Sonics-Jazz pregame

Utah (3-2) at Seattle (0-5), 7:30 p.m.
TV: FSN
RADIO: 770-AM
Series: The two teams split the series at two games apiece last season. It’s the first meeting between the two teams this season. Utah owns the overall series at 72-69.

Scouting the Jazz: Seattle will have to figure out a way to stop Utah’s two-headed monster of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. Boozer has notched a double-double in each of the first five games so far for the Jazz, and is averaging 24 points and 13.2 rebounds a contest. Williams, in only his second season, has developed into one of the best point guards in the league. Williams has been a workhorse for Utah, averaging 38.2 minutes, 22.6 points and 9.8 assists a contest. Expected starters for Utah are Williams (PG), Ronnie Brewer (SG), Andrei Kirileko (SF), Boozer (PF) and Mehmet Okur (C).

Scouting the Sonics: Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo postponed his planned shuffling of the starting line-up for another game. Carlesimo said he wanted a practice to take a look at the new lineup before putting them out on the floor. And he also wants Luke Ridnour to get rid of the mask that protects his healing broken nose, which should be any day now, and to allow for Kurt Thomas to come back from a right hamstring strain.
Carlesimo also said he liked the match-up with Utah and the starters he’s played in the last two games.
That means the starting lineup for Seattle tonight will be Earl Watson (PG), Kevin Durant (SG), Damien Wilkins (SF), Chris Wilcox (PF) and Robert Swift (C).

Ridnour seemed a possibility to replace Earl Watson at point guard. Watson has struggled shooting from the floor, going 11-of-36 from the field (30.6 %) in the first five games. Watson averaged seven assists a contest during that span, and 2.6 turnovers a game.

Listen to Carlesimo talk about the changes here.

Carlesimo also said he isn’t sure if he will send center Mouhamed Sene down to the developmental league, which starts training camp next week. Because of the uncertainty with Swift and Thomas, Carlesimo wants to keep Sene around. Mickael Gelabale also is a possibility to see time in the developmental league because of the backup at the wing position. The other two players eligible for the developmental league – Kevin Durant and Jeff Green – will not be headed to Idaho for obvious reasons.

“This is a free country, if guys want to go to Idaho they can go to Idaho,” Carlesimo quiped. “But in terms of going to down to play with whatever the name of the team is – the Stampede – I don’t think he’s going. He may go to Wyoming for the stampede, but I don’t think he’s going to Idaho to play for the Stampede.”

Seattle will have to figure out how to contain Utah offensively if they want to avoid making franchise history tonight. A loss against the Jazz and Seattle ties the franchise record for consecutive losses to begin the season at 0-6, joining the 1969-1970 team in the record books. Utah is the top scoring team in the league right now at 111.4 points per game, while the Sonics give up the second-most points in the league defensively at 110 points per contest.