mazzystar
Bench
http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/97418.html
No mystery to absence, Artest says
The forward's sore knees kept him from traveling to Denver.
By Martin McNeal -
Published 12:00 am PST Saturday, December 23, 2006
Kings swingman Ron Artest said Friday that his knees are sore, that he has no beef with teammate Mike Bibby and that when this season is all over, Sacramento once again will be a playoff squad.
Artest and his sore knees remained in Sacramento while his teammates spent the day traveling to Denver through Colorado Springs, Colo. Kings president Geoff Petrie said he told Artest not to travel with the team to face the Nuggets if he couldn't play.
Artest said his knees have troubled him since the regular season began.
"I actually was supposed to have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test on my left knee earlier this season, but it didn't happen," Artest said from the team's practice facility. "My back and my knee were hurting at the same time. That was back when people were questioning if I was really hurt.
"I heard people talking about me having a 'mysterious back injury.' I had the MRI (on my back) and it didn't show anything, but my back was still hurting me. Then I had a CT scan, and that showed one of my discs was out of place. I wasn't faking, although I knew some people thought I was."
Artest's decision not to play Thursday night against the Washington Wizards attracted attention because he notified the coaching staff less than an hour before the game. Artest said he arrived at Arco Arena about 2 1/2 hours before the 7:30 p.m. tipoff and received treatment on his knees.
He said he then went onto the floor and realized he was having trouble shooting off the dribble because of the soreness in his knees.
"I kept trying to get them warmed up, but I couldn't do it," Artest said. "Then I decided it was best not to try to be a macho man. Just be smart and rest. When I told (coach Eric Musselman) I think there were about 57 minutes left on the clock (before tipoff).
"Coach got a little upset because I think he said he would have activated (Maurice) Taylor on the active roster. And I have to apologize for not telling him sooner. But I wanted to play and I thought I was going to play."
Artest said he plans to get an MRI on his knees next week to make sure he's just sore and not injured.
"If it was a playoff game I would have played," he said. "But I want to be smart about it. I think because I've played through so many injuries, people are surprised when I don't play and even question why I'm not playing. But I'm learning sometimes it's better to be smart rather than be tough."
The Denver game is the sixth Artest has missed this season. Artest said one reason he felt comfortable missing the Nuggets game is his confidence in his teammates.
"I've got a lot of confidence in John Salmons and (Francisco García)," Artest said. "John's been playing well and 'Cisco can play and has been playing well, but he just hasn't gotten a lot of opportunities from Coach."
Artest said he's heard and read how he and Bibby are allegedly battling for control of the team.
"That's not true at all," Artest said. "This is Mike's team. Mike and Brad (Miller). They've been here the longest. I don't know that it has to be anybody's team, but there has to be a leader. With Michael Jordan, it was his team. In San Antonio, it's Tim Duncan's team, even though Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are great players.
"Mike has been here, he's made big shots during the playoffs, it's his team.
"But we have leaders. Kevin Martin is a leader here because he's leading with his play. He kind of reminds me of (former Indiana Pacers star guard) Reggie Miller. I kind of look at myself as the guy who will speak honestly to everybody. If anybody isn't working hard enough, I'll tell them. Just like if Corliss (Williamson) sees me not doing what I'm supposed to do, he'll tell me and ask me why I'm not doing right."
Artest was asked if he and Bibby need to sit down and talk.
"We could do that so we could say we've done it for the public, but there's no need," he said. "Me and Mike are on the same page. We just both want to win and we both haven't been healthy, Brad, too. If we'd all been 100 percent and we were 10-14, then I'd say we were a very, very bad team. But I'm not panicking.
"I know people are saying Ron Artest is buggin'. But that's all right. We're going to be all right. We just have to keep playing."
Petrie said neither Artest nor Bibby has come to him and spoken about the other.
"To me, a lot of it comes down to the fact that we haven't been getting the overall team play we need to win consistently," Petrie said. "Neither Mike nor Ron have shot the ball well and we need Mike, Ron and Brad to play well.
"Kevin has jumped out to a level none of us could have expected and John has played very well.
"But I don't have any idea why Mike is shooting the ball the way he is and Ron hasn't shot it well and part of that is shot selection."
Artest said he believes the team will come together as the season continues.
And he said both he and Bibby will begin to shoot better.
"We've got to learn how to play with each other," he said. "We've got to learn how to win and how we're going to win. Once again, I'm not going to panic. I still go by what I said before the season. We're going to contend for the championship."
