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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11923281p-12810287c.html
Ailene Voisin: This kid looks like wily veteran
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, January 3, 2005
Kevin Martin splits the Spurs' Manu Ginobili and Tony Massenburg on his way to a dunk to close the first half.
Sacramento Bee/José Luis Villegas
The rookie, the kid.
The one who resembles Doug Christie.
The skinny little dude - and at 6-foot-7, 185 pounds, Kevin Martin has yet to reach the lanky stage - nonetheless rocked the house Sunday night, sent a double shot of espresso coursing through the aisles. Once would have been enough, truly it would have been. But before it was over, and the Kings had reclaimed a smidge of that Arco Arena Advantage with an impressive victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the first-year guard from Western Carolina provided the play of the game ... and then provided another play of the game.
He gave an encore performance before taking a final bow, leaving those who edit the television highlights with a vicious decision - namely, which play to feature in a limited amount of time? The dunk that left the Kings jumping and laughing and high-fiving on the sidelines, or the gift-wrapped pass that went behind his back, between the legs of the Spurs' Brent Barry, before finally resulting in a reverse layup by Darius Songaila?
"(Barry) asked me, 'Did you intend to throw the ball between my legs like that?' " Martin related afterward, laughing. "I told him no. I just tried to throw the ball out there. Let's just call this beginner's luck. I didn't know any better. Usually I'm on the receiving end of those kind of passes."
No, usually, Martin is on the bench. Through no fault of his own, he just happened to be drafted by a team with a veteran backcourt of Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Bobby Jackson. Until Jackson's wrist injury forced Kings coach Rick Adelman to take a longer look down his bench, Martin suspected this was going to be one of those learn-by-the-seat-of-the-pants seasons, in which he studies the playbook and exhausts himself physically during practices.
But this is a new year, if not a new backcourt. On New Year's Eve in Salt Lake City, Martin was solid for most of his 19 minutes, thus earning himself another shot at the powerful Spurs. In his most extensive outing of the year, he scored nine points, grabbed six rebounds, added an assist and a steal in 22 minutes and, in essence, gave the Kings a different look with his athleticism, quickness, explosiveness and healthful dose of youthful exhuberance.
"I call Kevin an 'affectionate hotshot,' " said assistant Pete Carril, "because he's got some loose ends to his game. He needs to work on a few things, like his ballhandling. But he has a chance to be a very good player if he keeps working."
And that pass?
"That's something I didn't teach him," cracked Carril.
And that dunk?
"I didn't teach him that, either."
There were early hints that this was going to be a special night, both for Martin and the Kings. In contrast to the most recent home games, the Kings were frisky and engaged from the start. Chris Webber moved the ball and badgered Tim Duncan. Peja Stojakovic ran the floor, attacked the boards, stroked his threes in rhythm. Mike Bibby exploited his fleet defenders with those hestitation dribble moves of his. Maurice Evans contributed solid defense.
And Martin put the Kings ahead in the second quarter with a nifty post-up move on the right side.
Then there was the dunk.
Then there was the pass.
In the waning seconds of the half, Martin, 21, dribbled around a high screen on the right elbow from Webber, and before the Spurs caught onto his act, split two defenders and went up for a two-handed stuff that left the rim rattling. "The lane was wide open," he said later. "I just saw the opening and went."
Later, with 8:32 remaining in a tight game between two old familiar foes, Martin caught everyone by surprise. His teammates. His coaches. His opponents. Himself. This time, he held the ball on the left of the foul line, and as Songaila cut toward the basket, the youngster cupped the ball in his right hand, whipped it behind his back and aimed a perfect one-bounce toss that went between Barry's legs.
The place went crazy, Arco buzzing like the old days. The reserves leaped off the bench. The starters walked over to Martin, wide grins splitting their features. The crowd was on its feet. During the ensuing timeout, Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof stood at his courtside seat, imitating the wraparound pass for a companion seated at his side.
"I couldn't even imagine throwing a pass like that," he said later. "That was unbelievable."
Over and over, the sequence was replayed on the overhead scoreboard, the fans gasping and applauding. Martin, he just smiled.
