http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/139085.html
Playoff fringe? Kings might be just dregs of conference
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:08 am PDT Friday, March 16, 2007
Ron Artest stunk, and he knew it.
And not just in the body odor sense.
The Kings small forward scored 21 points against Charlotte on Wednesday, but his play in the closing minutes was far from flattering. There was an Artest turnover on an attempted dribble-drive, a play that seemed atoned for when he buried a three-pointer with 30 seconds left to put the Kings up by three.
But then Artest missed one of two crucial free throws and, finally, fell sprawling to the floor after being called for a charge that -- while questionable -- ended another fruitless possession as the Kings lost their fourth consecutive game. In a nearly vacant locker room afterward, Artest was ready to sacrifice his sanitization in light of the latest stinker.
"After a loss like that, I get to take a shower?" he asked the team's media relations corps. "I get to have my cake and eat it, too? I don't deserve a shower."
It's becoming increasingly questionable whether the Kings deserve a shot at the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, otherwise known as the cake no one wants to eat. Yet despite the losing streak and an 0-2 start to a five-game road trip, they are just one game behind in what is becoming a race of futility.
The Los Angeles Clippers just yielded the eighth spot to Golden State and have lost their past five games, while 10th-place Minnesota won Tuesday after losing five of its previous six games. Then there's New Orleans, loser of six in a row. The Hornets are one game out of the final playoff spot -- the same as a Kings squad that swears it wants to shower quickly and clean up its act.
Although the Kings are making a playoff push as they did last season, they lack the dominance and perhaps the desire that marked the turnaround of 2005-06. There have been flashes -- a recent stretch of eight wins in 12 games, for example -- but nothing sustained and typically followed by a losing streak.
At this date last season, the Kings were 33-31, having won 14 of 18 games and effectively spooked the conference's elite. No one's scared now, except the Kings.
"I definitely don't think anybody's giving in or not into it, but it's getting to a serious point where we've got to really start making a push or we're going to be out of it," forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim said. "I think this time last year, we might have been a little more desperate than we are (now). It seems that way, that we were a little scrappier ... than what we are right now."
Before Artest finally hit the showers in Charlotte, a visibly frustrated Francisco García sat at his locker and slowly organized his belongings. He had defended Derek Anderson when Anderson drove for a layup with 25 seconds left and García's swipe at the ball wasn't enough as the Bobcats pulled within 107-106. Charlotte won 111-108.
García, whose role as spirit-lifter has increased in recent weeks, said the team isn't quitting.
"We've just got to keep our spirits up -- that's all," García said. "It's not over yet. I mean, I don't think it's over. I don't think nobody in this locker room thinks it's over, so we've just got to go out there against Miami, play our game and see what happens."
Swingman John Salmons, who wasn't around last season, said execution has been more of a problem than passion.
"I think the desire is there," he said. "But we got out of our old habits for a while and then fell back into them. We're just not playing defense as a unit, not playing as a team."
As for Artest, he took a rare pass when asked if there was enough desire among him and his teammates to sneak into the playoffs.
"You've got to ask everybody individually," he said.
"Ask everybody and get an assessment, put it together and see what you come up with. See who's telling the truth, and see who's not telling the truth."
The truth of the postseason is that the eighth seed is widely seen as the sacrificial lamb, with the likely matchup pitting a sub-.500 team against a Dallas club that's on pace to win 68 games.
"I don't back down to no one," Artest said of possibly facing the Mavericks. "We're going to win for sure. Once we get in there, we'll be OK."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
Playoff fringe? Kings might be just dregs of conference
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:08 am PDT Friday, March 16, 2007
Ron Artest stunk, and he knew it.
And not just in the body odor sense.
The Kings small forward scored 21 points against Charlotte on Wednesday, but his play in the closing minutes was far from flattering. There was an Artest turnover on an attempted dribble-drive, a play that seemed atoned for when he buried a three-pointer with 30 seconds left to put the Kings up by three.
But then Artest missed one of two crucial free throws and, finally, fell sprawling to the floor after being called for a charge that -- while questionable -- ended another fruitless possession as the Kings lost their fourth consecutive game. In a nearly vacant locker room afterward, Artest was ready to sacrifice his sanitization in light of the latest stinker.
"After a loss like that, I get to take a shower?" he asked the team's media relations corps. "I get to have my cake and eat it, too? I don't deserve a shower."
It's becoming increasingly questionable whether the Kings deserve a shot at the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, otherwise known as the cake no one wants to eat. Yet despite the losing streak and an 0-2 start to a five-game road trip, they are just one game behind in what is becoming a race of futility.
The Los Angeles Clippers just yielded the eighth spot to Golden State and have lost their past five games, while 10th-place Minnesota won Tuesday after losing five of its previous six games. Then there's New Orleans, loser of six in a row. The Hornets are one game out of the final playoff spot -- the same as a Kings squad that swears it wants to shower quickly and clean up its act.
Although the Kings are making a playoff push as they did last season, they lack the dominance and perhaps the desire that marked the turnaround of 2005-06. There have been flashes -- a recent stretch of eight wins in 12 games, for example -- but nothing sustained and typically followed by a losing streak.
At this date last season, the Kings were 33-31, having won 14 of 18 games and effectively spooked the conference's elite. No one's scared now, except the Kings.
"I definitely don't think anybody's giving in or not into it, but it's getting to a serious point where we've got to really start making a push or we're going to be out of it," forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim said. "I think this time last year, we might have been a little more desperate than we are (now). It seems that way, that we were a little scrappier ... than what we are right now."
Before Artest finally hit the showers in Charlotte, a visibly frustrated Francisco García sat at his locker and slowly organized his belongings. He had defended Derek Anderson when Anderson drove for a layup with 25 seconds left and García's swipe at the ball wasn't enough as the Bobcats pulled within 107-106. Charlotte won 111-108.
García, whose role as spirit-lifter has increased in recent weeks, said the team isn't quitting.
"We've just got to keep our spirits up -- that's all," García said. "It's not over yet. I mean, I don't think it's over. I don't think nobody in this locker room thinks it's over, so we've just got to go out there against Miami, play our game and see what happens."
Swingman John Salmons, who wasn't around last season, said execution has been more of a problem than passion.
"I think the desire is there," he said. "But we got out of our old habits for a while and then fell back into them. We're just not playing defense as a unit, not playing as a team."
As for Artest, he took a rare pass when asked if there was enough desire among him and his teammates to sneak into the playoffs.
"You've got to ask everybody individually," he said.
"Ask everybody and get an assessment, put it together and see what you come up with. See who's telling the truth, and see who's not telling the truth."
The truth of the postseason is that the eighth seed is widely seen as the sacrificial lamb, with the likely matchup pitting a sub-.500 team against a Dallas club that's on pace to win 68 games.
"I don't back down to no one," Artest said of possibly facing the Mavericks. "We're going to win for sure. Once we get in there, we'll be OK."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
