Kings-Clippers PBP for Friday, March 30

[VF21]

Greetings, fellow Kings fans!

I hope to be home from work in plenty of time for the game. Here's what the Bee has to say about tonight's matchup:

http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/146818.html

Tonight's Game: Clippers (34-37) at Kings (30-40)
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer

KINGS OUTLOOK - After missing three games because of tissue inflammation in his left foot and four non-game days leading to tonight, Kings center Brad Miller is rested enough to give it another go. Miller looked active and relatively spry at practice Thursday and will be back in the mix again. Mike Bibby, meanwhile, had said he would've preferred more rest than practice during this break, and sure enough, he suffered a mild left ankle sprain Thursday. He is, however, probable to face the Clippers. It's a definite all-hands-on-deck sort of game, with the Kings' ship still flooded but looking to stay afloat for one last playoff push.

CLIPPERS OUTLOOK - Even without the playoff implications for both teams, there was no shortage of Kings story lines in the Clippers' starting five. Jason Hart, of course, is the guy who went from forgotten man on the Kings' bench to point man for a postseason contender. Cuttino Mobley is another former King who might be looking to upset Dallas come late April while his old team is sitting at home. As for Corey Maggette, just a few months back it appeared he would be wearing a Kings uniform while Ron Artest was with the Clippers.

KEY MATCHUP - Ron Artest vs. Corey Maggette - No Clipper has been as vital as Maggette during the team's recent surge, with the athletic talent finally gaining the confidence of coach Mike Dunleavy. Maggette scored 19-plus points in five consecutive games before Los Angeles' loss to Houston on Wednesday.

PROBABLE STARTERS

KINGS

No. Player P

10 Mike Bibby PG

23 Kevin Martin SG

93 Ron Artest SF

3 S. Abdur-Rahim PF

52 Brad Miller C

CLIPPERS

No. Player P

1 Jason Hart PG

5 Cuttino Mobley SG

50 Corey Maggette SF

42 Elton Brand PF

35 Chris Kaman C

Hrm... Bibby tweaked his ankle in practice. Brad is coming back. The frontcourt of the Clippers is going to come into Arco with really big chips on their shoulders...

Yep. All the makings of either a miracle or a total disaster.

Only time will tell...

 

[VF21]

Almost game time. It appears the game has been yanked from ESPN in favor of the Rockets-Lakers match. The best part of that is there's now NO chance of having to put up with Bill Walton for the evening.

 

[VF21]

Getting ready for the tipoff...

Tip to the Kings.

Miller nice dish inside to Artest, who can't get the good roll. LAC board.

Maggette over SAR for two.

2-0 LAC

Kings ball. They loose it oob, LAC ball.

11;14 left

Martin called for non-shooting foul on Cat away from the ball. Still LAC ...

Hart tries long jumper, miss. Miller rebound. To Bibby, over to Martin - good shot but pops back out. LAC ball.

Bibby called for reach-in foul. Magette to the line.

Makes first; and second.

4-0 LAC

 

[VF21]

Martin miss off the screen; LAC rebound.

Kaman off the glass for two more.

6-0 LAC

10;00 left

Artest inside, misses but gets the putback and draws the +1.

6-2 LAC

Artest with the bonus - miss. Kaman board.

LAC ball.

 

[VF21]

Ball knocked oob, still LAC.

24 second violation called on the Clippers.

Kings ball.

9;29 left

Artest drives inside, Magette called for blocking foul. Artest to the line.

Dunleavy calls Hart over to the sidelines and really yells at him about not warning Kaman about the 24-second clock.

Artest one of two.

6-3 LAC

Kaman for two.

8-3 LAC

Bibby for two.

8-5 LAC

 

[VF21]

Magette miss; Martin board.

Bibby over Magette for two more.

8-7 LAC

8;22 left

SAR called for pushing foul. Non-shooting. Still LAC ball. Brand jumper for two.

10-7 LAC

 

[VF21]

Kings ball. Miller tries to go past Kaman and they call it a jump ball.

Tip to Bibby.

Pullup jumper doesn't go; Brand board.

Brand miss; LAC snags the long board.

CAT miss; SAR board.

7;23 left

Foul called on Cat; 3rd team foul on LAC. Kings inbound.

Bibby shot blocked by Hart; who snags the ball.

 

[VF21]

CAT called for offensive foul. Kings inbound.

Kings showed a little bit of weave during the alst possession.

SAR spins like a top and then gets the half-hook to fall.

10-9 LAC

Magette for long two.

12-9 LAC

 

[VF21]

Martin pull-up jumper doesn't go; LAC board.

Hart for two.

14-9 LAC

Miller to cutting Martin, ball almost oob. Artest saves it and gets the two.

14-11 LAC

Hart from the corner for two.

16-11 LAC

 

[VF21]

Kings ball. Magette flat out runs over Mike Bibby, leaving him sprawled on the floor.

Foul on Magette. Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

Kings to inbound.