No mystery to absence, Artest says
The forward's sore knees kept him from traveling to Denver.
By Martin McNeal -
Published 12:00 am PST Saturday, December 23, 2006
Kings swingman Ron Artest said Friday that his knees are sore, that he has no beef with teammate Mike Bibby and that when this season is all over, Sacramento once again will be a playoff squad.
Artest and his sore knees remained in Sacramento while his teammates spent the day traveling to Denver through Colorado Springs, Colo. Kings president Geoff Petrie said he told Artest not to travel with the team to face the Nuggets if he couldn't play.
Artest said his knees have troubled him since the regular season began.
"I actually was supposed to have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test on my left knee earlier this season, but it didn't happen," Artest said from the team's practice facility. "My back and my knee were hurting at the same time. That was back when people were questioning if I was really hurt.
"I heard people talking about me having a 'mysterious back injury.' I had the MRI (on my back) and it didn't show anything, but my back was still hurting me. Then I had a CT scan, and that showed one of my discs was out of place. I wasn't faking, although I knew some people thought I was."
Artest's decision not to play Thursday night against the Washington Wizards attracted attention because he notified the coaching staff less than an hour before the game. Artest said he arrived at Arco Arena about 2 1/2 hours before the 7:30 p.m. tipoff and received treatment on his knees.
He said he then went onto the floor and realized he was having trouble shooting off the dribble because of the soreness in his knees.
"I kept trying to get them warmed up, but I couldn't do it," Artest said. "Then I decided it was best not to try to be a macho man. Just be smart and rest. When I told (coach Eric Musselman) I think there were about 57 minutes left on the clock (before tipoff).
"Coach got a little upset because I think he said he would have activated (Maurice) Taylor on the active roster. And I have to apologize for not telling him sooner. But I wanted to play and I thought I was going to play."
Artest said he plans to get an MRI on his knees next week to make sure he's just sore and not injured.
"If it was a playoff game I would have played," he said. "But I want to be smart about it. I think because I've played through so many injuries, people are surprised when I don't play and even question why I'm not playing. But I'm learning sometimes it's better to be smart rather than be tough."
The Denver game is the sixth Artest has missed this season. Artest said one reason he felt comfortable missing the Nuggets game is his confidence in his teammates.
"I've got a lot of confidence in John Salmons and (Francisco García)," Artest said. "John's been playing well and 'Cisco can play and has been playing well, but he just hasn't gotten a lot of opportunities from Coach."
Artest said he's heard and read how he and Bibby are allegedly battling for control of the team.
"That's not true at all," Artest said. "This is Mike's team. Mike and Brad (Miller). They've been here the longest. I don't know that it has to be anybody's team, but there has to be a leader. With Michael Jordan, it was his team. In San Antonio, it's Tim Duncan's team, even though Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are great players.
"Mike has been here, he's made big shots during the playoffs, it's his team.
"But we have leaders. Kevin Martin is a leader here because he's leading with his play. He kind of reminds me of (former Indiana Pacers star guard) Reggie Miller. I kind of look at myself as the guy who will speak honestly to everybody. If anybody isn't working hard enough, I'll tell them. Just like if Corliss (Williamson) sees me not doing what I'm supposed to do, he'll tell me and ask me why I'm not doing right."
Artest was asked if he and Bibby need to sit down and talk.
"We could do that so we could say we've done it for the public, but there's no need," he said. "Me and Mike are on the same page. We just both want to win and we both haven't been healthy, Brad, too. If we'd all been 100 percent and we were 10-14, then I'd say we were a very, very bad team. But I'm not panicking.
"I know people are saying Ron Artest is buggin'. But that's all right. We're going to be all right. We just have to keep playing."
Petrie said neither Artest nor Bibby has come to him and spoken about the other.
"To me, a lot of it comes down to the fact that we haven't been getting the overall team play we need to win consistently," Petrie said. "Neither Mike nor Ron have shot the ball well and we need Mike, Ron and Brad to play well.
"Kevin has jumped out to a level none of us could have expected and John has played very well.
"But I don't have any idea why Mike is shooting the ball the way he is and Ron hasn't shot it well and part of that is shot selection."
Artest said he believes the team will come together as the season continues.
And he said both he and Bibby will begin to shoot better.
"We've got to learn how to play with each other," he said. "We've got to learn how to win and how we're going to win. Once again, I'm not going to panic. I still go by what I said before the season. We're going to contend for the championship."
