http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13798523p-14640079c.html
2005 Kings Preview: All business, no fun and games
Brian Skinner and Jason Hart bring intensity to defense - and they take their jobs very seriously.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Fun and games for these two excludes guffaws and smiles. They're stoic in their attack, Jason Hart and Brian Skinner.
A Hart steal or Skinner blocked shot elicits the same expression: Nothing. Imagine youngsters in pre-Sega couch time, protecting their board in a straight-faced game of Battleship. Seek and sink, but hold the joy even when the meanest of carriers goes under.
Hart and Skinner come off the bench for the Kings to provide a completely different look and feel, some defensive clout for a franchise long known for its offensive prowess. Their joy is the dirty work, Hart at guard and Skinner in the front court, mainly at center.
"Those two guys off the bench will come in and give us energy, pick the tempo of game up," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "Those two guys are key to our success."
Skinner was part of the six-player trade with Philadelphia last winter that reshaped the Kings' roster. He then stepped in when starter Brad Miller went down with a broken leg. He gave the Kings a glimpse of what he could bring - protection around the rim - and the club sorely missed his presence in the postseason when he basically was benched with two jammed thumbs.
Skinner is a 6-foot-9 Baylor product with deep Texas roots who can play center or power forward. Doesn't matter to him.
At center last season for the Kings, he started 23 games and averaged 7.4 points and 1.72 blocks. Though he can be effective on offense as he continues to hone that part of his game, Skinner's greatest asset to the Kings is clear: resistance. A soaring dunk attempt Shawn Marion of the Phoenix Suns attempted in a preseason game was turned away at the peak of his and Skinner's ascent.
Skinner hustled down the floor as if it were no big deal, like winning all the chips with a straight flush and a straight face. His teammates kid him about it. Kings co-owner Joe Maloof called it the prettiest thing he ever had seen.
"It's preseason," Skinner said later after a practice, still trying to understand what the fuss was about. "I don't know what to say. It could've easily changed, a couple of degrees to the right, and (Marion) would've dunked it. Yeah, the guys loved it. It was exciting. But I'm going to get dunked on this season, a lot, and I'm going to get a lot of blocked shots. It happens in this league."
Hart, meanwhile, arrived this summer via trade with the Charlotte Bobcats, in large part because of his penchant to defend from either guard position. He's a stop-first, shoot-later type of talent. He should absorb a lot of those energy and difference-maker minutes Bobby Jackson had for so long.
Hart's instincts and quick hands won him a scholarship to Syracuse, where he set school records for steals as a four-year starter after excelling as a prep in Inglewood. Those attributes made him a pro, and they have granted him a regular spot in the Kings' rotation.
He's a different type of player than Mike Bibby, the Kings' floor leader and one of the league's top point-guard shooters. Hart harasses and hounds and cuts off foes at the angles, using smarts and skills to hold his own.
"Some of the guys in the league I play against are quicker, so I've got to learn angles, know their tendencies," the 6-foot-3 Hart said. "I play against Mike every day in practice, and I'll have to go against Steve Nash a lot. In the East, I played against Gilbert Arenas, Jamal Crawford, Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury. A lot of tough ones out there."
Skinner likes Hart's game.
"Jason's going to make a lot of enemies this season (with the way he) comes up with steals," Skinner said.
Hart flourished in camp and in the preseason. He was stalled by a hip pointer so tender and painful that he went to the Arco Arena floor in the closing minute of a game against the Denver Nuggets (imagine an ice cream cone melting under a sudden searing sun). He talked about how he wanted to win that game, how he waved off his coaches a moment before because he thought he could gut it out and how it still bothers him that he had to be carried off the floor.
All things considered, there's no complaint in the man.
"Just being in the NBA," Hart said, grinning, "that's great. You get an opportunity to play at the highest level. It's an honor. Yeah, I think (a lot of NBA players) take this job for granted, especially the ones not in the league right now, the J.R. Riders."
Skinner and Hart are ready to shed the journeyman tag that sticks to men who bounce from city to city. Skinner was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Clippers in 1998, the same season the club took Michael Olowokandi No. 1 overall. He then had stops in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Philadelphia again and, finally, here. In his first Kings start, he had 15 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots at Charlotte, against Hart and company.
Skinner isn't sure why he moved so often. He doesn't really care, either. He has a defined role now, and he's playing about as well as any backup center in the league. And he invites the chance to contribute in an offense that likes to have the big men pass.
"Last year it was a crash course here, trying to learn the offense," Skinner said. "Basically, it was like trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant."
Hart was a 2000 second-round pick by the Milwaukee Bucks, a team that had Sam Cassell, Lindsay Hunter and Ray Allen. Those players gobbled up all the minutes, and Hart was stashed on the injured list for an injury he still isn't sure he had (wink, wink). He logged two seasons and 63 total games with the San Antonio Spurs behind Tony Parker. There were stints in Asheville, N.C., in the NBA's Development League, and in Greece.
Then, finally a legitimate chance in Charlotte, where he played 74 games, averaged 25.5 minutes, 9.5 points and five assists in playing both guard spots, as a starter and as a reserve.
With the solid play of Brevin Knight and the Bobcats drafting guard Raymond Felton out of nearby North Carolina, Hart became expendable. The Kings stole him for a second-round draft pick.
"I'm glad to be here, but it doesn't mean I'm going to stop working, stop trying to get better," Hart said. "Guys like me, we have to be ready."
Game face and all.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at (916) 321-1280 or jdavidson@sacbee.com.
