http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13923958p-14760959c.html
Kings notes: Regional rivalry is on minds of many
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 1, 2005
OAKLAND - Rivalry?
Where? Here?
Not yet.
In time, Kings-Warriors could brew into something of a neighborhood tussle, two Northern California teams chasing the Pacific Division championship and playoff position. Fans talk about it. Players wonder about it.
If Kings-Warriors sells tickets and generates interest and revenue, then it's good for the NBA, too. But there still were plenty of tickets available Wednesday night at The Arena.
For now, these were two teams trying to stay hot, entering their first meeting of the season with three-game winning streaks.
And more perspective: History shows neither team has reached the playoffs in the same season since the Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985. The closest they came to that mutual achievement was 10 seasons ago, when the Kings were the eighth seed and reached the postseason with ex-Warriors gunner Mitch Richmond leading the charge. The Warriors, coached by Rick Adelman, were ninth in an eight-team field.
Mike Montgomery now is the Warriors' coach. He had his team off to its best 17-game start since 1991-92. He downplayed Wednesday's game being any sort of barometer or a rivalry in the making.
"It's the first time we've played them, and that's great," Montgomery said. "We have four more with them, and they're in our division. Let's leave it at that.
"Right now, they're chasing us (in the Pacific standings), and maybe next month we'll be chasing them. Historically, that's the way it's been."
Adelman, now the Kings' coach, said rivalries are made especially in the playoffs, like the Kings taking on Utah, Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers over the years.
"(A rivalry) can happen, but both have got to win and both have got to be good (and in the playoffs)," Adelman said.
The players wouldn't mind a rivalry and sense how good the Warriors have become.
Said Kings swingman Kevin Martin: "They feel they are the up-and-coming team."
Added Warriors shooting guard Jason Richardson on what he said is a rivalry: "They used to whoop on us. It was like a big brother thing the last couple of years."
Sort of like déjà vu
When Adelman sizes up the Warriors and their long-term potential, he brings up the Portland Trail Blazers team he led to the NBA Finals twice in the early 1990s, when its young talent matured.
The Warriors have up-and-comers Mike Dunleavy, Richardson and Troy Murphy. The Adelman Blazers had Terry Porter, Clyde Drexler and Kevin Duckworth and a host of seasoned veterans.
Take that, pops
Kings assistant coach Elston Turner grinned when recalling what his son pulled off in a season opener Saturday as the star player for Roseville High School.
Elston Jr. hit a half-court three-pointer at the halftime buzzer and finished with 35 points in a close win over Lincoln.
Pops saw all of it, and he had to confess Monday that in all of his playing years - high school, college, eight in the NBA, five in the CBA and three in Europe - he hit this many half-court heaves:
"None," he said sheepishly. "Not one. Made one in practice, though."
Doesn't count. Advantage: son.
Short flight
The Kings flew to the game Wednesday. Yes, on a plane. Deeming it more sane than risking a traffic jam on a bus, the Kings regularly fly to Oakland to play the Warriors, a 30-minute trek with no one complaining of jet lag.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at (916) 321-1280 or jdavidson@sacbee.com.
Kings notes: Regional rivalry is on minds of many
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 1, 2005
OAKLAND - Rivalry?
Where? Here?
Not yet.
In time, Kings-Warriors could brew into something of a neighborhood tussle, two Northern California teams chasing the Pacific Division championship and playoff position. Fans talk about it. Players wonder about it.
If Kings-Warriors sells tickets and generates interest and revenue, then it's good for the NBA, too. But there still were plenty of tickets available Wednesday night at The Arena.
For now, these were two teams trying to stay hot, entering their first meeting of the season with three-game winning streaks.
And more perspective: History shows neither team has reached the playoffs in the same season since the Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985. The closest they came to that mutual achievement was 10 seasons ago, when the Kings were the eighth seed and reached the postseason with ex-Warriors gunner Mitch Richmond leading the charge. The Warriors, coached by Rick Adelman, were ninth in an eight-team field.
Mike Montgomery now is the Warriors' coach. He had his team off to its best 17-game start since 1991-92. He downplayed Wednesday's game being any sort of barometer or a rivalry in the making.
"It's the first time we've played them, and that's great," Montgomery said. "We have four more with them, and they're in our division. Let's leave it at that.
"Right now, they're chasing us (in the Pacific standings), and maybe next month we'll be chasing them. Historically, that's the way it's been."
Adelman, now the Kings' coach, said rivalries are made especially in the playoffs, like the Kings taking on Utah, Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers over the years.
"(A rivalry) can happen, but both have got to win and both have got to be good (and in the playoffs)," Adelman said.
The players wouldn't mind a rivalry and sense how good the Warriors have become.
Said Kings swingman Kevin Martin: "They feel they are the up-and-coming team."
Added Warriors shooting guard Jason Richardson on what he said is a rivalry: "They used to whoop on us. It was like a big brother thing the last couple of years."
Sort of like déjà vu
When Adelman sizes up the Warriors and their long-term potential, he brings up the Portland Trail Blazers team he led to the NBA Finals twice in the early 1990s, when its young talent matured.
The Warriors have up-and-comers Mike Dunleavy, Richardson and Troy Murphy. The Adelman Blazers had Terry Porter, Clyde Drexler and Kevin Duckworth and a host of seasoned veterans.
Take that, pops
Kings assistant coach Elston Turner grinned when recalling what his son pulled off in a season opener Saturday as the star player for Roseville High School.
Elston Jr. hit a half-court three-pointer at the halftime buzzer and finished with 35 points in a close win over Lincoln.
Pops saw all of it, and he had to confess Monday that in all of his playing years - high school, college, eight in the NBA, five in the CBA and three in Europe - he hit this many half-court heaves:
"None," he said sheepishly. "Not one. Made one in practice, though."
Doesn't count. Advantage: son.
Short flight
The Kings flew to the game Wednesday. Yes, on a plane. Deeming it more sane than risking a traffic jam on a bus, the Kings regularly fly to Oakland to play the Warriors, a 30-minute trek with no one complaining of jet lag.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at (916) 321-1280 or jdavidson@sacbee.com.
