Medical update: The Sonics expect to be without rookie forward Vladimir Radmanovic for tonight’s game. Radmanovic sprained his ankle in Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers and also missed Sunday’s meeting with Orlando.
He practiced on Tuesday and was “able to get up and down the floor when we scrimmaged,” Sonics coach Nate McMillan said. “But he’s really limited on what he can do. He’s staying out of trapping and trying not to get tangled up.”
There is a chance Radmanovic will return to duty for Friday’s game at Golden State, McMillan said.
Centers Jerome James (sprained ankle) and Calvin Booth (ankle tendinitis), meanwhile, remain on the injured list. Neither one is practicing yet and both are probably several games away.
Guard Desmond Mason, who returned from the injured list against Orlando after sitting out six games with a sprained knee, says his injury “is doing good.” Mason had vowed not to wear a knee brace when he returned, but is in fact wearing a brace in games and practices. “This was the only way they were going to let me play,” he said.
Lastly, starting forward Rashard Lewis went up for a rebound in Tuesday’s practice “and got slammed to the floor,” McMillan reported. “I think he’s a little stiff, but he should be all right (to play tonight).”
Letting bygones be bygones: Seattle forward Vin Baker said he has made amends with Sacramento forward Chris Webber after their season-long feud a year ago. It started when the two got tossed out of an early-season game in Sacramento, then sought each other out (but never found each other) in the bowels of Arco Arena as the game was continuing on the court.
After the final game between the teams last season, Baker said, “Chris and I discussed it and that was it. We just basically said that it was a misunderstanding and wished each other Godspeed for the season.”
In tonight’s contest, both players will “go out and compete hard,” Baker added. “There’s no hard feelings. We’re just going to compete. Our team needs a win and he wants to get back into a rhythm (after missing 20 games with an ankle sprain), so it should make for a good matchup.”
McMillan believes last year’s tiff was largely because “Vin was on the Olympic team and Webber didn’t make it, and Webber wanted to prove a point.”
Trivia question: Ten times in his career, Michael Jordan was an All-NBA first-team choice, the last time in the 1997-98 season. Who joined Jordan in the All-NBA first-team backcourt?
Sign of the times: Fans used to communicate with pro athletes mostly by mail. These days, though, fans can sometimes keep in touch without leaving home – via the internet.
Increasing numbers of pro athletes are establishing web sites, and one of them is Sonics guard Desmond Mason (www.desmondmason.com). The site includes photos of Mason, both as a collegiate player and in the NBA, along with statistics and other career information.
Fans can also send e-mails to Mason with questions about basketball and, in some instances, art, which was his major in college.
“My agent decided to do it, and I thought it would be a good idea,” Mason said. “I thought it would be fun. People can ask questions, and I’ll go on every once in awhile and respond.”
Mason says he may go two or three days without visiting the site, and when he does log on there may be 50-60 e-mails. Many are from Oklahoma State fans (Mason’s alma mater), who enjoy following his NBA career.
Trivia answer: Seattle’s Gary Payton.
Rich Myhre
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