5;11 left

Miller inside to Martin, who still can't get a break. Miss; LAC board.

CAT with a hairball; Artest catches it.

Bibby to the line.

Makes first; and second.

16-13 LAC

Grant touting "early bird" season ticket packages. Cannot remember the last time they advertised that season ticket packs were available...

LAC for two.

18-13 LAC

 

[VF21]

Kings ball.

Martin to the line to shoot technical on defensive three-second call.

Good...but only because of a lucky bounce.

18-14 LAC

Kings ball. Artest to the line.

Makes first; Corliss in. Misses second.

18-15 LAC

4;05 left

 

[VF21]

Tim Thomas for three.

21-15 LAC

3;42 left

Bibby drives inside, dishes to wide open SAR who puts up a marshmallow that falls right back off the rim. LAC board.

Williams to the line on foul by Corliss.

Oh blech... Grant starting his "they're only down by 6" crap.

Williams makes first; Salmons in for Kevin. Misses second but LAC chases down the board.

Tim Thomas miss; ball oob.

Time out and commercial.

22-15 LAC

 

[VF21]

LAC inbounds, Cat able to stroll inside and get two off the glass.

24-15 LAC

And Grant, ever the genius, says, "This isn't the Kings we saw against the Phoenix Suns, that's for sure."

Gee Grant? Ya think???

:rolleyes;

Bibby at the line.

Makes first; and second.

24-17 LAC

 

[VF21]

Good ball movement by LAC. Hart from the corner for two.

26-17 LAC

2;12 left

Three second violation on LAC. Bibby to the line. Bonus good.

26-18 LAC

KT in for SAR.

Kings inbound.

 

[VF21]

Bibby loses the ball, it rolls along the floor and Hart grabs it. Hart off the glass miss; Corliss rebound.

Kings ball. Another Kings turnover. LAC ball. Oob off Artest. Still LAC ball.

Kings are NOT playing Kings basketball at the moment. Bibby out; Cisco in.

Salmons called for holding Cat, who heads to the line on the Kings 5th team foul.

1;34 left

 

[VF21]

Cat misses first; makes second.

27-18 LAC

Kings ball.

Artest jumper misses; Garcia grabs the rebound, draws the foul and heads to the line.

Misses first; makes second.

27-19 LAC

LAC ball. Defensive three-second violation called on the Kings.

55.6 seconds left.

Cat shoots the freebie. Good.

28-19 LAC

 

[VF21]

LAC ball.

Cat able to fake Garcia and draw the contact.

Cat at the line.

Makes first; and second.

30-19 LAC

40 seconds left

Artest smothered but shoots anyway; miss. LAC rebound.

 

[VF21]

Ewing miss; Salmons rebound.

Salmons shoots from midcourt at the buzzer...miss.

End of the first quarter, and an abysmal first quarter it was.

No focus, no real team play. Not a pretty quarter by any stretch of the imagination.

30-19 LAC

 

[VF21]

LAC ball to start the second quarter.

Kings had NO assists in the first quarter.

Kaman miss; Martin rebound. Martin, Cisco, Salmons, KT and Corliss on the court for the Kings.

KT called for traveling. LAC ball.

TT miss; Kings rebound.

Corliss drives inside, gets the bucket and the +1.

30-22 LAC

 

[VF21]

Kaman hook for two.

32-22 LAC

Salmons pass to the corner, intended for Corliss but just slightly beyond his reach. Oob. LAC ball.

10;37 left

Magette jumper for two.

34-22 LAC

Kings ball. TT called for pushing Corliss, he argues about it and gets T'd up.

Martin at the line. He gets the freebie.

34-23 LAC

Miller back in for the Kings.

 

[VF21]

Miller in for KT...

Corliss for two.

34-25 LAC

9;43 left

Ross called for traveling. Kings ball.

Salmons jumper doesn't go. LAC rebound.

LAC jumper misses; Corliss rebound. Corliss goes to dish across to Garcia, and he's smacked hard in the face. Non-shooting foul. Kings miss again; LAC rebound.

Kaman for two more.

36-25 LAC

 

[VF21]

Corliss inside against Kaman, draws another foul.

Time out.

Grant and Jerry are talking with Jim Kozimor (who's doing the radio broadcast tonight) about how incredibly slow the pace of tonight's game has been, in part because of the zeal with which the officials have been using their whistles.

All I know is I'm about to nod off. Whoever those guys were last Sunday who were able to beat the Phoenix Suns, they apparently didn't show up at Arco tonight...

This is just a boring game.

I'm going to take a break and have my dinner.

Feel free to make up your own PBP. It might actually be better than what's happening on the court. The only ones so far with any kind of real energy have been Corliss and Bibby, who appears to be firmly stapled to the bench at this point.

Corliss with two.

36-27 LAC

 

[Spike]

"Monty, anything to add?"
"Ummm... no."
"He's not the best colorman in the league for nothing, folks!"