He?s essentially missed the past five games, all losses for the Seattle SuperSonics.

A few of his teammates have suggested his presence might have been the difference in a few of those setbacks.

Power forward Chris Wilcox will get a chance to show how much of a difference maker he is tonight when he returns to Seattle?s lineup as the Los Angeles Lakers pay a visit to KeyArena.

Wilcox said after finishing a scrimmage-heavy practice on Sunday that he?s ready.

?My conditioning is straight,? Wilcox said after practice. ?I thought I was going to be worse than what I was. But I went through a full practice, no subs, ran up and down and made sure that I was good. So I think I?ll be OK for (today).?

Wilcox dislocated his right pinkie finger early in the Jan. 3 game at Phoenix and has not played since, returning to Seattle after that game to see Sonics team doctors.