Herald Staff
TODAY’S GAME
Opponent: Sacramento Kings
When: 7 p.m.
Where: KeyArena, Seattle
TV: KONG (Ch. 6/16)
Radio: KJR (950 AM)
Probable starters: For Seattle _ forwards Jelani McCoy (6 feet, 10 inches) and Rashard Lewis (6-10), center Patrick Ewing (7-0), guards Shammond Williams (6-1) and Gary Payton (6-4). For Sacramento _ forwards Chris Webber (6-10) and Hedo Turkoglu (6-8), center Vlade Divac (7-1), guards Doug Christie (6-6) and Jason Williams (6-1).
Next game: Washington at Seattle, 7 p.m. Friday.
NOTES
Medical report: The Sonics, with four days off between Friday’s game with Miami and tonight’s meeting with Sacramento, were supposed to do some physical healing.
Instead, Seattle is as banged up as before. Guard Gary Payton, who suffered a slight knee sprain against the Heat, tweaked the injury again during the team’s Tuesday practice. He is expected to play tonight, but may be slowed.
“I never question Gary going,” McMillan said, “but he is banged up. He’s about as bad as I’ve seen him. He’s had some tough injuries, and hasn’t (practiced) the last two days. Then he comes out (Tuesday, and gets hurt). … Somebody kind of landed on his knee and he couldn’t get out of the way.”
Guard Emanual Davis, a starter since Nate McMillan took over as head coach on Nov. 27, is still bothered by a knee sprain and is unlikely to play tonight. If he sits out, Shammond Williams will probably get his first start of the season.
Also, forward Jelani McCoy missed Tuesday’s practice because of illness. He will probably be back tonight.
Baker departs early: Forward Vin Baker was excused from practice early to attend to a personal matter having to do with his son, McMillan said.
Because of injuries and illness, Baker’s absence, and the Monday waiving of backup Pervis Ellison, the Sonics had only nine healthy bodies in the late minutes of Tuesday’s workout. So McMillan was pressed into duty as a point guard.
What did the players think of scrimmaging with the head coach?
“I told the guys when I hit the hardwood I’m all about business,” McMillan said with a smile. “I forgot that I was coaching. Offensively and defensively, I came up with a couple of steals. I didn’t make a (jump shot), but defensively I was there.”
Trivia question: Where did the Sacramento Kings franchise originate?
Vin vs. Webb: The last time Seattle faced Sacramento, the Kings posted a 125-101 home victory. It was a significant evening for two reasons. One, it was the final game for then-coach Paul Westphal (he was fired two days later). Also, Baker and Kings forward Chris Webber had an on-court tiff that got both players ejected in the fourth quarter.
Baker then wandered the bowels of Arco Arena, apparently looking for Webber to trade punches. Later, Webber taunted Baker in the media, calling him “one of the softest power forwards in the league. He wanted to get tough, so I had to remind him what time it is.”
Baker was not around at the end of Tuesday’s practice to speak to the media. But on Monday he told the Tacoma News-Tribune: “Chris Webber knows I am far from being the softest power forward in the league. He’ll see me (tonight). We came in (to the NBA) at the same time. I don’t see any accomplishment that he has done that I have not done already also.”
Added Baker: “Obviously, what happened down in Sacramento will be on my mind. But the biggest thing is we’ve got to win the basketball game. I can’t hurt my team by getting in a one-on-one situation with him. I just want to play my game.”
Trivia answer: The team began in 1948-49 as the Rochester (N.Y.) Royals. In 1957-58, the team moved to Cincinnati. In 1972-73, it moved again, becoming the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. Three years later, the franchise became just the Kansas City Kings. And in 1985-86, the team relocated to Sacramento.
Rich Myhre
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