Seattle (5-15) at New Orleans (13-7)

When:4 p.m., New Orleans Arena, New Orleans

TV: FSN. Radio: 770-AM

Series: Seattle split the season series with the Hornets, winning both games at home but losing on the road in New Orleans and Oklahoma City.

Scouting the Hornets: New Orleans will be undermanned tonight, with starting forward Peja Stojakovic (strained groin) and shooting guard Morris Peterson (sore back) both probably will not play tonight.

The two join Ryan Bowen (sprained left ankle) and Adam Haluska (sprained left ankle), leaving the Hornets with only 10 healthy players.

"Guys have got to step up now," New Orleans point guard Chris Paul told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Paul scored a career-high 43 points against the Grizzlies, the third time in five games he scored more than 30.

"Hopefully, our injured guys will get healthy as soon as possible.

"I can't shoot as well as Peja, but there are other things you can do to accommodate for him being out."

Rookie Julian Wright probably will get the start in place of Stojakovic. New Orleans coach Byron Scott said Rasual Butler will start if Peterson can’t go.

Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo said it’s important for his team to try and contain Paul.

“It will be another big game in terms of whether we can control or minimize his penetration a little bit,” Carlesimo said.

Listen to the rest of the Conversation with Carlesimo here.

Scouting the Sonics: Carlesimo said there’s a 50-50 chance Luke Ridnour will play today. Ridnour is recovering from a partially torn left quad injury, but has said he expects to be ready to go today. I wrote a story dealing with Ridnour’s long-term future as a Sonic, which you can read here.

Carlesimo said point guard Delonte West (plantar fasitiis) will not play tonight, and Robert Swift (right knee tendonitis) also will not play.

Seattle has played well of late, wining two straight and finishing its home stand at 3-1. But they need to come out aggressive tonight against a short-handed New Orleans team to kick start the Sonics five-game road swing, which includes stops in New Orleans, Chicago, New York, Minnesota and Utah.

Seattle’s big guys have played well the last two games. Kurt Thomas, Chris Wilcox and Nick Collison have averaged 30.5 points and 30 rebounds combined the last two games.

“Since Nick’s been back he’s had two really solid games,” Carlesimo said. “And Kurt (Thomas) has played well basically all year. But I think the more he plays the better he’s going to continue to play. And Wheezy (Chris Wilcox) is having a good year And the couple games Johan (Petro) has come in he has contributed. So I think the bigs have done a good job.”

Next: Tuesday at Chicago Bulls, 5:30 p.m., United Center.