Notebook | Thomas gets start to face Spurs star Tim Duncan
Sonics center Kurt Thomas made his second start of the season on Sunday against San Antonio. Thomas also started in Seattle’s road win against Miami earlier this month.
Coach P.J. Carlesimo swapped Nick Collison with Thomas in part to get the latter more minutes and because Thomas has historically played well against Spurs All-Star Tim Duncan. Thomas played the opening five minutes, getting three rebounds and scoring two points as the Sonics built an 18-11 lead.
Thomas has missed nine games this season because of a right hamstring pull. The team is trying to be judicious with his minutes, but the 13-year veteran is shaking out to be the team’s better defender inside and a necessary leader on the court.
“Kurt feels good,” Carlesimo said. “He’ll still be limited, though.”
Carlesimo wants to play Thomas about 20 minutes per game. Two games removed from missing three consecutive matchups because of the injury, Thomas is averaging 16.2 minutes and 7.3 boards.
“Anything to help the team win, I’m for,” Thomas said of getting the start. “I love playing against Tim Duncan. I look at it as a challenge. He’s the best power forward in the league and a defending world champion.”
Petro returning?
Sonics center Johan Petro surprised Carlesimo by being out on the court shooting before Sunday’s game. Petro said he was told he’d be out two weeks with a lower back injury, but he said the area felt fine Sunday.
“It’s encouraging,” Carlesimo said.
Petro did not play against the Spurs but could play against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday, getting a practice in before rejoining the rotation.
Missing you
The scene before tipoff mirrored a family reunion, with players, coaches, and front-office staff all catching up with each other. Carlesimo, Sonics general manager Sam Presti, and player development assistant Brian Keefe were with San Antonio last season.
“He was a close confidant for five years,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Carlesimo, his lead assistant from 2002 to 2007. “He was a great sounding board. I miss him now because I don’t have an older guy like him to talk to about different things. [But] I’d rather have him do what he’s doing than be an assistant with us, because he deserves to be a head coach.”