http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14243737p-15062456c.html
Artest won't let soreness in thumb keep him benched
The season is officially in crunch time, and he's not about to stop.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, April 15, 2006
Ron Artest would offer a hearty thumbs up if he didn't have to wince to do so.
The Kings forward has his tender right thumb heavily padded and taped, like a weightlifter ready to hoist a quarter of a ton of metal above his head.
All things considered, close enough.
Artest had an MRI on his injury Thursday, which revealed the aggravation of an old injury. He tore a ligament there when he was at St. John's University, and it has bugged him ever since, including in the third quarter Tuesday when he jammed it against the Phoenix Suns. He vows to play, to fight the good fight and to push, prod and sacrifice mind, body and limb to get the team into the postseason.
"I'm fine," Artest allowed after practice Friday before the Kings boarded the team bus for a flight to Colorado for tonight's game with the Denver Nuggets. "I'll play. This won't slow me down."
No, but it might alter things a bit.
Artest hasn't had his hand taped and padded this way in his 37 games with the Kings, a stint in which he has done a little bit of everything in averaging 17.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 40 minutes.
More than Artest handling the ball, the Kings especially need him defending the ball. He'll take on all comers at Denver's Pepsi Center, from guard Andre Miller to swingman Carmelo Anthony to a big banger forward in Kenyon Martin, none of whom will care one ounce about Artest's thumb.
Artest chose to talk team instead of thumb, saying the team is healthy as a whole, never mind the way the Suns blitzed the Kings in the second half for 72 points.
"We're doing all right," Artest said. "We did enough on offense. We need to get better on defense."
With Denver wheeling out a healthy-as-he's-going-to-be Martin and Marcus Camby tonight, the Nuggets will also stress a measure of defense, even though this game is more vital to the Kings. Denver already has clinched a playoff berth, along with its first division title since 1988.
The Kings might have only three games left this season, needing what coach Rick Adelman said is a 2-1 finish to qualify for the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season.
The situation was clear to Adelman, who borrowed a playoff line when he said, "It's win or go home. That's the way it is. I won't start getting into predictions, but we were playing pretty well before the second half against Phoenix."
Still, for as much faith as he has in his club, the coach's weary look has merit.
"You've got to have some concern," Adelman said of his team's delicate situation. "It is what it is. You've got to win two games. It'd be nice to get one (tonight). We have no excuses if we don't get into the playoffs."
In Martin and Camby, the Kings will find resistance around the basket, which Denver coaches will tell you is vital for their chances as a playoff dark horse. Martin has been slowed by a sore knee, and Camby has been in and out of the lineup with back troubles.
"With those two, there's a whole different dimension," Adelman said.
Here's an example: in their last meeting Jan. 31, Martin had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Camby had 12 and 13, though the Kings won 98-91.
Camby is being touted by the Nuggets' public relations staff as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, with some good argument. He leads the NBA with 3.3 blocked shots per game and is averaging a career-high 11.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
Brad Miller will work against Camby, who he admitted is formidable and talented, but body-wise Camby is "no Anthony Mason or (Charles) Oakley, so I'll take a skinny guy over those guys any day," Miller cracked.
After Denver, the Kings return to Arco Arena for their final two regular-season games, New Orleans on Sunday and Seattle on Tuesday.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
Artest won't let soreness in thumb keep him benched
The season is officially in crunch time, and he's not about to stop.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, April 15, 2006
Ron Artest would offer a hearty thumbs up if he didn't have to wince to do so.
The Kings forward has his tender right thumb heavily padded and taped, like a weightlifter ready to hoist a quarter of a ton of metal above his head.
All things considered, close enough.
Artest had an MRI on his injury Thursday, which revealed the aggravation of an old injury. He tore a ligament there when he was at St. John's University, and it has bugged him ever since, including in the third quarter Tuesday when he jammed it against the Phoenix Suns. He vows to play, to fight the good fight and to push, prod and sacrifice mind, body and limb to get the team into the postseason.
"I'm fine," Artest allowed after practice Friday before the Kings boarded the team bus for a flight to Colorado for tonight's game with the Denver Nuggets. "I'll play. This won't slow me down."
No, but it might alter things a bit.
Artest hasn't had his hand taped and padded this way in his 37 games with the Kings, a stint in which he has done a little bit of everything in averaging 17.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 40 minutes.
More than Artest handling the ball, the Kings especially need him defending the ball. He'll take on all comers at Denver's Pepsi Center, from guard Andre Miller to swingman Carmelo Anthony to a big banger forward in Kenyon Martin, none of whom will care one ounce about Artest's thumb.
Artest chose to talk team instead of thumb, saying the team is healthy as a whole, never mind the way the Suns blitzed the Kings in the second half for 72 points.
"We're doing all right," Artest said. "We did enough on offense. We need to get better on defense."
With Denver wheeling out a healthy-as-he's-going-to-be Martin and Marcus Camby tonight, the Nuggets will also stress a measure of defense, even though this game is more vital to the Kings. Denver already has clinched a playoff berth, along with its first division title since 1988.
The Kings might have only three games left this season, needing what coach Rick Adelman said is a 2-1 finish to qualify for the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season.
The situation was clear to Adelman, who borrowed a playoff line when he said, "It's win or go home. That's the way it is. I won't start getting into predictions, but we were playing pretty well before the second half against Phoenix."
Still, for as much faith as he has in his club, the coach's weary look has merit.
"You've got to have some concern," Adelman said of his team's delicate situation. "It is what it is. You've got to win two games. It'd be nice to get one (tonight). We have no excuses if we don't get into the playoffs."
In Martin and Camby, the Kings will find resistance around the basket, which Denver coaches will tell you is vital for their chances as a playoff dark horse. Martin has been slowed by a sore knee, and Camby has been in and out of the lineup with back troubles.
"With those two, there's a whole different dimension," Adelman said.
Here's an example: in their last meeting Jan. 31, Martin had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Camby had 12 and 13, though the Kings won 98-91.
Camby is being touted by the Nuggets' public relations staff as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, with some good argument. He leads the NBA with 3.3 blocked shots per game and is averaging a career-high 11.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
Brad Miller will work against Camby, who he admitted is formidable and talented, but body-wise Camby is "no Anthony Mason or (Charles) Oakley, so I'll take a skinny guy over those guys any day," Miller cracked.
After Denver, the Kings return to Arco Arena for their final two regular-season games, New Orleans on Sunday and Seattle on Tuesday.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
