http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/42790.html
Hard head keeps Thomas going after hard fall
By Joe Davidson - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:41 am PDT Friday, October 20, 2006
PHOENIX-Kenny Thomas doesn't just play hard, he's hardheaded. He'll admit as such.
The Kings power forward took a nasty spill in practice Wednesday in Las Vegas, landing on his lower back and then conking his head. He lay on the court for a long moment before sitting out the final 40 minutes of practice.
Thomas was back bounding up and down the floor during a shootaround Thursday morning at U.S. Airways Center before the Kings' game against the Suns.
His only hitch in the morning, besides a sore neck and a tender cranium, was a shoe that developed a hole, like a tire that found a railroad spike.
In short, it would take a higher tree for Thomas to tumble out of to keep him off the floor -- or out of a starting spot he so covets.
"It was scary, though," Kings coach Eric Musselman said. "The whole practice just got quiet. But he wasn't going to sit this (game) out."
Nash alert -- The older Steve Nash gets, the more he amazes his coaches, teammates and peers. Nash, the NBA's two-time MVP with the Suns, said he is in the best shape of his life, with plenty of high-octane hoops left in his system.
His boss agrees.
"He looks great," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He's so unbelievable, it's ridiculous. He's the best, the best, the best. That's the only way you can put it. Even his defense -- he's overlooked a little there. It's the only part of his game that he's not great at. But overall, he's the best in the league, no doubt about it."
Said Musselman, "He's incredible, because if you saw him on the street walking, with that body frame, you'd never believe that was the two-time MVP."
Hart to Hart -- Guard Jason Hart was the only King who didn't play against the Lakers Tuesday in Las Vegas. And limited minutes the rest of the preseason could be the norm, considering that the roster includes a lot of ballhandlers who are higher in the pecking order.
"I can't play all the guys -- too many guys," Musselman said before Thursday's game.
The coach added that reading into Hart's status as a sudden roster casuality as the final cuts loom should be translated more to "everything is up for debate."
"Quincy Douby is going to play ahead of Jason because he's our first-round draft pick and he's in our long-term plans," he said. "That's how it is. And John Salmons is going to have to play some (point guard) as well."
And there's Ronnie Price, the second-year reserve who continues to impress.
"If there's one guy we can point to where the exhibition season has really helped, it's Ronnie," Musselman said. "He's playing more like a point guard and not a converted two-guard. He's really grown."
The Adelman factor -- D'Antoni roomed with former Kings coach Rick Adelman when they were Kansas City Kings teammates 30 years ago, and they faced each other many times while competing for the Pacific Division lead as rival coaches.
"I hate to see Rick not coaching, with the Kings or anywhere," D'Antoni said. "He's very good. And I always stole his plays and put it into our system. I kidded him that it worked better with us."
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
Hard head keeps Thomas going after hard fall
By Joe Davidson - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:41 am PDT Friday, October 20, 2006
PHOENIX-Kenny Thomas doesn't just play hard, he's hardheaded. He'll admit as such.
The Kings power forward took a nasty spill in practice Wednesday in Las Vegas, landing on his lower back and then conking his head. He lay on the court for a long moment before sitting out the final 40 minutes of practice.
Thomas was back bounding up and down the floor during a shootaround Thursday morning at U.S. Airways Center before the Kings' game against the Suns.
His only hitch in the morning, besides a sore neck and a tender cranium, was a shoe that developed a hole, like a tire that found a railroad spike.
In short, it would take a higher tree for Thomas to tumble out of to keep him off the floor -- or out of a starting spot he so covets.
"It was scary, though," Kings coach Eric Musselman said. "The whole practice just got quiet. But he wasn't going to sit this (game) out."
Nash alert -- The older Steve Nash gets, the more he amazes his coaches, teammates and peers. Nash, the NBA's two-time MVP with the Suns, said he is in the best shape of his life, with plenty of high-octane hoops left in his system.
His boss agrees.
"He looks great," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He's so unbelievable, it's ridiculous. He's the best, the best, the best. That's the only way you can put it. Even his defense -- he's overlooked a little there. It's the only part of his game that he's not great at. But overall, he's the best in the league, no doubt about it."
Said Musselman, "He's incredible, because if you saw him on the street walking, with that body frame, you'd never believe that was the two-time MVP."
Hart to Hart -- Guard Jason Hart was the only King who didn't play against the Lakers Tuesday in Las Vegas. And limited minutes the rest of the preseason could be the norm, considering that the roster includes a lot of ballhandlers who are higher in the pecking order.
"I can't play all the guys -- too many guys," Musselman said before Thursday's game.
The coach added that reading into Hart's status as a sudden roster casuality as the final cuts loom should be translated more to "everything is up for debate."
"Quincy Douby is going to play ahead of Jason because he's our first-round draft pick and he's in our long-term plans," he said. "That's how it is. And John Salmons is going to have to play some (point guard) as well."
And there's Ronnie Price, the second-year reserve who continues to impress.
"If there's one guy we can point to where the exhibition season has really helped, it's Ronnie," Musselman said. "He's playing more like a point guard and not a converted two-guard. He's really grown."
The Adelman factor -- D'Antoni roomed with former Kings coach Rick Adelman when they were Kansas City Kings teammates 30 years ago, and they faced each other many times while competing for the Pacific Division lead as rival coaches.
"I hate to see Rick not coaching, with the Kings or anywhere," D'Antoni said. "He's very good. And I always stole his plays and put it into our system. I kidded him that it worked better with us."
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
