http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/47411.html
Marcos Bretón: Kings rely heavily on this true Artest
By Marcos Bretón - Bee Sports Columnist
Published 12:00 am PST Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Story appeared in PROJECTS section, Page KINGS TIPOFF2
The Kings are awash in distractions as the 2006-07 season begins.
New coach Eric Musselman faces a charge of driving under the influence.
Point guard Mike Bibby is injured, and center Brad Miller returned Friday from a broken little finger.
And the Kings' efforts to build a new arena in Sacramento are as muddled as ever, leaving lingering anxiety that the Kings one day will leave town.
But really, none of that matters now.
Those are secondary issues compared to the real calamity that would truly sink this team this season:
Losing Ron Artest for extended minutes, games, months.
That would be devastating.
That would make the current distractions accompanying the start of this critical transition season seem irrelevant.
Because an argument could be made that no Kings team has depended so heavily on one player as these Kings do on Artest.
Even when Chris Webber went down with a horrific knee injury in the 2003 playoffs, the 2003-04 Kings tore through most of a terrific season without him.
When Bibby missed the beginning of the 2002-03 season -- after starring in the Western Conference finals -- Bobby Jackson was there to fill the void.
It has been the dark side of eight consecutive playoff seasons: The Kings forced to win without key players such as Peja Stojakovic, Vlade Divac and Doug Christie.
All went down at one point or another, yet the wins kept coming.
Now ask yourselves this: Could this unit replicate that success without Artest?
No way.
You all know why. No need to rehash how Artest imposed his fierce will on a flagging Kings franchise last January after arriving via a trade and spurring a furious run to the playoffs.
It was a sight to behold, a blessing for the Kings.
But all blessings have curses, and this one is plain to see: The Kings stop being a playoff contender without Artest's work ethic, his intense defense and his superlative skills.
It's obvious the Kings aren't as deep as they once were, but this situation goes beyond that.
This is a story of personality and will and how Artest took over a team when no one else would.
Everyone at Arco Arena had been waiting for Bibby, Miller and Stojakovic to pool their considerable talents -- and veteran experience -- to lead last year's crew.
But Stojakovic's trade for Artest was the white flag on that failed plan. Then came Artest as a difference-maker, though no one knew what was coming.
I vividly remember standing in Madison Square Garden as the Kings announced the acquisition of Artest to the biggest media market in America -- and I remember the Kings' owners being a little unnerved by the response.
It went something like, "Are you guys nuts?"
The subtext behind the New York army of cameras and lights was that Artest was a crazy man and the Kings were crazy for taking him.
Even now, when www.ESPN.com recently ranked the best players in the NBA, Artest was way, way down the list at No. 118 out of 330.
And he was only 20th out of 65 small forwards, trailing former Kings Stojakovic and Hedo Turkoglu.
That would seem ridiculous to anyone who watched Artest break down defenses last season. Or shut down star players like Boston's Paul Pierce -- as an out-of-shape Artest did in his first game as a King.
Yet the fact remains that recognition for Artest outside of Sacramento will come only after a full season without major interruption, something Artest hasn't done in three seasons.
It would seem Artest is due to play at least 70 games in a single campaign, just as the Kings finally are due some luck on the injury front.
Maybe this is the season when it finally happens for a team and its franchise player -- when both finally fulfill potential just beyond reach.
This season depends on it.
Anything less -- any scenario involving Artest in a suit on the sidelines during multiple games -- would be crushing.
About the writer: Reach Marcos Bretón at (916) 321-1096 or mbreton@sacbee.com.
Marcos Bretón: Kings rely heavily on this true Artest
By Marcos Bretón - Bee Sports Columnist
Published 12:00 am PST Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Story appeared in PROJECTS section, Page KINGS TIPOFF2
The Kings are awash in distractions as the 2006-07 season begins.
New coach Eric Musselman faces a charge of driving under the influence.
Point guard Mike Bibby is injured, and center Brad Miller returned Friday from a broken little finger.
And the Kings' efforts to build a new arena in Sacramento are as muddled as ever, leaving lingering anxiety that the Kings one day will leave town.
But really, none of that matters now.
Those are secondary issues compared to the real calamity that would truly sink this team this season:
Losing Ron Artest for extended minutes, games, months.
That would be devastating.
That would make the current distractions accompanying the start of this critical transition season seem irrelevant.
Because an argument could be made that no Kings team has depended so heavily on one player as these Kings do on Artest.
Even when Chris Webber went down with a horrific knee injury in the 2003 playoffs, the 2003-04 Kings tore through most of a terrific season without him.
When Bibby missed the beginning of the 2002-03 season -- after starring in the Western Conference finals -- Bobby Jackson was there to fill the void.
It has been the dark side of eight consecutive playoff seasons: The Kings forced to win without key players such as Peja Stojakovic, Vlade Divac and Doug Christie.
All went down at one point or another, yet the wins kept coming.
Now ask yourselves this: Could this unit replicate that success without Artest?
No way.
You all know why. No need to rehash how Artest imposed his fierce will on a flagging Kings franchise last January after arriving via a trade and spurring a furious run to the playoffs.
It was a sight to behold, a blessing for the Kings.
But all blessings have curses, and this one is plain to see: The Kings stop being a playoff contender without Artest's work ethic, his intense defense and his superlative skills.
It's obvious the Kings aren't as deep as they once were, but this situation goes beyond that.
This is a story of personality and will and how Artest took over a team when no one else would.
Everyone at Arco Arena had been waiting for Bibby, Miller and Stojakovic to pool their considerable talents -- and veteran experience -- to lead last year's crew.
But Stojakovic's trade for Artest was the white flag on that failed plan. Then came Artest as a difference-maker, though no one knew what was coming.
I vividly remember standing in Madison Square Garden as the Kings announced the acquisition of Artest to the biggest media market in America -- and I remember the Kings' owners being a little unnerved by the response.
It went something like, "Are you guys nuts?"
The subtext behind the New York army of cameras and lights was that Artest was a crazy man and the Kings were crazy for taking him.
Even now, when www.ESPN.com recently ranked the best players in the NBA, Artest was way, way down the list at No. 118 out of 330.
And he was only 20th out of 65 small forwards, trailing former Kings Stojakovic and Hedo Turkoglu.
That would seem ridiculous to anyone who watched Artest break down defenses last season. Or shut down star players like Boston's Paul Pierce -- as an out-of-shape Artest did in his first game as a King.
Yet the fact remains that recognition for Artest outside of Sacramento will come only after a full season without major interruption, something Artest hasn't done in three seasons.
It would seem Artest is due to play at least 70 games in a single campaign, just as the Kings finally are due some luck on the injury front.
Maybe this is the season when it finally happens for a team and its franchise player -- when both finally fulfill potential just beyond reach.
This season depends on it.
Anything less -- any scenario involving Artest in a suit on the sidelines during multiple games -- would be crushing.
About the writer: Reach Marcos Bretón at (916) 321-1096 or mbreton@sacbee.com.
