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Sonics Preview: For new-look Sonics and Durant, it all starts tonight
By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER

DENVER -- There is as much a sense of uncertainty in the Sonics organization as excitement and anticipation going into the season opener Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets.

While the franchise is eager to shift the focus from courtroom bickering to on-court entertainment, many team members, coaches and front-office personnel are unsure what to expect.

With the loss of their two leading scorers from a year ago -- Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis -- the Sonics are a team in transition. Five of the 14 players are new -- including two rookies -- while fourth-year center Robert Swift is returning after missing last season to recover from surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo waited until the very last minute to determine his starting lineup. The new coach has yet to complete his examination of the roster because of various injuries.

Heralded rookie Kevin Durant is expected to make his NBA debut after being hobbled with a sprained left ankle the past week. He practiced the past two days and reported no discomfort.

"Kevin looked good," Carlesimo said Tuesday after the team practiced in Denver. "Again, if he feels good (Wednesday) then he will go for sure."

Earl Watson will start at point guard, with Durant the shooting guard, Damien Wilkins the small forward, Chris Wilcox at power forward and Nick Collison at center.

Carlesimo described Swift's status as "very doubtful" because of a knee contusion and tendinitis. The coach indicated that Swift may not play until Sunday against the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Durant, who turned 19 on Sept. 29, becomes the franchise cornerstone. With star ability, skills beyond his years and a humble demeanor, the former college player of the year at Texas shouldn't take long to wow the local faithful as well as impress fans around the league.

Durant averaged 18 points and four rebounds during the preseason. He has a smooth outside shot along with the ability to take defenders off the dribble. The trouble he will face, starting Wednesday against Denver's Yakhouba Diawara, is that he lacks strength and will struggle to find desired spots on the floor for shots.

"I have been impressed with Kevin because he's so talented and he wants to learn," Carlesimo said. "I'm not really worried about him because you can tell he wants to get better and he works hard. But it's going to be a slow process and we can't put too much pressure on him."

With Allen and Lewis gone, the question is where the points will come from. Durant will help, but Wilcox is also looking for a breakout year, and his matchup with Denver's duo of Kenyon Martin and Nene will be intriguing, assuming Nene (calf injury) is healthy enough to play. Wilcox tallied 27 points in 32 minutes in the Sonics' preseason finale against Phoenix.

"The one thing we have to do is stay consistent with what we're doing, and what we're doing is growing and building as a team," Wilcox said. "By me going out there and doing the things (against Phoenix) betters us as a team. If that's what I gotta do for us to win games, then that's what it is."

The Nuggets are the most talented team in the Northwest Division but also the most troubled. Guard J.R. Smith will miss the game because of a three-game, team-mandated suspension after a nightclub incident. Guard Chucky Atkins is sidelined two months with a strained groin, pushing Allen Iverson to the point guard slot.

Martin missed all but two games last season after a second microfracture knee surgery and is expected to play limited minutes Wednesday.

Still, Denver possesses one of the league's elite players in Carmelo Anthony, who was considered the best player for Team USA this summer. Anthony torched the Sonics last season, averaging 31.3 points in three games. He will be a tough assignment for Wilkins.

"He's pretty much gotten to the next level," Carlesimo said. "He had a great summer and he's really a challenge because he's so big and so strong. He's literally one of the premier players in the league."

Carlesimo said he wished training camp would last longer for further evaluation, but the evaluation process will continue into the regular season, making high expectations unrealistic.

"Right now I can't make any predictions," Carlesimo said. "We've gotten a lot done during training camp, but there is a lot more to do. But the regular season is here and the games are for real."

Raji