Regular Season Countdown

The season begins Tuesday with a nationally televised double header on TNT, Portland vs. San Antonio and Lakers vs. Rockets. The Sonics open the season in Denver on Wednesday and play their home opener against the Suns next Thursday. Even though we’re in the middle of the World Series, a terrific NFL season and a wacky college football season, I’m ready for the NBA season.

I’ll be in Seattle covering the Sonics’ home opener next week, reporting on all things basketball in the Northwest from Kevin Durant’s bum ankle to the state of the franchise as it prepares for what could be its final season in Seattle. Clay Bennett is supposed to be in attendance, so we should get some answers to when he plans on filing for relocation to Oklahoma City.

Speaking of answers, a decision in the court case between the Sonics and the city of Seattle could come later today or some time on Friday. A Washington judge will be deciding whether or not the case must stay in court or can be transferred to a panel of arbitrators. That’s only the beginning, though. The legalities still will have to play out no matter which forum handles the dispute.

NBA Commissioner David Stern has a conference call this afternoon. I’ll be on it, and I’m sure I or someone else will ask about the state of the Sonics. I’m not expecting much more from him than what he said about a 1 1/2 weeks ago when he said it was “all bad.” But we’ll see. You never know.