Kings-Trailblazers PBP for Feb. 19

[VF21]

Greetings, fellow Kings fans!

One era ends and we can only hope another one is about to begin. I hope to see a resurgence of the basketball we were seeing early in the season when Bibby was injured and Udrih took his spot. There's another change I'm still hoping for but I've said it so many times I don't think I need to repeat it right now.

The coffee of choice for tonight will be a nice Vanilla Nut by Don Francisco, with a pinch or two of Irish Creme. The purple slippers are ready and I'm cooking a nice corn chowder (yes, with garlic) in the crockpot.

Tonight is the first time I don't have to worry about missing my favorite programs while I do the PBP. Dexter (I named my DVR) is standing ready to record Big Brother so I won't miss a beat.

DVRs are, IMHO, the future of mankind. I cannot imagine how I ever lived without one and I've only had it since Sunday. Just the ability to pause live broadcast and even rewind a bit if necessary is incredible. The ability to record a show while I'm watching another is paradise. I love technology, even if I am one of the stragglers to enter the DVR arena.

The weather is supposed to be rainy but without snow so I don't even have to worry about going outside to clean off the satellite dish. Life is good.

Let's get ready for some Kings basketball!

GO KINGS!!!

 

[VF21]

Just about time to head to Portland. Thank God. The HousePartyLive tonight was arguably the worst 16 minutes of broadcasting they've ever put out as "entertainment."

Looks like our lineup for tonight will be: Udrih, Martin, Artest, Moore and Miller

The Portland TrailBlazers (PTB) will have: Blake, Jack, Roy, Aldridge, Pryzbilla

 

[VF21]

The numbers for the new guys are:

Tyronn Lue - #10 (he's worn the number since the second grade)
Anthony Johnson - #5
Lorenzen Wright - #42
Shelden Williams - #22

 

[VF21]

Tip stolen, Kings get it on the side.

Udrih in control, inside to Miller, over to Martin, back to Miller. Good ball movement - out to Beno.

UDRIH FOR THREE!!!

3-0 KINGS

PTB ball. Steal by Beno, who brings it up court, kicks to Miller. Over to Moore, miss. PTB rebound.

11;04 left

Roy miss; Moore rebound.

Beno inside, a little hard off the glass, PTB rebound.

Aldridge miss; hits the shot clock. Kings to inbound.

10;27 left

 

[VF21]

Udrih to Miller, over to Martin, pull-up jumper behind the Moore screen finds a way to miss; Joelzilla rebound.

Pryzbilla for two and the +1. Bad miss, rebound by Miller.

3-2 KINGS

9;42 left

Artest to Miller, back to ARtest inside, awkward hook doesn't go. Pryz with another board.

Pryz with two more off the glass.

4-3 PTB

8;58 left

Martin drives inside, lots of contact but no call. Aldridge slaps it oob. Still Kings ball. Beno miss; PTB rebound.

 

[VF21]

Aldridge miss; Moore rebound.

MIller for long two.

5-4 KINGS

Udrih alters shot and Artest grabs it. GOod ball movement, out to Martin in the corner - miss. PTB rebound.

Aldridge for two.

6-5 PTB

7;43 left

Beno pass intended for Moore oob. PTB get the ball.

 

[VF21]

Brandon Roy starts to cut around Artest, he's fouled. 2 team fouls on the Kings. PTB to inbound.

Jack three doesn't go, ball right to Roy. New shot clock. Roy miss; Martin rebound.

6;55 left

Miller inside for the one-handed dunk!

7-6 KINGS

Good defense by Beno forces ball oob. Still PTB ball. Frye in for Portland.

Nice inbound play to Frye for two.

8-7 PTB

Artest doubled, dishes to Moore for two and the +1 from Jack.

Moore bonus good.

10-8 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Roy from the corner for three.

11-10 PTB

Miller handoff to Martin, bounce to ARtest, who goes inside, draws the foul from Roy AND gets the bucket.

12-11 KINGS

Artest to the stripe for the freebie after the time out and commercial.

5;29 left

 

[VF21]

Initial reactions? They look like they're having more fun. The defense is noticeably better and IMHO Artest is more relaxed as he's not competing (if only in his own mind) for the ball with Bibby.

 

[VF21]

Bonus good.

13-11 KINGS

Webster in for PTB.

Kings force the turnover and Beno grabs it.

Beno to Moor, over to Brad.

