Center Emeka Okafor didn't play in the preseason because of a sprained second toe on his right foot. He has practiced the past three days, but whether he'll be available won't be known until today. If he can't go, Hilton Armstrong is expected to start.

Reserve forward Ike Diogu has been sidelined by a sore knee and won't play tonight. His absence means extended minutes for another newcomer, forward Darius Songaila.

Rookie guards Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton have shown potential, but just how much coach Byron Scott trusts them this early remains to be seen. Collison is competing with the sixth newcomer, Bobby Brown, to be Chris Paul's primary backup at point guard. Brown had a good preseason.

"We're still a work in progress," Scott said before leaving for San Antonio.

New Orleans is carrying 15 players, one more than either of the past two seasons. It will have to name three inactives before each game. Injuries will be part of that evaluation.

"We still have to get some guys back and see where we are when we're healthy," forward Peja Stojakovic said. "We need to get Emeka back in the lineup."

Stojakovic is expected to be out of the starting lineup for the first time since joining the Hornets three years ago. Third-year forward Julian Wright is expected to start as Stojakovic joins the bench, which has been reworked from a year ago.

The Hornets struggled to a 2-6 preseason record as Paul and all-star forward David West joined Okafor and Diogu on the bench at times.

Scott said his biggest concerns from the preseason are on the defensive end where New Orleans had poor rotation and communication and allowed too many points in the paint.

The Spurs are the defending Southwest Division champions, finishing last season with a record of 54-28, five games better than the fourth-place Hornets .

San Antonio made a major trade in the offseason, acquiring forward Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee, and added backup center/forward Antonio McDyess.

Though perennial all-star center Tim Duncan is getting old and versatile sixth man Manu Ginobili has been plagued by injury the past few seasons, the Spurs are generally considered a top contender to the defending NBA champion Lakers in the Western Conference.

"We know they're going to try and make a statement," Scott said. "With the new additions that they have, they want to see if they're going to be one of the teams in the Western Conference that has a chance top dethrone the Lakers. So we know that on national TV, they're going to try and make a statement and we just have to be ready for it."

The Hornets play their home opener against Sacramento on Friday night in the New Orleans Arena.