Kings-Hornets PBP for Monday, Feb. 5

[VF21]

Greetings, fellow Kings fans!

First, a brief warning... I am, once again, faced with the predicament of choosing between the Kings game and the new episode of "24". And, although I am just a little embarrassed to admit it, I will - once again - be choosing "24". So this is advance warning that at 8:59 p.m. my TV switches to Fox so I don't miss a second of Jack Bauer.

Now, with that out of the way, I was somewhat puzzled to go to the sacbee.com website a short while ago and NOT be able to find the preview for tonight's game. It is in my morning Bee, however, so I've taken the liberty of retyping it here for your edification:

KINGS OUTLOOK - The practice of lamenting close losses and giving speeches of "If we had won this game and that game, we would have this record," is ageless in pro sports, but the Kings actually have a point. Their season has been marked by close losses that have created their predicament. Still, they often have looked the part of a lower-level playoff team and now have won two close games against Minnesota and Denver. Their record is identical to last season's at this point, meaning their obviously is still a way.

HORNETS OUTLOOK - The Kings might have started something for the Hornets, whose Jan. 26 win over Sacramento was the first of five wins in their past six games. This was the same team that had lost 22 of its previous 30, with former Kings forward Peja Stojakovic possibly out for the season following back surgery and point guard Chris Paul out with an ankle injury. The past two wins, however, have come with Paul back in the lineup, as he had 24 points and eight assists in a victory against Minnesota on Friday and 12 and none, respectively, in Saturday's win over Houston.

KEY MATCHUP - Mike Bibby v. Chris Paul - Strangely, the Hornets record without Paul in the lineup (8-9) is better than with him (13-17), but the second-year point guard remains a focus. He can be an agitator on defense, and Bibby has been agitated enough by his low scoring. He's averaging just 14.3 points in the past 13 games.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Kings - Bibby, Martin, Artest, Thomas, Miller

Hornets - Paul, Brown, Mason, West, Chandler

I think Amick's comments, especially about the Kings, are as confused as most of our feelings about the current group of players. "Looked like a lower-level playoff team" sure doesn't feel me with any kind of real joy. Just getting to the playoffs isn't much fun if you know you're gonna be blown out in the first round IMHO...

But wiser minds than I are obviously going to be making all the decisions, some of them sooner rather than later as the Feb. 24 trade deadline is beginning to loom on the horizon. My job is just to love this team, and I can continue to do it come feast or famine.

It looks as though we may finally be getting some precipitation here in the forest. Good thing, too. Drought conditions up here could make for water restrictions in the valley if there is no spring runoff to fill the reservoirs that were taken down about a month ago to their lowered levels.

The Gevalia French Vanilla coffee has brewed and I'm hoping tonight's game will be fast-paced and with relatively few whistles so it will end at about 8:57.

GO KINGS!!!

 

[VF21]

Whooooooo!!

Okay, I have to share...

I just received my evening My-Cast weather prediction and it actually says there's a chance of snow by Wednesday morning.

 

[VF21]

Grant Napear reporting that Bibby was out two hours early working on his shot. He says he asked Mike about it and Mike replied, "When you're shooting 38% you have to do something about it..."

I LIKE that attitude from our starting point guard.

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Tip to the Kings. KT to Mike.

(Greg Willard, Jason Phillips and Derrick Collins officiating.)

KT miss inside; West board.

Brown for long two.

2-0 NOK

Kings miss; NOK board.

 

[VF21]

West from the side for two.

4-0 NOK

Martin mid-range jumper for two.

4-2 NOK

10;34 left

West miss; Artest tips rebound to Bibby.

Bibby bullet pass inside to cutting ARtest for nice two.

4-4

 

[VF21]

Artest with the steal.

Kings ball.

OMG! Brad Miller AIRBORNE for two!!!

6-4 KINGS

9;15 left

Mason miss; Miller rebound and fast kick forward to Bibby. Mike pullup jumper doesn't go; NOK board.

West miss; Chandler and Miller go up for the rebound, Chandler gets it and a trip to the line courtesy of Brad.

 

[VF21]

Misses first off back of rim; makes second.

6-5 KINGS

Bibby pass to Ron.

