Rookie Kyle Weaver, who has started six straight games for the Thunder since Desmond Mason was lost for the season, goes to the basket against the Lakers' Lamar Odom on Tuesday.

They're back.

Well, after a fashion.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who for four decades traded under the name Seattle SuperSonics, will be in Portland tonight (7 p.m., Comcast) to take on the Trail Blazers. Rookie guard Kyle Weaver, who starred at Washington State, will be in the Thunder's starting lineup when the action tips off at the Rose Garden.

News Tribune reporters Eric D. Williams and Todd Milles will travel to Portland to witness and report on the gala event. Look for stories on the Trail Blazers' Brandon Roy and former Washington State standout Weaver as well as a general roundup of the erstwhile SuperSonics in the paper in coming days.

After seeing limited action in the first two months of the season, Weaver was inserted into the starting lineup after Desmond Mason went down with a season-ending injury. Weaver has started the past six games. He scored a career-high 11 points in a 105-98 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. He had four rebounds.

Weaver played a season-high 36 minutes against the Lakers, shooting 5-of-13 from the field and 1-of-7 from 3-point range. He's averaging 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds a game.

The ticket to the starting lineup for the 6-foot-6 Weaver is defense, however.

"That’s his strength,” coach Scott Brooks told The Oklahoman. "He’s a defender. He has a body type that can defend a lot of positions in this league. And we want that out of him and we expect that out of him."

The Thunder (13-39) beat the Trail Blazers (31-19) in Oklahoma City, 102-93, last Friday. Roy, the former University of Washington star, scored 32 points in a losing effort. He's averaging 22.4 points, 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game.

Roy, the NBA rookie of the year in 2007, will play in his second All-Star game this Sunday in Phoenix.