http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/452851.html
By Sam Amick - samick@sacbee.com
LOS ANGELES – There were major changes, a surprise considering how little time is left before the regular season begins.
Mostly, though, they were of the barber shop variety.
Mike Bibby cut his mini-fro, stopping short of the bald look that has inspired so many references over the years to Mini-Me, the character from the "Austin Powers" movie. Brad Miller, like it or not, went back to cornrows after sporting the floppy-haired look for the last two games.
John Salmons, for the record, arrived with the same short cut on top and tuft goatee below, the same black headband and the same steady game he has sported throughout the exhibition season in the Kings' 92-90 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
For a team with so little room for error in a Western Conference so capable of causing missteps, the Kings are well aware of the dooming potential posed by Ron Artest's early-season absence. Though the small forward is appealing his seven-game suspension and has a Nov. 1 arbitration hearing in New York, it appears unlikely the ruling will change.
Salmons, however, has calmed the collective anxiety a bit with his consistent play. He entered Wednesday averaging 11.5 points and 25.3 minutes in six games, all while limiting his turnovers to 1.2 per game. Perhaps the Kings' most potent stat-sheet filler, he finished with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes while starting for the fourth time in exhibition play as a preparation tactic.
Just like last season – his first in a five-year contract – Salmons has shown the ability to defend at three positions and score when needed. Yet his floor management seems to have improved and the propensity for one-on-one play has been minimized, likely a testament to Salmons' comfort level in a role he never has been asked to play. During his first four seasons in Philadelphia, the point guard spot was never even an occasional possibility with Allen Iverson in town.
"John has played very well," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "He's taken it to the hole hard, had good looks at the time. I'm real happy. Him and (Francisco García) both are going to have to step up and play big minutes ... . Without Ron, it's going to be tough."
Salmons appeared to have a game-winning opportunity at the buzzer. After his pump fake of Cuttino Mobley sent the Clippers guard airborne, Salmons appeared to be hit hard on his shooting arm on his three-point attempt. Official Violet Palmer saw it differently, though, swallowing her whistle while a shocked Salmons walked off the floor.
In the locker room, he was in midseason form – a towel draped over his legs and a forlorn look on his face. Salmons, on appearance alone, takes losses harder than any other King. And despite his frustration at Palmer's non-call, he was more concerned that the Kings have two last-second exhibition losses. The other defeat came Oct. 16, 101-99 to Dallas.
"Maybe we shouldn't even have been in that position," Salmons said. "The good thing is that it is preseason, but you've still got to be concerned that so far we're doing the same trends we were doing last year. We've got to start winning these games and turn the corner."
Whereas the presence of Salmons has come to be expected, the relief for Theus came with the breakout game for Bibby. The point guard entered averaging 11 points and shooting just 31.5 percent, but he hit 11 of 19 shots, including 6 of 10 three-pointers, for 28 points.
Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim also had his first action of the exhibition season, playing three minutes. Abdur-Rahim, whose recovery from late June arthroscopic surgery on his right knee was delayed by a setback just before October training camp, grabbed two rebounds and missed his only two shots.
By Sam Amick - samick@sacbee.com
LOS ANGELES – There were major changes, a surprise considering how little time is left before the regular season begins.
Mostly, though, they were of the barber shop variety.
Mike Bibby cut his mini-fro, stopping short of the bald look that has inspired so many references over the years to Mini-Me, the character from the "Austin Powers" movie. Brad Miller, like it or not, went back to cornrows after sporting the floppy-haired look for the last two games.
John Salmons, for the record, arrived with the same short cut on top and tuft goatee below, the same black headband and the same steady game he has sported throughout the exhibition season in the Kings' 92-90 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
For a team with so little room for error in a Western Conference so capable of causing missteps, the Kings are well aware of the dooming potential posed by Ron Artest's early-season absence. Though the small forward is appealing his seven-game suspension and has a Nov. 1 arbitration hearing in New York, it appears unlikely the ruling will change.
Salmons, however, has calmed the collective anxiety a bit with his consistent play. He entered Wednesday averaging 11.5 points and 25.3 minutes in six games, all while limiting his turnovers to 1.2 per game. Perhaps the Kings' most potent stat-sheet filler, he finished with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes while starting for the fourth time in exhibition play as a preparation tactic.
Just like last season – his first in a five-year contract – Salmons has shown the ability to defend at three positions and score when needed. Yet his floor management seems to have improved and the propensity for one-on-one play has been minimized, likely a testament to Salmons' comfort level in a role he never has been asked to play. During his first four seasons in Philadelphia, the point guard spot was never even an occasional possibility with Allen Iverson in town.
"John has played very well," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "He's taken it to the hole hard, had good looks at the time. I'm real happy. Him and (Francisco García) both are going to have to step up and play big minutes ... . Without Ron, it's going to be tough."
Salmons appeared to have a game-winning opportunity at the buzzer. After his pump fake of Cuttino Mobley sent the Clippers guard airborne, Salmons appeared to be hit hard on his shooting arm on his three-point attempt. Official Violet Palmer saw it differently, though, swallowing her whistle while a shocked Salmons walked off the floor.
In the locker room, he was in midseason form – a towel draped over his legs and a forlorn look on his face. Salmons, on appearance alone, takes losses harder than any other King. And despite his frustration at Palmer's non-call, he was more concerned that the Kings have two last-second exhibition losses. The other defeat came Oct. 16, 101-99 to Dallas.
"Maybe we shouldn't even have been in that position," Salmons said. "The good thing is that it is preseason, but you've still got to be concerned that so far we're doing the same trends we were doing last year. We've got to start winning these games and turn the corner."
Whereas the presence of Salmons has come to be expected, the relief for Theus came with the breakout game for Bibby. The point guard entered averaging 11 points and shooting just 31.5 percent, but he hit 11 of 19 shots, including 6 of 10 three-pointers, for 28 points.
Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim also had his first action of the exhibition season, playing three minutes. Abdur-Rahim, whose recovery from late June arthroscopic surgery on his right knee was delayed by a setback just before October training camp, grabbed two rebounds and missed his only two shots.
