http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/101094.html
Kings Notes: Rookie's number is called early
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:26 am PST Sunday, December 31, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C3
Quincy Douby's increased role in the Kings' rotation continued Saturday night, when the rookie who once struggled to get in games entered in the first quarter in the latest indication of his progress.
Douby made good use of his 30 minutes, scoring a career-high 21 points.
"He's done a good job," coach Eric Musselman said. "It's not an easy situation when you're on the inactive list for a large part of the year and then get thrown into substantial minutes."
Any consistent minutes would have been noteworthy. But Douby, a first-round pick from Rutgers, jumped all the way to playing 18 and 12 in consecutive games before he dropped off to four Friday against the Clippers. A night later, though, with the Kings already short-handed, John Salmons got his second foul with 3:08 remaining in the opening quarter, and Douby had another opportunity.
His promotion has come at the expense of Ronnie Price, who had played eight minutes total in the previous five games.
Transition game -- The Kings played with the new basketball for the last time before it becomes the old basketball, giving them one practice, on Monday, to adjust to the old ball before it goes back into use Tuesday against the New York Knicks.
"I don't know what we can do to get ready," Musselman said. "Throw the balls out and practice. The assistants will be there all night rebounding if the guys keep missing."
The change barely created a stir among the players.
Said Shareef Abdur-Rahim, in a consensus opinion: "I probably like what would be the old/new ball better. But it doesn't matter."
Sidelined -- Power forward Kenny Thomas, the Kings' leading rebounder, missed the game because of the flu, putting Salmons back in the starting lineup over Abdur-Rahim in a nod to the Warriors' small-ball style.
Salmons started in place of Ron Artest last week, when Artest was out with sore knees, and responded with 23 points, six assists and five rebounds one game and 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists a night later, his first career triple double.
G-Man -- Radio play-by-play man Gary Gerould called his 1,700th Kings game, a run that dates to the team's arrival in Sacramento in 1985.
"I feel like I'm terribly fortunate to be able to do what I do," he said. "I'm blessed."
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
Kings Notes: Rookie's number is called early
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:26 am PST Sunday, December 31, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C3
Quincy Douby's increased role in the Kings' rotation continued Saturday night, when the rookie who once struggled to get in games entered in the first quarter in the latest indication of his progress.
Douby made good use of his 30 minutes, scoring a career-high 21 points.
"He's done a good job," coach Eric Musselman said. "It's not an easy situation when you're on the inactive list for a large part of the year and then get thrown into substantial minutes."
Any consistent minutes would have been noteworthy. But Douby, a first-round pick from Rutgers, jumped all the way to playing 18 and 12 in consecutive games before he dropped off to four Friday against the Clippers. A night later, though, with the Kings already short-handed, John Salmons got his second foul with 3:08 remaining in the opening quarter, and Douby had another opportunity.
His promotion has come at the expense of Ronnie Price, who had played eight minutes total in the previous five games.
Transition game -- The Kings played with the new basketball for the last time before it becomes the old basketball, giving them one practice, on Monday, to adjust to the old ball before it goes back into use Tuesday against the New York Knicks.
"I don't know what we can do to get ready," Musselman said. "Throw the balls out and practice. The assistants will be there all night rebounding if the guys keep missing."
The change barely created a stir among the players.
Said Shareef Abdur-Rahim, in a consensus opinion: "I probably like what would be the old/new ball better. But it doesn't matter."
Sidelined -- Power forward Kenny Thomas, the Kings' leading rebounder, missed the game because of the flu, putting Salmons back in the starting lineup over Abdur-Rahim in a nod to the Warriors' small-ball style.
Salmons started in place of Ron Artest last week, when Artest was out with sore knees, and responded with 23 points, six assists and five rebounds one game and 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists a night later, his first career triple double.
G-Man -- Radio play-by-play man Gary Gerould called his 1,700th Kings game, a run that dates to the team's arrival in Sacramento in 1985.
"I feel like I'm terribly fortunate to be able to do what I do," he said. "I'm blessed."
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