MILLER FOR THREE!

16-11 KINGS

Blake misses the long shot but the rebound comes right back to him. Frye for two.

16-13 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Nice shot by Kevin for long two.

18-13 KINGS

Blake for three.

18-16 KINGS

3;50 left

Beno to Artest, three doesn't fall. PTB Rebound.

Aldridge fallaway for two.

18-18

Beno to MIller, who goes inside, kicks out to Martin. He drives inside, kicks out to Miller at the last second. Miss. PTB rebound.

Roy long miss; ball oob.

Time out and commercial.

2;54 left

Kings ball after the break.

 

[VF21]

Kings inbound.

Hawes in for Moore. Miller pass, intended for Martin, but he zigged when Miller expected him to zag and the ball goes oob.

PTB ball.

Frye dunk.

20-18 PTB

2;13 left

Martin with a nice fake but he misses the shot. PTB rebound again.

Webster comes flying in from nowhere for the dunk.

22-18 PTB

HAWES FOR THREE from the corner.

22-21 PTB

 

[VF21]

PTB miss; Hawes rebound.

Udrih alley to Hawes oop!

23-22 KINGS

Udrih really looking comfortable and good.

PTB ball. Miller with the steal, runs coast-to-coast and gets the lay-up for two.

25-22 KINGS

44 seconds left

GOOD defense by the Kings but Roy able to get inside for the dunk on the second chance.

25-24 KINGS

Time winding down. Beno burning the clock... He drives inside and gets two more off the glass.

27-24 KINGS

Kings with a foul to give, they use it. Portland will inbound with 4 seconds left. Johnson in for the Kings. PTB shot at the buzzer doesn't go.

End of the first quarter.

 

[VF21]

AJ, Garcia, Salmons, Moore and Hawes for the Kings

Kings in the zone. GOOD defense by the Kings. Hawes called for the foul on Jack. Non-shooting. PTB inbounds. Miss; AJ rebound.

Garcia to Hawes, back to Garcia for two.

29-24 KINGS

11;04 left

I like the focus and intensity I'm seeing on defense right now.

Fallaway jumper is good for POrtland.

29-26 KINGS

Salmons in and out; PTB Rebound.

 

[VF21]

PTB miss; Hawes with the box out on Frye. Nice move. Kings ball.

Hawes double-fake crossover, drives inside, shot blocked and oob. PTB ball.

9;54 left

Outlaw for two.

29-28 KINGS

Salmons to Cisco.

GARCIA FOR THREE!!!!

32-28 KINGS

 

[VF21]

PTB ball. Defensive three second call on Garcia. Jack makes the bonus.

32-29 KINGS

PTB inbounds.

AJ moves pretty good on defense, BTW. Outlaw inside, gets the bucket.

32-31 KINGS

8;55 left

Outlaw will head to the stripe for a +1 after the time out and commecial.

 

[VF21]

Hrm. Interesting. The Portland Dance Team is co-ed. Never noticed that before.

Outlaw at the line for the +1. Miss. AJ box out and Moore grabs the rebound.

8;49 left

Good ball movement, Salmons drives inside, kicks out to Cisco again.

GARCIA FOR THREE AGAIN!!!

35-31 KINGS

Outlaw shot altered by Hawes, he kicks out to Webster for three.

35-34 KINGS

7;59 left

 

[VF21]

Portland with the steal but they get it right to Hawes, who spins and drives inside and gets a nice two off the glass.

37-34 KINGS

7;38 left

PTB turnover; Kings ball.

Garcia up and under for two.

39-34 KINGS

Artest in for Moore at the 4.

PTB calls time out.

7;16 left

PTB ball after the commercial break.

 

[VF21]

PTB ball.

Jack from the corner, fouled by AJ. Jack to the line to shoot three FTs.

Makes first; Miller in for Hawes. Makes second; makes third.

39-37 KINGS

6;58 left

AJ, Artest, Garcia, Salmons and Miller for the Kings

Illegal defense on Joelzilla. Miller to the line for the freebie. Bonus good.

40-37 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Salmons spins inside, kicks out to Artest. Three from the corner doesn't go; PTB rebound.

Roy miss; Pryz rebound. Kick out to Aldridge for long two.

40-39 KINGS

6;05 left

Beno back in for the Kings. Artest loses the ball; PTB finds it.

PTB miss; Garcia rebound.

