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Meaningless in Memphis
Kings ride a hot start to win matchup of eliminated teams
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, April 11, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- With a game between two eliminated teams on the horizon, even some reporters were guilty of tanking before tipoff.
"I got my NoDoz, and I'm ready," one writer said on his way out to the FedExForum floor.
"You think maybe they'll set off those fireworks at the start of each quarter to keep us going?" asked another.
And finally: "This one's for the pingpong balls tonight! This is important."
Eric Musselman would've been the funniest of them all if he wasn't so close to speaking the truth. The Kings' coach walked through his team's locker room before Tuesday night's game and said, "You guys ready for some eight on eight?"
The Kings won the high-dollar pickup game 112-100, making the most of what was actually a nine-on-nine affair and just the Kings' fourth victory in their last 17 games and first since they were officially out of the postseason race as of Monday night.
Reasons for apathy aside, there were at least a few fans among the announced crowd of 11,393 who were in tune with the action. Logan Dunman was a willing passenger for the six-hour drive from Louisville, Ky., to Memphis, the 11-year-old coming to see his favorite player in action as a belated birthday present from his parents.
The Dunman family all loved Francisco García when he was leading the Louisville Cardinals to the Final Four in 2005, and they loved him even more after he played the first quarter as if he were back at Freedom Hall.
He started in place of the ailing Kevin Martin, then scored 13 of his 19 points as the Kings tried early to disprove anyone who thought they may lose for the sake of the lottery. They led 39-15 after the first 12 minutes, using a 25-0 run that was -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau -- the second-longest run in the NBA this season.
"In nine years, I don't think I've ever had a quarter like that," Kings center Brad Miller said. "It was a lot of fun. I think we had an assist on almost every bucket, at least it seemed like it. Everybody was hitting and everybody was sharing."
The barren stands -- which contained nowhere near 10,000 bodies -- made for an echo chamber in which the Grizzlies' fans found their vocal, disenchanted tone just minutes in. Yet Musselman was louder than them all, yelling instructions early and often -- "Mike, that's you," "Brad, come out," "Good job, Cisco!" -- and prompting one fan to yell, "You're up by 30 -- be quiet!" He quieted slightly in the second quarter, when the Grizzlies countered with a 33-14 period that cut the Kings' lead to 53-48 at halftime.
Outside of the second quarter, the Kings spent the evening looking like they were still in contention, with Miller posting his third career triple double (17 points, 10 rebounds, and a season-high 11 assists), Mike Bibby returning to form with 25 points and rookie center Justin Williams making an impact once again.
Williams had his first career double double, with 16 points and 10 rebounds and even more momentum going into an offseason in which he's looking to continue proving his worth to the Kings.
"Justin has done a great job of seizing the opportunity that was put in front of him," Musselman said.
Martin did not attend the shootaround or the game after he became sick Tuesday morning. Quincy Douby was a no-show with legitimate reason, as he became a first-time father, and forward Corliss Williamson missed his fifth game in the last six with a sore right heel.
Underneath the frivolity of a somewhat meaningless meeting, Ron Artest said there was the disappointment of knowing the playoffs were no longer possible.
"We're out, officially?" he asked. "No more predictions, I guess. ... It's been tough these last couple of games, just playing and knowing that you're not going to the playoffs. It's been really, really hard going out there and playing. The fans are still paying to come to the games, and we just go out there and play hard."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
Meaningless in Memphis
Kings ride a hot start to win matchup of eliminated teams
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, April 11, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- With a game between two eliminated teams on the horizon, even some reporters were guilty of tanking before tipoff.
"I got my NoDoz, and I'm ready," one writer said on his way out to the FedExForum floor.
"You think maybe they'll set off those fireworks at the start of each quarter to keep us going?" asked another.
And finally: "This one's for the pingpong balls tonight! This is important."
Eric Musselman would've been the funniest of them all if he wasn't so close to speaking the truth. The Kings' coach walked through his team's locker room before Tuesday night's game and said, "You guys ready for some eight on eight?"
The Kings won the high-dollar pickup game 112-100, making the most of what was actually a nine-on-nine affair and just the Kings' fourth victory in their last 17 games and first since they were officially out of the postseason race as of Monday night.
Reasons for apathy aside, there were at least a few fans among the announced crowd of 11,393 who were in tune with the action. Logan Dunman was a willing passenger for the six-hour drive from Louisville, Ky., to Memphis, the 11-year-old coming to see his favorite player in action as a belated birthday present from his parents.
The Dunman family all loved Francisco García when he was leading the Louisville Cardinals to the Final Four in 2005, and they loved him even more after he played the first quarter as if he were back at Freedom Hall.
He started in place of the ailing Kevin Martin, then scored 13 of his 19 points as the Kings tried early to disprove anyone who thought they may lose for the sake of the lottery. They led 39-15 after the first 12 minutes, using a 25-0 run that was -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau -- the second-longest run in the NBA this season.
"In nine years, I don't think I've ever had a quarter like that," Kings center Brad Miller said. "It was a lot of fun. I think we had an assist on almost every bucket, at least it seemed like it. Everybody was hitting and everybody was sharing."
The barren stands -- which contained nowhere near 10,000 bodies -- made for an echo chamber in which the Grizzlies' fans found their vocal, disenchanted tone just minutes in. Yet Musselman was louder than them all, yelling instructions early and often -- "Mike, that's you," "Brad, come out," "Good job, Cisco!" -- and prompting one fan to yell, "You're up by 30 -- be quiet!" He quieted slightly in the second quarter, when the Grizzlies countered with a 33-14 period that cut the Kings' lead to 53-48 at halftime.
Outside of the second quarter, the Kings spent the evening looking like they were still in contention, with Miller posting his third career triple double (17 points, 10 rebounds, and a season-high 11 assists), Mike Bibby returning to form with 25 points and rookie center Justin Williams making an impact once again.
Williams had his first career double double, with 16 points and 10 rebounds and even more momentum going into an offseason in which he's looking to continue proving his worth to the Kings.
"Justin has done a great job of seizing the opportunity that was put in front of him," Musselman said.
Martin did not attend the shootaround or the game after he became sick Tuesday morning. Quincy Douby was a no-show with legitimate reason, as he became a first-time father, and forward Corliss Williamson missed his fifth game in the last six with a sore right heel.
Underneath the frivolity of a somewhat meaningless meeting, Ron Artest said there was the disappointment of knowing the playoffs were no longer possible.
"We're out, officially?" he asked. "No more predictions, I guess. ... It's been tough these last couple of games, just playing and knowing that you're not going to the playoffs. It's been really, really hard going out there and playing. The fans are still paying to come to the games, and we just go out there and play hard."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
