After seeing Vin Baker practice Monday for the first time in a week, Seattle SuperSonics coach Nate McMillan did an about-face and said Baker likely will start tonight, when the Sonics visit the Sacramento Kings in the season openers for both teams.

Baker strained his back last week, and had been unable to practice. But he participated in full Monday, working with the first unit, and McMillan said he was satisfied with Baker's fitness and his knowledge of the plays.

"He looked pretty good today," McMillan said. "He knew the plays, he was in the right spots rotating, and my concern was that he didn't know some of the sets that we had added."

Where Baker will start, though, remains to be seen. Center Calvin Booth's sprained ankle is a little worse than the team expected, and he sat out the back half of practice with ice on the ankle.