Elise10
Starter
Kings notes: For Martin, it was right time to just give it a rest
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C5
Get the latest news in sacbee.com's Kings Alert newsletter. Sign up here.
Kevin Martin zipped off to Zanesville over the weekend to spend down time in his native Ohio town.
And the Kings guard took to his old bed in his old room, with the high school pictures and trophies still in place, like a man who had legged out back-to-back marathons.
"Slept in the first day I was there until 7 at night, all day long," Martin said. "I was tired. It felt good to just sleep."
Martin said family and friends did not bring up basketball. Not even his hoops die-hard parents, Kevin and Marilyn, uttered anything about shooting, rebounding, winning or losing, though they talk to their son after every game to catch up on such themes.
"They just knew, just had a sense that I didn't want to talk about it because I wanted a break," Martin said.
Not that Martin isn't delighted with his season, especially of late. He averaged 7.2 points on 44 percent shooting in his first 30 games and then upped those numbers to 16.1 and 54 in the past 18 games.
Martin understands he might not be starting for long, with Bonzi Wells due back any time now from a groin injury. But it has been a nice relationship between Wells and Martin, with Wells mentoring somewhat and offering unconditional support from the bench. Martin said he'll return the favor.
"No need to get upset (about possibly going back to the bench upon Wells' return)," Martin said. "We all want him back."
Price was right
Upon further review, there was in fact a Kings player who walked the Toyota Center floor during All-Star weekend, albeit in street clothes.
Kings rookie guard Ronnie Price, a Houston native whose favorite teams were the Kenny Smith/Hakeem Olajuwon title teams of the mid-1990s, surprised his father, also named Ronnie, with two tickets to Sunday's game - with one bonus.
"A friend of mine works for the NBA, and he was able to get us some passes so we could walk on the floor during pregame," Price said.
Not yet a rivalry
Someday, Kings-Warriors might erupt into a rivalry that brings to mind Kings-Lakers of seasons past. For now, it's still developing, with little to play for over the decades between the clubs.
"I think it's just more of a neighborhood scuffle," said Warriors guard Derek Fisher, a member of those Lakers teams that battled the Kings earlier in the decade. "I don't think there's really been enough at stake at the same time for both teams for it to be a rivalry. ... I still think it's a game that piques people's interest in Northern California."
Warriors guard Jason Richardson added there's something to play for now.
"This year especially because both of our teams are fighting for the eighth (playoff) spot, so of course these are big games anytime we play them, when in the past they were like the big brothers and we were the little brothers, and they used to beat up on us."
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C5
Get the latest news in sacbee.com's Kings Alert newsletter. Sign up here.
Kevin Martin zipped off to Zanesville over the weekend to spend down time in his native Ohio town.
And the Kings guard took to his old bed in his old room, with the high school pictures and trophies still in place, like a man who had legged out back-to-back marathons.
"Slept in the first day I was there until 7 at night, all day long," Martin said. "I was tired. It felt good to just sleep."
Martin said family and friends did not bring up basketball. Not even his hoops die-hard parents, Kevin and Marilyn, uttered anything about shooting, rebounding, winning or losing, though they talk to their son after every game to catch up on such themes.
"They just knew, just had a sense that I didn't want to talk about it because I wanted a break," Martin said.
Not that Martin isn't delighted with his season, especially of late. He averaged 7.2 points on 44 percent shooting in his first 30 games and then upped those numbers to 16.1 and 54 in the past 18 games.
Martin understands he might not be starting for long, with Bonzi Wells due back any time now from a groin injury. But it has been a nice relationship between Wells and Martin, with Wells mentoring somewhat and offering unconditional support from the bench. Martin said he'll return the favor.
"No need to get upset (about possibly going back to the bench upon Wells' return)," Martin said. "We all want him back."
Price was right
Upon further review, there was in fact a Kings player who walked the Toyota Center floor during All-Star weekend, albeit in street clothes.
Kings rookie guard Ronnie Price, a Houston native whose favorite teams were the Kenny Smith/Hakeem Olajuwon title teams of the mid-1990s, surprised his father, also named Ronnie, with two tickets to Sunday's game - with one bonus.
"A friend of mine works for the NBA, and he was able to get us some passes so we could walk on the floor during pregame," Price said.
Not yet a rivalry
Someday, Kings-Warriors might erupt into a rivalry that brings to mind Kings-Lakers of seasons past. For now, it's still developing, with little to play for over the decades between the clubs.
"I think it's just more of a neighborhood scuffle," said Warriors guard Derek Fisher, a member of those Lakers teams that battled the Kings earlier in the decade. "I don't think there's really been enough at stake at the same time for both teams for it to be a rivalry. ... I still think it's a game that piques people's interest in Northern California."
Warriors guard Jason Richardson added there's something to play for now.
"This year especially because both of our teams are fighting for the eighth (playoff) spot, so of course these are big games anytime we play them, when in the past they were like the big brothers and we were the little brothers, and they used to beat up on us."