ARTEST FOR THREE!!!!

9-5 KINGS

Mason inside, fouled by Artest.

Mason at the line.

Kings again look focused and determined...

Mason misses first; makes second.

9-6 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Pass intended for Martin is too far in front of him and goes oob. NOK ball.

Grant says Kevin's brother and dad are in attendance and they'll visit with them during half-time.

Mason for two.

9-8 KINGS

Nice Miller feed into KT for the soft two-handed dunk.

11-8 KINGS

Mason with two more.

11-10 KINGS

Artest not able to keep up with the quickness of Mason...

Kings turnover; NOK ball. They switch Martin to Mason; steal. Artest sees KT wide open and gets him the ball.

Two more for KT.

13-10 KINGS

Another NOK turnover.

Bibby bullet-pass to KT for two more!

15-10 KINGS

And KT to the line on the +1.

Bonus good.

16-10 KINGS

 

[VF21]

NOK ball.

6;15 left

Mason totally smothered by ARtest, misses. Kings ball.

Turnover and runaway by Paul.

16-12 KINGS

Miller to Bibby, pass intended for Martin knocked oob.

Time out and commercial.

Kings passing is spot on tonight...

 

[VF21]

Bobby checks in for a nice round of applause.

Bibby for two.

18-12 KINGS

NOK ball, stolen from Bobby by Bibby.

Breakaway for Bibby for two.

20-12 KINSG

Mason for two.

20-14 KINGS

West on the steal from Bibby.

Pass to Chandler for dunk with authority.

20-16 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Bibby inside, draws the foul and heads to the line.

Makes first; and second.

22-16 KINGS

4;35 left

Martin covering Jackson; non-shooting foul called. Still NOK ball. Peja in the crowd looking quite dapper in his suit and tie.



NOK for two.

22-18 KINGS

MARTIN FOR THREE!!!!!

25-18 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Paul pass deflected by Miller but Mason comes down with it and converts a three.

25-21 KINGS

Bibby off excellent screen by Miller for two.

27-21 KINGS

3;14 left

Chandler miss; MIller tips rebound to Bibby.

KT half-hook is way too soft. NOK ball.

2;47 left

Whistle... and time out.

 

[VF21]

Miller and Bibby are looking like they've gone back in time. Miller is getting up and down the court very well and got lots of air - yep, I said air - on that dunk.

Salmons and Corliss in for Martin and Miller.

Bobby at the line.

Makes first; and second.

27-23 KINGS

 

[VF21]

BIBBY FOR THREE!!!!

30-23 KINGS

Paul miss; KT board.

Artest jumper doesn't go, NOK ball. Artest goes for the steal but it doesn't work.

Paul to the line on prevent foul by Corliss.

Makes first; SAR in for KT. Misses second. Hustle for the rebound but NOK comes up with it. Bobby miss; SAR board.

 

[VF21]

Kings ball.

Bibby from the corner for two more.

32-24 KINGS

Grant says that Bibby is very superstitious and he may end up coming out two hours early all the time...

1;19 left

NOK turnover; Kings ball.

Corliss from top of the key doesn't go but SAR tips it in.

34-24 KINGS

Johnson miss; Artest board.

ARTEST FOR THREE!!!!

37-24 KINGS

 

[VF21]

NOK miss; Chandler with the rebound, misses the putback. Kings ball.

Artest bullet pass inside to Corliss, who gets two on the goal-tend call and heads to the line for the +1 on Chandler.

20.1 seconds left

Bonus good on the bounce.

40-24 KINGS

NOK holding for final shot of the quarter. Kings in the zone.

Over to Jackson in the corner, who misses the three. Bibby grabs the rebound and the buzzer sounds.

End of the first quarter.

Whooooooooo!!!

 

[VF21]

Chris Paul was given a technical during the break...

Bibby to shoot the freebie. No problem...

41-24 KINGS

NOK ball to start the second.

Bibby, Corliss, Salmons, SAR and Artest on the court.

Bobby turnover; Kings ball.

Bibby out, Douby in.

 

[VF21]

Douby to Corliss inside, hook won't fall. NOK ball.

