Opponent: Denver Nuggets
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: KeyArena, Seattle
TV: FSN (cable)
Radio: KJR (950 AM)
Lewis questionable for Denver game
As his teammates went through a spirited practice on Monday, forward Rashard Lewis stayed on the sidelines due to a sore left knee that has him questionable for Wednesday’s game against Denver.
Lewis was injured against Phoenix on Friday when “he got tangled up with somebody,” according to coach Nate McMillan. Though Lewis hurt both his knee and ankle, McMillan added, “he just gutted it out and finished the game.”
Lewis has been getting daily treatment, “but he still has some soreness there. He’s just banged up right now,” McMillan said. Though Lewis might also sit out today’s practice, “he should be ready for Wednesday’s game. I haven’t been told that he won’t be ready for Wednesday.”
Lewis, who was not available for comment after Monday’s practice, has played in all of Seattle’s 23 games and is averaging 22.0 points and 5.4 rebounds in 39.6 minutes a game.
Trivia question: Forward Reggie Evans is averaging a team-high 8.6 rebounds a game. Who was the last Sonic to average over 8.0 rebounds a game?
Going at it: The Sonics have just one game in a nine-day stretch that wraps around Christmas, leaving McMillan concerned the team might lose its competitive edge. It was his primary point to the squad in post-practice remarks Monday.
“We have to keep our focus and our hunger,” he said. “With the Christmas holidays and so much going on and with families coming into town, you can lose sight of what you need to do. We don’t want to do that.”
Monday’s practice was long and intense, capped by an energetic scrimmage with several hard fouls – diminutive guard Luke Ridnour got knocked to the floor twice in the space of some 30 seconds. McMillan plans more of the same today.
“We want to try to put ourselves in as close to a game situation as possible,” he said. “We want to try to keep that edge.”
Making believers: Guard Ray Allen is still not sure people around the NBA think the Sonics are for real even though Seattle is 18-5, the league’s third-best record.
“But that’s OK,” Allen shrugged. “It doesn’t matter whether we talk about it or not. We just have to show people. And every night that we win another game, it’s proof enough.”
Trivia answer: Olden Polynice, who averaged 8.9 rebounds a game in the lockout-shortened 1999 season.
Rich Myhre, Herald Writer
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