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Sonics host Blazers in opener

Nov 1, 2006 - 4:32 PM Portland (21-61) at Seattle (35-47) 10:00 pm EST

SEATTLE (Ticker) - The Seattle SuperSonics don't want to witness the end the league's longest losing streak.

The Sonics host the Portland Trail Blazers, who have lost eight straight dating to last year, in the season opener for both teams Wednesday.

The Blazers finished the 2005-06 campaign with the worst record in the league, punctuated by a their late-season slide.

Seattle took three of its four meetings over Portland last season and seeks its third straight win in the series.

During the draft, the Sonics used their 10th pick to select Mouhamed Sene from Senegal. They also signed free-agent Kareem Rush, who averaged 10.1 points per game with the Charlotte Bobcats last year.

Seattle's 2004 first-round draft pick Robert Swift will miss the entire season after suffering a torn right ACL a week ago in a preseason game against Sacramento.

Portland did a lot of shuffling to its roster in the offseason, mainly on the night of the draft.

The Blazers made a trade with the Chicago Bulls for second overall pick LaMarcus Aldridge and another with Minnesota to bring in the sixth selection, Brandon Roy.

They also acquired Dan Dickau and Raef Lafrentz from the Boston Celtics for Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and a future draft pick. In August, Portland agreed to a deal with Milwaukee for Jamaal Magloire.

The Sonics finished the preseason at 4-4 while the Blazers went 2-6.