New Starting Lineup in Cleveland

After a relatively short Sonics practice Thursday morning (the team is headed for Cleveland in an hour or so), Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo shared part of his starting lineup for the game with the media. Wally Szczerbiak and Kurt Thomas, who did not play Tuesday in Sacramento, will start. So will Earl Watson. Carlesimo couldn't recall for sure, but thinks Mickael Gelabale is scheduled to start at shooting guard.

Delonte West is scheduled to play point guard as a reserve after exclusively playing shooting guard against the Kings.

Not part of the starting five, as far as I'm aware: Kevin Durant. So I asked Durant whether he recalled the last time he came off the bench, and it took him a second to think about it.

"I think my 10th-grade year on senior night," he eventually recalled. "It really doesn't matter to me. This is preseason. If I come off the bench during the year, I have no problem with it. I'm just going to come in the game and work hard."

Robert Swift will not play against Cleveland after missing another practice due to tendinitis in his right knee.

"He may play against Indiana, depending on how he feels," said Carlesimo. "If it's even a tough call, we'll just shut him down and he'll be able to get three or four days of rest, because we'll take Sunday off when we come back. If he feels up to it and Mike (Shimensky) thinks he looks okay, we'll use him Saturday, but he won't play Friday for sure."

Luke Ridnour is day-to-day. He also did not practice Thursday because he was being fitted for a protective facemask that he will wear after breaking his nose Tuesday.

Durant and Jeff Green will play in both games of the road trip to get their first experience with back-to-backs.

- Storm Head Coach Anne Donovan watched the end of practice from the balcony at The Furtado Center. Afterwards, she chatted with Carlesimo and Assistant Coach Paul Westhead, who led the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championship before joining the Sonics coaching staff. One of Westhead's assistants in Phoenix, Corey Gaines, met up with him after Tuesday's game in Sacramento.