2005 Kings Preview: All business, no fun and games
Brian Skinner and Jason Hart bring intensity to defense - and they take their jobs very seriously.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Fun and games for these two excludes guffaws and smiles. They're stoic in their attack, Jason Hart and Brian Skinner.
A Hart steal or Skinner blocked shot elicits the same expression: Nothing. Imagine youngsters in pre-Sega couch time, protecting their board in a straight-faced game of Battleship. Seek and sink, but hold the joy even when the meanest of carriers goes under.
Hart and Skinner come off the bench for the Kings to provide a completely different look and feel, some defensive clout for a franchise long known for its offensive prowess. Their joy is the dirty work, Hart at guard and Skinner in the front court, mainly at center.
"Those two guys off the bench will come in and give us energy, pick the tempo of game up," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "Those two guys are key to our success."
Skinner was part of the six-player trade with Philadelphia last winter that reshaped the Kings' roster. He then stepped in when starter Brad Miller went down with a broken leg. He gave the Kings a glimpse of what he could bring - protection around the rim - and the club sorely missed his presence in the postseason when he basically was benched with two jammed thumbs.
Skinner is a 6-foot-9 Baylor product with deep Texas roots who can play center or power forward. Doesn't matter to him.
At center last season for the Kings, he started 23 games and averaged 7.4 points and 1.72 blocks. Though he can be effective on offense as he continues to hone that part of his game, Skinner's greatest asset to the Kings is clear: resistance. A soaring dunk attempt Shawn Marion of the Phoenix Suns attempted in a preseason game was turned away at the peak of his and Skinner's ascent.
Skinner hustled down the floor as if it were no big deal, like winning all the chips with a straight flush and a straight face. His teammates kid him about it. Kings co-owner Joe Maloof called it the prettiest thing he ever had seen.
"It's preseason," Skinner said later after a practice, still trying to understand what the fuss was about. "I don't know what to say. It could've easily changed, a couple of degrees to the right, and (Marion) would've dunked it. Yeah, the guys loved it. It was exciting. But I'm going to get dunked on this season, a lot, and I'm going to get a lot of blocked shots. It happens in this league."
Hart, meanwhile, arrived this summer via trade with the Charlotte Bobcats, in large part because of his penchant to defend from either guard position. He's a stop-first, shoot-later type of talent. He should absorb a lot of those energy and difference-maker minutes Bobby Jackson had for so long.
Hart's instincts and quick hands won him a scholarship to Syracuse, where he set school records for steals as a four-year starter after excelling as a prep in Inglewood. Those attributes made him a pro, and they have granted him a regular spot in the Kings' rotation.
He's a different type of player than Mike Bibby, the Kings' floor leader and one of the league's top point-guard shooters. Hart harasses and hounds and cuts off foes at the angles, using smarts and skills to hold his own.
"Some of the guys in the league I play against are quicker, so I've got to learn angles, know their tendencies," the 6-foot-3 Hart said. "I play against Mike every day in practice, and I'll have to go against Steve Nash a lot. In the East, I played against Gilbert Arenas, Jamal Crawford, Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury. A lot of tough ones out there."
Skinner likes Hart's game.
"Jason's going to make a lot of enemies this season (with the way he) comes up with steals," Skinner said.
Hart flourished in camp and in the preseason. He was stalled by a hip pointer so tender and painful that he went to the Arco Arena floor in the closing minute of a game against the Denver Nuggets (imagine an ice cream cone melting under a sudden searing sun). He talked about how he wanted to win that game, how he waved off his coaches a moment before because he thought he could gut it out and how it still bothers him that he had to be carried off the floor.
All things considered, there's no complaint in the man.
"Just being in the NBA," Hart said, grinning, "that's great. You get an opportunity to play at the highest level. It's an honor. Yeah, I think (a lot of NBA players) take this job for granted, especially the ones not in the league right now, the J.R. Riders."
Skinner and Hart are ready to shed the journeyman tag that sticks to men who bounce from city to city. Skinner was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Clippers in 1998, the same season the club took Michael Olowokandi No. 1 overall. He then had stops in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Philadelphia again and, finally, here. In his first Kings start, he had 15 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots at Charlotte, against Hart and company.
Skinner isn't sure why he moved so often. He doesn't really care, either. He has a defined role now, and he's playing about as well as any backup center in the league. And he invites the chance to contribute in an offense that likes to have the big men pass.
"Last year it was a crash course here, trying to learn the offense," Skinner said. "Basically, it was like trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant."
Hart was a 2000 second-round pick by the Milwaukee Bucks, a team that had Sam Cassell, Lindsay Hunter and Ray Allen. Those players gobbled up all the minutes, and Hart was stashed on the injured list for an injury he still isn't sure he had (wink, wink). He logged two seasons and 63 total games with the San Antonio Spurs behind Tony Parker. There were stints in Asheville, N.C., in the NBA's Development League, and in Greece.
Then, finally a legitimate chance in Charlotte, where he played 74 games, averaged 25.5 minutes, 9.5 points and five assists in playing both guard spots, as a starter and as a reserve.
With the solid play of Brevin Knight and the Bobcats drafting guard Raymond Felton out of nearby North Carolina, Hart became expendable. The Kings stole him for a second-round draft pick.
"I'm glad to be here, but it doesn't mean I'm going to stop working, stop trying to get better," Hart said. "Guys like me, we have to be ready."
Game face and all.
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at (916) 321-1280 or jdavidson@sacbee.com.
