http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/110318.html
The Kings have been here before
Last season, Ron Artest energized a squad in a funk when he joined them in Boston, where they'll return today.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:53 am PST Friday, January 19, 2007
BOSTON -- They lost that night, just like they had on so many others, but that didn't seem to matter.
For the record, it was an 84-74 defeat to the Celtics last Jan. 27. And it was an afterthought, as the minds of the Kings, their fans, and the entire NBA nation was on the newest man in purple. Or, to be specific, the man in black.
The Ron Artest debut needed nothing extra to brighten the spotlight, but the former Indiana forward, who had just been traded to the Kings, brought additional flair anyway.
Beyond the rock-star treatment he received as he entered the TD Banknorth Garden, beyond an out-of-shape Artest giving it a go on the floor, or the Artest-only news conference he held afterward in which he shared the story of those funky shoes. Not knowing that his new teammates would be wearing black shoes, he had brought white kicks. Eager to fit in, Artest fixed the problem with a simple black marker and his own artistic abilities.
The ink in his pen was permanent, just like this current seven-game losing streak seems to be, and it will only grow darker as it gets longer. And much like it was a year ago, the Kings are again a team on the decline, hoping to write a new chapter -- heck, a new page -- in what is quickly becoming the same story with just a few new characters. Wins may be in short supply, but irony abounds in this eerie return to Beantown.
"We were kind of walking dead around here last year until Ron came," forward Corliss Williamson said. "Hopefully with his emotion, we'll feed off of that and use it as a spark."
The disclaimer is that Williamson's comment was said after Saturday's overtime loss to Houston -- an inspired enough effort to make even the Kings wonder if better times weren't ahead. Six days later, the losing continues, road losses in New York and Toronto compounding matters while the Kings sink deeper into dangerous territory for any team with postseason hopes.
At eight-games below .500, the Kings have already matched the low point of the 2005-06 version that was 18-26 before the Artest-driven turnaround, although that team never lost more than five in a row. Their unlikely postseason berth was a rarity, but not a first for the organization in terms of rising from the depths.
The 1995-96 Kings fell as low as 25-33 and still qualified, despite an 11-game losing streak and one stretch in which they lost 16 of 17 games. Record aside, what is clear is that losing streaks of this length typically don't denote playoff squads, especially in the Western Conference.
The 2003-04 Memphis Grizzlies were the last team from the West to post a seven-game losing streak and still qualify. The last playoff team from the West to lose eight consecutive games was the 2001-02 Minnesota Timberwolves, meaning 38 of the 40 West playoff teams in the past five seasons never let their losing streaks get beyond six.
The Chicago Bulls have kept the oddity from being so odd in the Eastern Conference, where they made the playoffs despite an eight-game losing streak in the 2005-06 season and overcame a nine-game slide to qualify last season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the record for the longest losing streak by an eventual playoff team is 13, achieved three times (1976-77 Bulls, 1996-97 Phoenix Suns, 2001-02 Toronto Raptors).
In the arena where Artest made his bold playoff prediction last season, he made a half-hearted repeat attempt Wednesday at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.
"We're not struggling, we're just fine," Artest said. "We're going to win now. We were just playing around a little bit."
After losing to the Raptors, the optimism -- whether genuine or self-sustaining -- remained.
"I just think we've got to click," Artest said. "I have a lot of confidence that we're going to be fine, but right now it's not going our way."
Any way you look at it.
"Every loss (getting to the playoffs) gets that much tougher, because you're putting yourself deeper in a hole," swingman John Salmons said. "But you really don't have a choice but to stay together and continue playing. Come to practice every day, work hard, try to get a win. There's really no other alternative."
Tonight's game
Kings (14-22) at Boston (12-25)
Where: TD Banknorth Garden
When: 4:30 pm
TV: CSN
Radio: KHTK 1140
KINGS OUTLOOK
There are two ways to look at this affair. First, the positive stance: If ever there was a team that was the perfect candidate for a losing-streak breaker, it's these injury-prone, struggling Celtics. And second, the glass-is-half-empty outlook: If the Kings lose today, it will not only become their first eight-game losing streak since March of 1998, but a new low after so many losses have come by a close margin against formidable teams. Individually, every Kings player wants out of this hole, but they won't unless they do it collectively.
CELTICS OUTLOOK
While some Kings fans are crying for an acceleration to the youth movement, the Celtics have had no choice but to rely on some of their extra-green talent. Paul Pierce has missed the past 13 games with a stress reaction in his left foot; Wally Szczerbiak has missed the past four games with ankle problems -- and they're the only marquee names on a long injury list. While the Celtics have lost 12 of 14 games, Szczerbiak should play today and point guard Delonte West will also play after missing the four games with a back injury. Theo Ratliff, Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen all remain out. Surprisingly, Boston is worse at home (4-13) than on the road (8-12).
KEY MATCHUP
Mike Bibby vs. Delonte West
Celtics coach Doc Rivers may go with West over Sebastian Telfair at the point to maximize the defensive pressure on Bibby, who has had four consecutive games of subpar shooting. West is feisty and always-active on both ends, averaging 9.1 points and 3.5 assists in 25.4 minutes per game this season.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Kings
10 Mike Bibby PG
23 Kevin Martin SG
93 Ron Artest SF
3 S. Abdur-Rahim PF
52 Brad Miller C
Celtics
13 Delonte West PG
5 Gerald Green SG
4 Ryan Gomes SF
7 Al Jefferson PG
43 Kendrick Perkins C
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
The Kings have been here before
Last season, Ron Artest energized a squad in a funk when he joined them in Boston, where they'll return today.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:53 am PST Friday, January 19, 2007
BOSTON -- They lost that night, just like they had on so many others, but that didn't seem to matter.
