Opponent: Denver Nuggets
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver
TV: FSN (cable)
Radio: KJR (950 AM)
Probable starters: For Seattle – forwards Damien Wilkins (6 feet, 6 inches) and Reggie Evans (6-8), center Jerome James (7-1), guards Ray Allen (6-5) and Luke Ridnour (6-2). For Denver – forwards Carmelo Anthony (6-8) and Nene (6-11), center Marcus Camby (6-11), guards Greg Buckner (6-4) and Andre Miller (6-2).
Next game: Houston at Seattle, 7 p.m. Monday.
Cleaves activated
As expected, the Sonics activated guard Mateen Cleaves from the injured list before the game to replace injured guard Antonio Daniels, who has a sore left knee.
Cleaves, who helped Michigan State win the 2000 NCAA championship, has played sparingly for the Sonics this season after being signed as an offseason free agent. He has spent 49 games on the injured list and appeared in just 10 of the 25 games he was on the active roster (heading into Friday’s game against the Lakers) for a total of just 16 minutes.
To make room for Cleaves, the Sonics moved rookie center Robert Swift to the injured list.
The reason Swift was moved instead of Daniels is because players must spend at least five games on the injured list. Daniels is not expected to be sidelined that long and the team wants him back in action as quickly as possible.
Cleaves is not expected to play significant minutes, but could be summoned “if something happens, whether it’s foul trouble or an injury or if someone is just not playing well,” said coach Nate McMillan. Otherwise, he went on, “we’ll go with the rotation of the guys who have been there – Flip (Murray), Luke (Ridnour) and Ray (Allen).”
Another possibility, he added, would be to swing forward Damien Wilkins to shooting guard. “He’s versatile enough to play either (shooting guard) or (small forward),” McMillan said.
Daniels, along with injured forward Rashard Lewis (severe bone bruise, right foot) are not expected to accompany the team to Denver for tonight’s game. Forward Danny Fortson (sprained left shoulder) is expected to travel, but will be a game-time decision.
Tickets on sale: The Sonics have begun selling tickets for the team’s first two playoff home games. Tickets, which went on sale after Friday’s Seattle-L.A. game at KeyArena, can be purchased beginning at 10 a.m. today at supersonics.com, at the KeyArena and other Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling 1-800-4NBATIX.
The dates and times of Seattle’s first two games will not be known until the end of the regular season, when all opening-round series will be scheduled. The playoffs are due to start on April 23.
The Sonics are near to clinching home-court advantage in the first round, which means they would open the playoffs at home. Though Seattle will almost certainly have the No. 3 spot from the Western Conference as Northwest Division champion (the Sonics, who still have a slim chance of catching No. 2 San Antonio, have a magic number of one to wrap up the division title), home-court advantage in each series is determined by regular-season record.
Rich Myhre, Herald writer
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
