http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12697844p-13550369c.html
Kings notes: Kings get unwelcome morning wake-up call
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, April 9, 2005
PORTLAND, Ore. - If the Portland Trail Blazers were fighting with the Kings for a playoff berth, the Friday morning wake-up call the visitors received might seem extremely suspicious.
But this one was no joke.
A fire in the kitchen of an adjoining restaurant resulted in the evacuation of the downtown hotel the Kings were staying in.
"There was no way to miss it with the alarms going off like they were," Kings guard Mike Bibby said. "They got everybody up and out of their rooms."
Erik Daniels said he was surprised to see ambulances, police cars and fire trucks outside the hotel around 1:30 a.m.
"You just don't expect that at that time of the morning," said Daniels, who now had one more experience to add to his list of rookie-year tales.
Listening, learning - Many times before a game, Daniels and fellow rookie Kevin Martin will sit on the bench while other players work out. Friday night, Hall of Famer Pete Carril, 74, sat between them.
Daniels, 23, and Martin, 22, took an early bus to the arena and already had worked out before the second bus carrying the regulars arrived at the Rose Garden.
The youngsters listen to Carril talk about basketball and off-the-court issues. He listens to the neophytes talk about the same.
"You never know what is coming out of Coachie's mouth," Martin said after one of Carril's quips.
Carril was told he formed quite the center of a sandwich with the rookies flanking him.
"Hey," Carril said, "I'm particular about what I use for bread."
Scouting the Kings - Phoenix scout Todd Quinter is back on the Kings' trail with the possibility of the Suns meeting Sacramento in the postseason.
The Suns lead the Western Conference, while the Kings are fifth. The two teams also play twice more during the regular season. They haven't met since Feb. 8, when the Suns won 125-123 at Arco Arena after a controversial non-call on Amare Stoudamire's game-ending block of a Brad Miller layin attempt.
Kings notes: Kings get unwelcome morning wake-up call
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, April 9, 2005
PORTLAND, Ore. - If the Portland Trail Blazers were fighting with the Kings for a playoff berth, the Friday morning wake-up call the visitors received might seem extremely suspicious.
But this one was no joke.
A fire in the kitchen of an adjoining restaurant resulted in the evacuation of the downtown hotel the Kings were staying in.
"There was no way to miss it with the alarms going off like they were," Kings guard Mike Bibby said. "They got everybody up and out of their rooms."
Erik Daniels said he was surprised to see ambulances, police cars and fire trucks outside the hotel around 1:30 a.m.
"You just don't expect that at that time of the morning," said Daniels, who now had one more experience to add to his list of rookie-year tales.
Listening, learning - Many times before a game, Daniels and fellow rookie Kevin Martin will sit on the bench while other players work out. Friday night, Hall of Famer Pete Carril, 74, sat between them.
Daniels, 23, and Martin, 22, took an early bus to the arena and already had worked out before the second bus carrying the regulars arrived at the Rose Garden.
The youngsters listen to Carril talk about basketball and off-the-court issues. He listens to the neophytes talk about the same.
"You never know what is coming out of Coachie's mouth," Martin said after one of Carril's quips.
Carril was told he formed quite the center of a sandwich with the rookies flanking him.
"Hey," Carril said, "I'm particular about what I use for bread."
Scouting the Kings - Phoenix scout Todd Quinter is back on the Kings' trail with the possibility of the Suns meeting Sacramento in the postseason.
The Suns lead the Western Conference, while the Kings are fifth. The two teams also play twice more during the regular season. They haven't met since Feb. 8, when the Suns won 125-123 at Arco Arena after a controversial non-call on Amare Stoudamire's game-ending block of a Brad Miller layin attempt.