For the record, it was an 84-74 defeat to the Celtics last Jan. 27. And it was an afterthought, as the minds of the Kings, their fans, and the entire NBA nation was on the newest man in purple. Or, to be specific, the man in black.
The Ron Artest debut needed nothing extra to brighten the spotlight, but the former Indiana forward, who had just been traded to the Kings, brought additional flair anyway.
Beyond the rock-star treatment he received as he entered the TD Banknorth Garden, beyond an out-of-shape Artest giving it a go on the floor, or the Artest-only news conference he held afterward in which he shared the story of those funky shoes. Not knowing that his new teammates would be wearing black shoes, he had brought white kicks. Eager to fit in, Artest fixed the problem with a simple black marker and his own artistic abilities.
The ink in his pen was permanent, just like this current seven-game losing streak seems to be, and it will only grow darker as it gets longer. And much like it was a year ago, the Kings are again a team on the decline, hoping to write a new chapter -- heck, a new page -- in what is quickly becoming the same story with just a few new characters. Wins may be in short supply, but irony abounds in this eerie return to Beantown.
"We were kind of walking dead around here last year until Ron came," forward Corliss Williamson said. "Hopefully with his emotion, we'll feed off of that and use it as a spark."
The disclaimer is that Williamson's comment was said after Saturday's overtime loss to Houston -- an inspired enough effort to make even the Kings wonder if better times weren't ahead. Six days later, the losing continues, road losses in New York and Toronto compounding matters while the Kings sink deeper into dangerous territory for any team with postseason hopes.
At eight-games below .500, the Kings have already matched the low point of the 2005-06 version that was 18-26 before the Artest-driven turnaround, although that team never lost more than five in a row. Their unlikely postseason berth was a rarity, but not a first for the organization in terms of rising from the depths.
The 1995-96 Kings fell as low as 25-33 and still qualified, despite an 11-game losing streak and one stretch in which they lost 16 of 17 games. Record aside, what is clear is that losing streaks of this length typically don't denote playoff squads, especially in the Western Conference.
The 2003-04 Memphis Grizzlies were the last team from the West to post a seven-game losing streak and still qualify. The last playoff team from the West to lose eight consecutive games was the 2001-02 Minnesota Timberwolves, meaning 38 of the 40 West playoff teams in the past five seasons never let their losing streaks get beyond six.
The Chicago Bulls have kept the oddity from being so odd in the Eastern Conference, where they made the playoffs despite an eight-game losing streak in the 2005-06 season and overcame a nine-game slide to qualify last season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the record for the longest losing streak by an eventual playoff team is 13, achieved three times (1976-77 Bulls, 1996-97 Phoenix Suns, 2001-02 Toronto Raptors).
In the arena where Artest made his bold playoff prediction last season, he made a half-hearted repeat attempt Wednesday at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.
"We're not struggling, we're just fine," Artest said. "We're going to win now. We were just playing around a little bit."
After losing to the Raptors, the optimism -- whether genuine or self-sustaining -- remained.
"I just think we've got to click," Artest said. "I have a lot of confidence that we're going to be fine, but right now it's not going our way."
Any way you look at it.
"Every loss (getting to the playoffs) gets that much tougher, because you're putting yourself deeper in a hole," swingman John Salmons said. "But you really don't have a choice but to stay together and continue playing. Come to practice every day, work hard, try to get a win. There's really no other alternative."
Tonight's game
Kings (14-22) at Boston (12-25)
Where: TD Banknorth Garden
When: 4:30 pm
TV: CSN
Radio: KHTK 1140
KINGS OUTLOOK
There are two ways to look at this affair. First, the positive stance: If ever there was a team that was the perfect candidate for a losing-streak breaker, it's these injury-prone, struggling Celtics. And second, the glass-is-half-empty outlook: If the Kings lose today, it will not only become their first eight-game losing streak since March of 1998, but a new low after so many losses have come by a close margin against formidable teams. Individually, every Kings player wants out of this hole, but they won't unless they do it collectively.
CELTICS OUTLOOK
While some Kings fans are crying for an acceleration to the youth movement, the Celtics have had no choice but to rely on some of their extra-green talent. Paul Pierce has missed the past 13 games with a stress reaction in his left foot; Wally Szczerbiak has missed the past four games with ankle problems -- and they're the only marquee names on a long injury list. While the Celtics have lost 12 of 14 games, Szczerbiak should play today and point guard Delonte West will also play after missing the four games with a back injury. Theo Ratliff, Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen all remain out. Surprisingly, Boston is worse at home (4-13) than on the road (8-12).
KEY MATCHUP
Mike Bibby vs. Delonte West
Celtics coach Doc Rivers may go with West over Sebastian Telfair at the point to maximize the defensive pressure on Bibby, who has had four consecutive games of subpar shooting. West is feisty and always-active on both ends, averaging 9.1 points and 3.5 assists in 25.4 minutes per game this season.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Kings
10 Mike Bibby PG
23 Kevin Martin SG
93 Ron Artest SF
3 S. Abdur-Rahim PF
52 Brad Miller C
Celtics
13 Delonte West PG
5 Gerald Green SG
4 Ryan Gomes SF
7 Al Jefferson PG
43 Kendrick Perkins C
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
