Notebook: Weiss is a man of candid talks

Forward Reggie Evans is the latest Sonic to take advantage of coach Bob Weiss' open-door policy and inquire why he lost his starting spot, why he is no longer in the rotation and why his playing time has been diminished.

A week ago, Vladimir Radmanovic posed similar questions and has since responded with a trio of games that seemingly knocked him out of his early season shooting slump.

Weiss declined to reveal what he said to Evans, but suggested Tuesday night that the starting lineup and rotation isn't likely to change.

"It's nothing against his play," Weiss said. "A lot of times it's just a matter of 'Do we need length? Do we need balance and shooting to spread the floor?' It's no knock on the way he's been playing."

Evans, who declined a two-year offer from the Sonics and signed a one-year tender, hoped a solid season would net him a lucrative reward next summer.

After this setback, he's had to re-adjust his plans.

"We talked," Evans said. "We're grown men. He said what he had to say and I said what I had to say, and pretty much that was it. ... After that, I'm just trying to do what I need to do, which is working hard on the court. Just turning it up a notch and being ready when and if they call on me."

Weiss turned to Evans in the third quarter after Danny Fortson was unable to return because of an arthritic right toe.

In 15 minutes, 52 seconds of action, Evans finished with six rebounds and five points.

"He gave us a lot tonight," Weiss said. "I complemented him in the locker room. I assigned him to [Mehmet] Okur and I thought he did a great job on him."

Weiss said he's also had a candid sit down discussion with reserve forward Damien Wilkins and acknowledged that he might soon need to talk openly with reserve guard Ronald Murray, who had been a key player in past years, but has fallen out of the rotation.

Notes

• The Sonics plan to treat their Thanksgiving game in Los Angeles against the Lakers as just another road trip. Seattle general manager Rick Sund approached co-captain Ray Allen about the idea of doing something special for the team, such as dinner at the team's hotel or a nearby restaurant.

Allen said he preferred for the Sonics to stick to their normal routine.

Weiss plans to celebrate the holiday Friday with his family, and most players will do the same.

• G Rick Brunson, who has played just one game, suffered a setback during his recovery from left foot plantar fasciitis. Brunson was unable to complete a workout Saturday and was told by trainers to continue resting the foot.

• Seahawks S Ken Hamlin attended Tuesday's game and sat courtside next to his attorney, John Wolfe.

UTAH
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Humphries	25:38	3-5	0-0	1-3	2	3	6
Okur	40:53	10-16	1-2	3-9	2	5	24
Ostertag	27:37	3-5	0-0	3-7	1	3	6
Giricek	29:02	7-11	2-2	0-3	4	4	17
Dwilliams	37:56	0-8	4-7	0-6	7	1	4
Palacio	24:48	3-10	6-8	0-5	2	3	12
Brown	29:29	4-9	5-5	0-3	2	3	14
Miles	4:15	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	0
Collins	20:22	2-3	6-6	1-2	0	2	10
Totals		32-68	24-30	8-38	20	25	93

Percentages: FG .471, FT .800. Three-point goals: 5-11, .455 (Okur 3-3, Giricek 1-2, Brown 1-3, Humphries 0-1, D.Williams 0-2). Team rebounds: 12. Team turnovers: 14 (24 PTS). Blocked shots: 4 (Ostertag 2, Brown, Palacio). Turnovers: 11 (D.Williams 4, Humphries 2, Palacio 2, Giricek, Okur, Ostertag). Steals: 4 (Brown 2, Okur, D.Williams). Technical fouls: Defensive Three Second, 1:45 first.

SEATTLE
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Collison	36:06	3-8	2-2	3-6	1	5	8
Lewis	43:58	8-20	7-10	3-8	4	2	26
Petro	10:32	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	2
Allen	41:22	8-20	5-5	1-1	1	2	23
Ridnour	34:08	3-6	2-2	0-6	6	5	8
Potapenko	13:39	0-3	0-0	0-1	0	2	0
Cleaves	13:52	2-3	4-4	0-1	0	3	9
Radmanovic	15:03	1-7	0-0	0-2	1	2	2
Wilkins	10:40	1-5	2-2	2-4	0	0	4
Fortson	4:49	0-0	0-1	0-1	0	3	0
Evans	15:52	2-3	1-4	3-6	1	0	5
Totals		29-76	23-30	12-36	14	25	87

Percentages: FG .382, FT .767. Three-point goals: 6-21, .286 (Lewis 3-5, Allen 2-10, Cleaves 1-2, Ridnour 0-1, Wilkins 0-1, Radmanovic 0-2). Team rebounds: 10. Team turnovers: 11 (17 PTS). Blocked shots: 2 (Collison, Petro). Turnovers: 11 (Radmanovic 3, Fortson 3, Petro 2, Potapenko, Ridnour, Cleaves). Steals: 5 (Allen 3, Lewis, Ridnour). Technical fouls: None.

Utah	19	32	22	20 — 93
Seattle	14	24	22	27 — 87

Attendance: 14,834 (17,072). Time: 2:16. Officials: Ron Garretson, Bennie Adams, Sean Wright.