5;36 left

Garcia three misses; Salmons rebound. (Cisco's feet weren't set.) Webster runs in to Garcia under the basket. Non-shooting foul. Kings to inbound. Martin back in for Garcia.

Webster out; Blake back in.

Kings inbound.

Artest kicks out to Martin, who passes up a shot and kicks back to Artest. Ron misses; PTB rebound.

 

[VF21]

Roy shot blocked by Miller, PTB second chance misses; Miller rebound.

4;36 left

Artest off the glass for two.

42-39 KINGS

Roy inside for two.

42-41 KINGS

Beno to Miller, to Salmons, who cuts inside and goes inside, misses off the glass. Artest called for loose ball foul. PTB ball.

 

[VF21]

Blake inside, fallaway jumper is good.

43-42 PTB

Kings ball.

Beno calling a play. Shifts to the right, dish to Artest, who spins twice and puts up a horrible shot. Miss. PTB rebound.

Roy miss; Martin rebound.

3;04 left

Martin to Artest, lob pass inside to Miller. It's knocked out of his hands and oob.

Time out and commercial.

Will be Kings ball after the break.

2;57 left

 

[VF21]

Kings inbound. Artest waits for two defenders to leave their feet and gets two off the glass.

44-43 KINGS

Outlaw strolls inside for two...literally, as he walked about six steps.

45-44 PTB

Artest inside for two more as though Aldridge wasn't even there. (But he was...)

46-45 KINGS

Outlaw for two.

47-46 PTB

1;44 left

 

[VF21]

Immediate handoff to Artest, who drives inside and is fouled by Aldridge. Artest to the line.

Misses first; Garcia in for Salmons. Makes second.

47-47

PTB ball.

1;30 left

Aldridge to the line on foul by Garcia.

Makes first; Shelden Williams in for Artest. Makes second.

49-47 PTB

 

[VF21]

Whooooooo!

Beno to Miller to Shelden for a sweet-looking elbow jumper.

49-49

PTB shot blocked by SW; Kings ball.

Artest called for a technical as he went on the floor - not sure why. Grant says he was t'd up for going on the court and waving a towel.

Webster misses the bonus.

PTB to inbound.

Garica to Udrih, to Martin. Out to Cisco in the corner.

GARCIA FOR THREE!!!

51-49 KINGS

Roy inside for two.

51-51 KINGS

End of the first half.

This is fun!!!

 

[VF21]

First half observations:

Beno Udrih is a much better defending point guard. Kevin Martin is still in his slump or funk or whatever you want to call it. Ron Artest is quite possibly thinking this is his team now, for good or bad. Mikki is Mikki and Brad continues to impress.

It's GOOD to see our Cisco Kid back on the court. Spencer Hawes has some good moves under the hoop. Shelden Williams has a nice-looking elbow jumper AND isn't afraid to mix it up to get those blocked shots...

...

Very nice video tribute to Mike. And yes, I'm sitting here crying like a baby. Damn, he and that group of guys were so special, so wonderful and I will remember them all forever.

Great memories of a great team!

Good luck, Mike. And thanks for the memories!!!

 

[VF21]

PTB ball to start the second half.

Aldridge for two.

53-51 PTB

Kings ball. Udrih to Miller, over to Martin. Jumper just won't fall but Kings get the rebound. Udrih pass picked off. PTB ball.

Aldridge for two more.

55-51 PTB

10;51 left

Udrih inside, shot blocked by Joelzilla. PTB ball.

Roy fouled, non-shooting. PTB to inbound.

 

[VF21]

Blake kjumper for two.

57-51 PTB

Miller jumper is short; Artest rebound but he loses the ball and Blake finds it.

Blake miss; Miller tips the board to Martin. Back to Miller. Jumper doesn't fall; Roy rebound.

9;34 left

Blake miss; Moore rebound.

 

[VF21]

Udrih to Martin, who drives inside with authority, is fouled hard by Pryzbilla and heads to the line.

Makes first; and second.

57-53 PTB

9;06 left

Aldridge miss; Pryz rebound and putback for two more.

59-53 PTB

Beno with the ball, called for the carry. PTB ball.

 

[VF21]

Roy inside, kick out to Blake. Miss, Martin rebound.

NICE jumper by Martin for two.

59-55 PTB

Roy miss; Miller rebound. Hands off to Martin, who fakes and heads inside for two off the glass.

59-57 PTB

7;16 left

Jack miss; Miller rebound.