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beemerr23
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ACQUISITION LEADING SACRAMENTO TO PLAYOFFS
Say what you want about Ron Artest. He isn't always on his best behavior. His teammates said he turned his back on them in Indiana by requesting a trade. He's a little "eccentric." But when he's on he's a heck of a basketball player who has energized Sacramento since coming to the West Coast.
-- [Minneapolis Star-Tribune] On Saturday, the Kings take on the Jazz, a team we talked about last week who is fighting to get in the playoffs. In their way? Sacramento, owner of the eighth and final playoff seed.
-- [NBA.com]
That's a far cry from what the Kings were prior to dealing for Artest in exchange for Peja Stojakovic on Jan. 25 . In fact, all the Kings were was an 18-24 (.429) squad living in lottery land. With Artest is the lineup, Sacramento has gone 16-10 overall (.615) and 11-0 at home.
-- [New York Times]
"They added a player in the mix that's everything Sacramento wasn't when we played them in the playoffs," the Lakers' Kobe Bryant told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel after a recent loss to the Kings. "The guy plays defense first, and now Sacramento has become much more aggressive on defense."
-- [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]
Sacramento is allowing opponents just 94.0 points per game with Artest compared to the 100.2 points per game they gave up prior to the trade. Its .461 field goal percentage allowed has improved to .435.
The Kings' newfound toughness has shown itself in other forms as well, including a 7-2 record with Artest in the lineup following a loss. They'll need that toughness for their back-to-back games this weekend. After visiting Utah, the Kings host Golden State Sunday. They play two back-to-backs in a span of five days beginning with the Jazz game, and of their last 14 games of the season, eight are back-to-backs and eight are against opponents with .500 or better records.
-- [Jazz.com]
If they can hold off the Jazz, two games behind them for the eighth seed, and the Hornets, just one game behind, it will be quite a testament to Artest's value on the court.
-- [NBA.com]
"I just want to get into the playoffs," Kings coach Rick Adelman told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I don't care what the seed is. What's the best seed? The best is being in one of the eight spots and not being in the ninth spot."
-- [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]
article found here: http://www.nba.com/features/clickandroll.html
yikes...those back to back's aren't looking too good, coupled with the .500 teams
Say what you want about Ron Artest. He isn't always on his best behavior. His teammates said he turned his back on them in Indiana by requesting a trade. He's a little "eccentric." But when he's on he's a heck of a basketball player who has energized Sacramento since coming to the West Coast.
-- [Minneapolis Star-Tribune] On Saturday, the Kings take on the Jazz, a team we talked about last week who is fighting to get in the playoffs. In their way? Sacramento, owner of the eighth and final playoff seed.
-- [NBA.com]
That's a far cry from what the Kings were prior to dealing for Artest in exchange for Peja Stojakovic on Jan. 25 . In fact, all the Kings were was an 18-24 (.429) squad living in lottery land. With Artest is the lineup, Sacramento has gone 16-10 overall (.615) and 11-0 at home.
-- [New York Times]
"They added a player in the mix that's everything Sacramento wasn't when we played them in the playoffs," the Lakers' Kobe Bryant told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel after a recent loss to the Kings. "The guy plays defense first, and now Sacramento has become much more aggressive on defense."
-- [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]
Sacramento is allowing opponents just 94.0 points per game with Artest compared to the 100.2 points per game they gave up prior to the trade. Its .461 field goal percentage allowed has improved to .435.
The Kings' newfound toughness has shown itself in other forms as well, including a 7-2 record with Artest in the lineup following a loss. They'll need that toughness for their back-to-back games this weekend. After visiting Utah, the Kings host Golden State Sunday. They play two back-to-backs in a span of five days beginning with the Jazz game, and of their last 14 games of the season, eight are back-to-backs and eight are against opponents with .500 or better records.
-- [Jazz.com]
If they can hold off the Jazz, two games behind them for the eighth seed, and the Hornets, just one game behind, it will be quite a testament to Artest's value on the court.
-- [NBA.com]
"I just want to get into the playoffs," Kings coach Rick Adelman told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I don't care what the seed is. What's the best seed? The best is being in one of the eight spots and not being in the ninth spot."
-- [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]
article found here: http://www.nba.com/features/clickandroll.html
yikes...those back to back's aren't looking too good, coupled with the .500 teams
