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Artest labels Kings as favorites against Spurs
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5524330
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Ron Artest stayed in the Sacramento Kings' practice complex long after his teammates left Thursday, firing jumper after jumper with his injured right thumb heavily wrapped.
After watching most of the last 1 1/2 NBA seasons from his couch, Artest is more than ready for his return to the playoffs - and he seems completely unworried to see the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs across the court, playing outstanding basketball and coming off their best regular season in franchise history.
In fact, Artest thinks the Spurs should be worried about the eighth-seeded Kings.
"I don't even think we're the underdogs any more," Artest said. "I think we're the team to beat, just by how we've been playing."
In the opening game of the series on Saturday, the Spurs will begin the pursuit of their fourth title in eight seasons. The Kings are just at the start of their journey, with most of their core expected back next season to build on the tumultuous adventures of this season.
After a dismal start in which coach Rick Adelman questioned his own job security, the Kings surged to a 25-11 finish shortly after Artest joined the team in a trade with Indiana for Peja Stojakovic. They hit the playoffs in full stride, winning nine of their last 11 games - including a 97-87 victory at San Antonio on April 5.
But the improvement wasn't enough to avoid the top-seeded Spurs in the longtime Western Conference powers' first postseason meeting. Artest predicted the Kings would make the playoffs back in January during the height of their disarray, and he now says he expects Sacramento to leave the postseason "No. 1. They're No. 1 now, but I think we'll leave No. 1."
Bold words from a bold player - but don't mistake Artest's bravado for a lack of respect for his opponents. Artest speaks in glowing terms of the Spurs' defensive intensity, and he relishes being on the road in hostile arenas during his first postseason in the Western Conference.
"There are going to be a lot of road games coming up," Artest said. "I'm sure San Antonio is going to be ready for us, so we've got to come in there with a lot of energy and confidence. We're on the road this whole playoffs, so that's where we've got to win. We've got to make it our home away from home."
Artest's ebullience stands out on a roster full of quiet players who prefer to lead by example when they lead at all. The Kings have taken on much of Artest's personality since he joined them - no-excuses defense coupled with bursts of outstanding offensive play and a general swagger that was missing earlier in the season.
The Spurs have plenty of swagger after winning two titles in the last three seasons - and the Kings aren't fooled by their victory at the AT&T Center earlier in the month. That game was the second half of back-to-back contests for the Spurs, who had the NBA's second-best record at 63-19.
[FONT="]"It's not going to be the same team we saw in there last time," Adelman said. "Other than [/FONT][FONT="]Detroit[/FONT][FONT="], they were the most consistent team in the league this year on a game-by-game basis. That's how they got to where they are."
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5524330
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Ron Artest stayed in the Sacramento Kings' practice complex long after his teammates left Thursday, firing jumper after jumper with his injured right thumb heavily wrapped.
After watching most of the last 1 1/2 NBA seasons from his couch, Artest is more than ready for his return to the playoffs - and he seems completely unworried to see the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs across the court, playing outstanding basketball and coming off their best regular season in franchise history.
In fact, Artest thinks the Spurs should be worried about the eighth-seeded Kings.
"I don't even think we're the underdogs any more," Artest said. "I think we're the team to beat, just by how we've been playing."
In the opening game of the series on Saturday, the Spurs will begin the pursuit of their fourth title in eight seasons. The Kings are just at the start of their journey, with most of their core expected back next season to build on the tumultuous adventures of this season.
After a dismal start in which coach Rick Adelman questioned his own job security, the Kings surged to a 25-11 finish shortly after Artest joined the team in a trade with Indiana for Peja Stojakovic. They hit the playoffs in full stride, winning nine of their last 11 games - including a 97-87 victory at San Antonio on April 5.
But the improvement wasn't enough to avoid the top-seeded Spurs in the longtime Western Conference powers' first postseason meeting. Artest predicted the Kings would make the playoffs back in January during the height of their disarray, and he now says he expects Sacramento to leave the postseason "No. 1. They're No. 1 now, but I think we'll leave No. 1."
Bold words from a bold player - but don't mistake Artest's bravado for a lack of respect for his opponents. Artest speaks in glowing terms of the Spurs' defensive intensity, and he relishes being on the road in hostile arenas during his first postseason in the Western Conference.
"There are going to be a lot of road games coming up," Artest said. "I'm sure San Antonio is going to be ready for us, so we've got to come in there with a lot of energy and confidence. We're on the road this whole playoffs, so that's where we've got to win. We've got to make it our home away from home."
Artest's ebullience stands out on a roster full of quiet players who prefer to lead by example when they lead at all. The Kings have taken on much of Artest's personality since he joined them - no-excuses defense coupled with bursts of outstanding offensive play and a general swagger that was missing earlier in the season.
The Spurs have plenty of swagger after winning two titles in the last three seasons - and the Kings aren't fooled by their victory at the AT&T Center earlier in the month. That game was the second half of back-to-back contests for the Spurs, who had the NBA's second-best record at 63-19.
[FONT="]"It's not going to be the same team we saw in there last time," Adelman said. "Other than [/FONT][FONT="]Detroit[/FONT][FONT="], they were the most consistent team in the league this year on a game-by-game basis. That's how they got to where they are."
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