Ailene Voisin: This kid looks like wily veteran
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, January 3, 2005
Kevin Martin splits the Spurs' Manu Ginobili and Tony Massenburg on his way to a dunk to close the first half.
Sacramento Bee/José Luis Villegas
The rookie, the kid.
The one who resembles Doug Christie.
The skinny little dude - and at 6-foot-7, 185 pounds, Kevin Martin has yet to reach the lanky stage - nonetheless rocked the house Sunday night, sent a double shot of espresso coursing through the aisles. Once would have been enough, truly it would have been. But before it was over, and the Kings had reclaimed a smidge of that Arco Arena Advantage with an impressive victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the first-year guard from Western Carolina provided the play of the game ... and then provided another play of the game.
He gave an encore performance before taking a final bow, leaving those who edit the television highlights with a vicious decision - namely, which play to feature in a limited amount of time? The dunk that left the Kings jumping and laughing and high-fiving on the sidelines, or the gift-wrapped pass that went behind his back, between the legs of the Spurs' Brent Barry, before finally resulting in a reverse layup by Darius Songaila?
"(Barry) asked me, 'Did you intend to throw the ball between my legs like that?' " Martin related afterward, laughing. "I told him no. I just tried to throw the ball out there. Let's just call this beginner's luck. I didn't know any better. Usually I'm on the receiving end of those kind of passes."
No, usually, Martin is on the bench. Through no fault of his own, he just happened to be drafted by a team with a veteran backcourt of Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Bobby Jackson. Until Jackson's wrist injury forced Kings coach Rick Adelman to take a longer look down his bench, Martin suspected this was going to be one of those learn-by-the-seat-of-the-pants seasons, in which he studies the playbook and exhausts himself physically during practices.
But this is a new year, if not a new backcourt. On New Year's Eve in Salt Lake City, Martin was solid for most of his 19 minutes, thus earning himself another shot at the powerful Spurs. In his most extensive outing of the year, he scored nine points, grabbed six rebounds, added an assist and a steal in 22 minutes and, in essence, gave the Kings a different look with his athleticism, quickness, explosiveness and healthful dose of youthful exhuberance.
"I call Kevin an 'affectionate hotshot,' " said assistant Pete Carril, "because he's got some loose ends to his game. He needs to work on a few things, like his ballhandling. But he has a chance to be a very good player if he keeps working."
And that pass?
"That's something I didn't teach him," cracked Carril.
And that dunk?
"I didn't teach him that, either."
There were early hints that this was going to be a special night, both for Martin and the Kings. In contrast to the most recent home games, the Kings were frisky and engaged from the start. Chris Webber moved the ball and badgered Tim Duncan. Peja Stojakovic ran the floor, attacked the boards, stroked his threes in rhythm. Mike Bibby exploited his fleet defenders with those hestitation dribble moves of his. Maurice Evans contributed solid defense.
And Martin put the Kings ahead in the second quarter with a nifty post-up move on the right side.
Then there was the dunk.
Then there was the pass.
In the waning seconds of the half, Martin, 21, dribbled around a high screen on the right elbow from Webber, and before the Spurs caught onto his act, split two defenders and went up for a two-handed stuff that left the rim rattling. "The lane was wide open," he said later. "I just saw the opening and went."
Later, with 8:32 remaining in a tight game between two old familiar foes, Martin caught everyone by surprise. His teammates. His coaches. His opponents. Himself. This time, he held the ball on the left of the foul line, and as Songaila cut toward the basket, the youngster cupped the ball in his right hand, whipped it behind his back and aimed a perfect one-bounce toss that went between Barry's legs.
The place went crazy, Arco buzzing like the old days. The reserves leaped off the bench. The starters walked over to Martin, wide grins splitting their features. The crowd was on its feet. During the ensuing timeout, Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof stood at his courtside seat, imitating the wraparound pass for a companion seated at his side.
"I couldn't even imagine throwing a pass like that," he said later. "That was unbelievable."
Over and over, the sequence was replayed on the overhead scoreboard, the fans gasping and applauding. Martin, he just smiled.
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