Bobby from the baseline is off; Corliss board.

11;12 left

Artest fouled; non-shooting. Still Kings ball. "The Butler did it..."

SAR inside, can't get it to fall. NOK ball.

Bobby airball, possibly touched by Salmons. Kings ball.

Corliss doubled, spins and shot partially blocked. NOK ball.

Pargo for two.

41-26 KINGS

 

[VF21]

SAR in the low post, doubled, and still tries for shot. Miss, NOK board.

Butler for two.

41-28 KINGS

Looking like a little too much one-on-one for my liking.

Kings ball.

Brooks calls time out.

9;43 left

 

[VF21]

Grant and Jerry talking to Gary Gerould. They're discussing Bibby on both ends of the court. Shooting AND covering Chris Paul... Nice to see.
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Bibby on the bench working on his fingernails.

Corliss shot blocked by Hilton Armstrong; NOK ball.

HA off the glass for two.

41-30 KINGS

Douby for two.

43-30 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Jackson shot blocked and Salmons grabs it.

Salmons pass forward to Douby for two more.

45-30 KINGS

8;34 left

Pargo inside, cut off by Corliss, shot misses; Corliss rebound.

Douby from the corner doesn't go; NOK board.

 

[VF21]

Cisco called for foul, he's apparently in for Artest but I didn't see him come in.

NOK at the line.

First shot misses; second is good.

45-31 KINGS

SAR half-hook short again. NOK ball.

Jackson passes in to Johnson, and his shot is knocked oob by the block of Garcia.

Still NOK ball.

7;22 left

Bobby misses a long three; Corliss board.

Corliss kicks over to Cisco for a nice jumper.

47-31 KINGS

 

[VF21]

West for two.

47-33 KINGS

Good ball movement - Salmons three doesn't go. NOK ball.

Bobby J misses; rebound oob off NOK.

Kings ball.

Non-shooting foul on NOK. Martin back in for Douby.

Kings miss; NOK ball.

West from the side for two.

47-35 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Kings ball.

Corliss working inside, bump foul called on NOK.

Time out ... and commercial.

Grant saying they're going to talk to Kevin Martin, Sr. after the break...

 

[VF21]

Kings ball.

Cisco drives inside for two.

49-35 KINGS

Martin Sr. has headphones on and is talking.

NOK ball. Kevin with the steal and the perfect pass forward to Salmons for two more.

51-35 KINGS

Butler for two and the +1.

4;44 left

Bonus miss. SAR board.

51-37 KINGS

 

[VF21]

SAR for two.

53-37 KINGS

Brown for two.

53-39 KINGS

Garcia fouled; non-shooting. Still Kings ball.

Artest back in.

Miller pass inside to cutting Martin, who gets the finger roll to drop.

55-39 KINGS

Mason teardrop for two.

55-41 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Miller jumper doesn't go; whistle on the rebound.

Time out and commercial...

Grant says good-bye to Kevin, Sr. who says "thanks to the best fans in the NBA!"

 

[VF21]

Kings starters back on the court...

NOK ball.

2;53 left

West off the glass for two.

55-43 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Artest drives inside, shot blocked oob by Butler. Still Kings ball.

Bibby from the baseline for two more.

57-43 KINGS

2;09 left

Miller called for non-shooting foul on Paul. 3PF. Corliss back in...

Ball knocked onto the floor, Mason finds it and gets the two.

57-45 KINGS

Bibby to exploding Kevin Martin, who blows by two defenders and is fouled.

Martin to the line.

Makes first; and second.

59-45 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Butler miss; Corliss box out for the rebound.

Artest floater inside for two.

61-45 KINGS

Whoooooo!!!

Brown miss; KT board.

Bibby kicks out to Artest, who passes up three, steps inside and nails the mid-range for two.

63-45 KINGS

Mason on a putback for two.

63-47 KINGS

Corliss steps oob on the baseline... NOK ball.

 

[VF21]

20 seconds left.

NOK ball.

Holding for final shot of the half.

Brown from the corner for three.

63-50 KINGS

2 seconds left. Corliss with the buzzer jumper... bounces but doesn't drop.

End of the first half.

DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID!!!!