Kings problems at facilities during Spurs series?

[Kings113]

LAS VEGAS -- When the Kings lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of last season's playoffs, their end resulted from numerous factors.
Running out of gas, according to Ron Artest, was not one of them.

Nearly three months after the Spurs won the series in six games, the Kings' small forward said San Antonio's home-court advantage went beyond the court. He said the AT&T Center's visitors' locker room reeked with gas before the Spurs' Game 5 victory, and that the hotel experience at two facilities didn't do much for relaxation and preparation throughout the series.

Wake-up calls in hotel rooms, Artest said, routinely came hours early for numerous players. And room service, he also said, would take several hours to arrive.
The Kings switched hotels after losing Game 1, moving from a Hyatt Regency on the city's outskirts to a downtown Marriott. San Antonio's annual "Fiesta" event was taking place at the time, and Kings officials said they had stayed at the Hyatt because there was no availability near the city's Riverwalk. But Artest said the hotel move didn't improve matters.
"It was both hotels, really, but the second hotel was horrible," said Artest, who was suspended for Game 2 of the series. "The second hotel, they were waking us up too early. They were bringing our lunch late. When you play an NBA game, you've got to have your lunch at a certain time. You eat at a certain time.
"One morning, I didn't even get my breakfast. I had to eat my breakfast on the bus. And then when I got to the game, they had the gas (in the locker room). The gas was killing our locker room. It wasn't even a safe environment. It was horrible, horrible. … I just know that if the Spurs are going to make us smell gas, we should've made the Spurs smell gas. We should've put gas in their locker room."
Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin said he never requested a wake-up call, but he did remember smelling the gas.
"I just had the gas thing," he said. "It was horrible. I think I remember just smelling it once." Spurs officials declined comment. Kings spokesman Darrin May said he was aware of the gas in the locker room before Game 5 but had no knowledge of the hotel difficulties.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14276348p-15085749c.html

Quite interesting... obviously it's the past, but something to ponder or think about.

 

[VF21]

Okay, it's evil and diabolical and I think every host team tries to find ways to make things as uncomfortable as possible for the visiting squad.

Have you SEEN our visitor locker room? Looks like the remnants of an abandoned kid's club... As far as the early wake-up calls go, that's easy. Have one of the Kings staff make the calls and NOT the hotel people.

I am concerned about the gas, however. That would be taking things a little too far.

 

[bibbyweb]

why is he talking about it now?

 

[kennadog]

why is he talking about it now?

Because they asked.

 

[VF21]

It's TDOS - and only July TDOS at that. In past years, the things the Bee would actually find to right about may have been more interesting but we don't have any real drama going on right now so they're stuck with this stuff.

Just think. Training camp isn't until October. Who knows what gems we'll see before then...

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

It's TDOS - and only July TDOS at that. In past years, the things the Bee would actually find to right about may have been more interesting but we don't have any real drama going on right now so they're stuck with this stuff.

Just think. Training camp isn't until October. Who knows what gems we'll see before then...

INDEED!! Bonzi is back from vacation sometime this weekend...so perhaps....

 

[hoopsfan]

Hey..at least they got their food...and it didn't give them food poisoning.


Reminds me of Boston in the 80's...they would have the heat on in the visitors locker room..no air, in the middle of June.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Hey..at least they got their food...and it didn't give them food poisoning.


Reminds me of Boston in the 80's...they would have the heat on in the visitors locker room..no air, in the middle of June.

Ouch!! NO air in the middle of June in Boston?? WOW!!...I'm suprised the opposition didnt drown from all the water in their lungs from all the humidity in the air. I used to live in good ole' Beantown, and definetely can relate to that.

 

[bibbyweb]

Well I like Artest and had been rooting for us to get him since last summer itself. So it not like I am bashing him, all I mean to say is whats the use of talking about it now.
Did someone specifically ask him a question about the facilities or is this something that he just spilled out during the interview. If it is a reason that he is giving why we lost, thats not really impressive. And something like a gas leakage should have been brought to the attention of the authorities, right away.

 

[Kings113]

Well I like Artest and had been rooting for us to get him since last summer itself. So it not like I am bashing him, all I mean to say is whats the use of talking about it now.
Did someone specifically ask him a question about the facilities or is this something that he just spilled out during the interview. If it is a reason that he is giving why we lost, thats not really impressive. And something like a gas leakage should have been brought to the attention of the authorities, right away.

Because he's been away for awhile, just got back in late June, and probably was thinking about the actual games/basketball/Bonzi/Rick before this stuff after the series.

Ron didn't say it's a reason why we lost the series. He's already talked about losing the series.

 

[VF21]

Hey..at least they got their food...and it didn't give them food poisoning.


Reminds me of Boston in the 80's...they would have the heat on in the visitors locker room..no air, in the middle of June.

They wanted the Lakers to feel at home. Geez, you Laker fans are so touchy...

 

[VF21]

Well I like Artest and had been rooting for us to get him since last summer itself. So it not like I am bashing him, all I mean to say is whats the use of talking about it now.
Did someone specifically ask him a question about the facilities or is this something that he just spilled out during the interview. If it is a reason that he is giving why we lost, thats not really impressive. And something like a gas leakage should have been brought to the attention of the authorities, right away.

First of all, Ron Artest is not the type to cry about sour grapes and I cannot imagine him using that as a reason why the Kings lost.

Second, if they noticed a slight gas scent they may not have actually thought much about it since they were getting ready to go out to play game 5 against the Spurs. I'm sure once they went out the tunnel it was the furthest thing from their minds.

Sam Amick (who wrote the article although that's not mentioned above) is in Las Vegas covering the Kings summer league. He has to file a certain number of stories. Not all of them are going to be Pulitzer prize worthy.

I'm sure this was a very small part of a discussion. Perhaps something about how tough it is to play on the road in the playoffs or something like that. I would really caution people not to read too much into TDOS fare from the Sacramento Bee.

 

[hoopsfan]

Good times.

 

[VF21]

Yep. And just think... If the Internet had been real popular back then, we could have fought with each other as Celtics-Laker fans.

 

[hoopsfan]

Imagine the fun we would have had!!

 

[kingsfanofthemonth]

I was confused, when Artest said there locker room smelled like gas did he mean gasoline. Because it kind of sounds like he thought the rooms smelled like farts.

 

[BigWaxer]

What type of gas, that was never said Gas can mean so many things...

ALA propane, The stuff BEANO helps or Unleaded

 

[Bricklayer]

What type of gas, that was never said Gas can mean so many things...

ALA propane, The stuff BEANO helps or Unleaded

Now that would actually have a little style to it -- pump in psedo fart-gas into the visiting locker room for the entire halftime.

 

[kennadog]

Now that would actually have a little style to it -- pump in psedo fart-gas into the visiting locker room for the entire halftime.

Not sure the team would know the difference since Ron likes to eat beans so much.