attend his grandmother’s funeral.
Damien Wilkins dressed but did not practice. Sonics coach P.J Carlesimo said his ankle did not swell up on the plane ride back from Indianapolis, and Wilkins is listed as day-to-day.
Chris Wilcox left the Indiana game late with a mild right knee strain but was fine and practiced on Monday.
Johan Petro also missed practice today, due to heart palpitations. Petro had similar issues with his heart last season, and saw a cardiologist today. I hope to know more about Petro’s condition this afternoon.
The other 12 players practiced today, including Robert Swift, who didn’t play at all on the two-game road trip. Swift looked a little stiff but seemed to move fine. He is expected to play on Thursday when the team takes on the L.A. Lakers in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif.
Mouhamed Sene talked about his breakout performance against Indianapolis. The 7-footer from Senegal finished with six points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots in 24 minutes. It was Sene’s first preseason action, and he should get another extended look on Thursday against the Lakers.
Sene said he feels more comfortable on the floor this season, and his English is better, which has resulted in better communication on the floor with both coaches and teammates in terms of strategy and knowing where he’s supposed to be.
Sene also has more peace of mind. He said that last season he was worried about his family, who was in danger back in his native country of Senegal. Sene said people who were jealous of his family were breaking into his family’s home and threatening to harm them because of Sene’s status as a pro basketball player. Sene said his family also lived in a dangerous part of town.
During the offseason Sene helped his family find a new home in a safer area of Senegal, so he doesn’t have to worry about their well-being as much this season.
He said he doesn’t want to go back to the NBA developmental league, and believes he’s ready to play consistent minutes.
“Right now I am more worried about what I have to do to stay on the floor,” Sene said. “So I want to stay here. I’m ready for the NBA.”
Sene and West are the only players that have not started a game, so those two will probably start on Thursday. Carlesimo seems content to wait two more games before deciding on a starting five, eventually tightening the rotation for Seattle’s home game against Golden State Oct. 23.
Carlesimo also said that most of the defensive and offensive transition system is in, but only 10 to 15 percent of the offensive, half-court sets are in. That’s why Seattle has struggled in the half-court offensively.
Listen to Carlesimo talk more about that here.
Nick Collison is in the midst of a tough battle for playing time with Wilcox. Both players have looked good so far this season. But Carlesimo has stayed with the young trio of centers in Swift, Petro, Sene and veteran Kurt Thomas at the center spot, leaving Collison and Wilcox sharing time at power forward. Collison started several games at center for Seattle last season, so he has to again prove that he deserves minutes at both positions.
However, Collison’s offensive skill set and ability to attack the boards should garner him consistent playing time. Whether that’s as a starter or contributor off the bench remains to be seen.
“I just want to get on the court,” Collison said. “And If I can play both positions that will help me get on the court.”
Listen to Collison talk more here.
COMMENTS:
PG -- Earl Watson
Comment: Watson is probably puts the best pressue on the ball defensively, which is important in Coach Carlesimo's defensive system. And in all fairness Luke and Delonte have not played that much due to injuries. I thought Luke pushed the ball well against Indiana, and we all know Delonte's potential so I think this battle will come down to the wire. Jermaine Jackson also has run the offense well when he's been in. But I give Earl the early nudge.
SG -- Kevin Durant
Comment: I think it makes sense to play him here right now until he gets stronger and acclimated to the league.
SF -- Damien Wilkins
Comment: Somebody has to guard the Kobe Bryants and Tracy McGradys of the NBA, and I think Damien will draw that duty initially. Although Gelabale certainly has the ability to be a good defender, I don't think he is as far along as Wilkins. Szczerbiak will certainly see time here as well because of his scoring ability, but I expect him to play limited minutes because he's coming off ankle surgery. I think Jeff Green is more suited to come off the bench right now as he learns the NBA game.
PF -- Chris Wilcox
Comment: He's looked really good so far. He fits the transition offensive system well and looks more comfortable on the post. This could be a breakout year for Wilcox.
C -- Nick Collison
Comment: P.J. has talked about there not being enough minutes at power forward for both Nick and Wilcox. And with Robert Swift still needing some time for his knee to fully recover, this could be the short-term solution. Although you can't count out Kurt Thomas.
That's how I see it right now. What do you think?
Judge Martinez is a star. He has risen fast in the judicial ranks. During his last year in the UW law school, he played on my intramural team in a limited height league. He played an Andrian Dantley role and was our primary post option. He had turn arounds in either direction. After he and others graduated, I merged two teams and won the title.
Comments are not allowed from anonymous visitors. Please login or register to comment.
