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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/11152498p-12068718c.html
Kings' younger players receive action in loss
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Wednesday, October 20, 2004
FRESNO - Who said Kings coach Rick Adelman won't play his young guys?
Adelman's bench was filled with starters for nearly all of the final 28 minutes of Sacramento's 105-80 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Save Mart Center on the Fresno State campus.
On the floor were rookies and free agents who hadn't received many, if any, opportunities to play in the previous three preseason games.
Asked about his reputation for not using younger players, Adelman mentioned the minutes he gave Clifford Robinson in Portland and Jason Williams in Sacramento when they were rookies. Tuesday, he said he had planned to use rookies and free agents.
An announced sellout crowd of 16,116, predominantly Lakers fans, watched Kobe Bryant have a below-par shooting game. In 33 minutes, he was 2 for 10 from the field and scored 10 points to go with five rebounds, five assists, three steals and four turnovers.
But Caron Butler and second-year forward Brian Cook picked up the slack for L.A. Butler had a game-high 18 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks, and Cook contributed 17 points, six rebounds and three steals.
The performance of his young Kings players pleased Adelman, whose team returned Sunday from exhibition games in Beijing and Shanghai against the Houston Rockets.
"After that China trip, I was going to play the young guys," he said. "I wanted the starters to get a run and get a sweat going, but that was about it. I wanted to see the other guys play.
"Most of them haven't been getting a lot of time, and I wanted them to get some extended minutes, and I thought they did a nice job until the last six minutes, when I thought they got tired."
The Kings appeared sluggish during much of the first 20 minutes while the starters were in the game. The revamped and smallish Lakers used their quickness advantage and led 44-34 with 4:10 left in the first half. That's when Adelman turned to Anwar Ferguson, Adam Parada, Matt Barnes, Tony Bland and Ricky Minard.
Immediately, the young bucks supplied a noticeable increase in activity, energy and quickness, resulting in a 10-2 Kings run to end the half.
Adelman also used Maurice Evans, Darius Songaila, David Bluthenthal and Erik Daniels during the final two quarters, and they showed why they have received praise for their work during training camp.
Ferguson, a slim, undrafted free-agent center from the University of Houston, scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked a game-high four shots in 28 minutes.
"He's one guy we know can go up and block shots," Adelman said of Ferguson. "He's very long. The question was how he would play against physical players because there's not much to him. But he's an interesting kid."
Et cetera - The Kings played without free-agent power forward Alton Ford (pinched nerve, neck) and swingman Courtney Alexander (sprained left foot).
Alexander, who has been slowed by a sprained left thigh throughout training camp, said he injured his foot during practice Saturday.
"The doctors said it will be OK in a couple of days, but it's just so frustrating," he said.
Alexander starred collegiately at Fresno State, adding to his frustration over missing the game. * Former Kings center Vlade Divac, who signed with the Lakers as a free agent over the summer, wasn't with the team because of a herniated disc that has sidelined him this preseason.
Kings' younger players receive action in loss
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Wednesday, October 20, 2004
FRESNO - Who said Kings coach Rick Adelman won't play his young guys?
Adelman's bench was filled with starters for nearly all of the final 28 minutes of Sacramento's 105-80 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Save Mart Center on the Fresno State campus.
On the floor were rookies and free agents who hadn't received many, if any, opportunities to play in the previous three preseason games.
Asked about his reputation for not using younger players, Adelman mentioned the minutes he gave Clifford Robinson in Portland and Jason Williams in Sacramento when they were rookies. Tuesday, he said he had planned to use rookies and free agents.
An announced sellout crowd of 16,116, predominantly Lakers fans, watched Kobe Bryant have a below-par shooting game. In 33 minutes, he was 2 for 10 from the field and scored 10 points to go with five rebounds, five assists, three steals and four turnovers.
But Caron Butler and second-year forward Brian Cook picked up the slack for L.A. Butler had a game-high 18 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks, and Cook contributed 17 points, six rebounds and three steals.
The performance of his young Kings players pleased Adelman, whose team returned Sunday from exhibition games in Beijing and Shanghai against the Houston Rockets.
"After that China trip, I was going to play the young guys," he said. "I wanted the starters to get a run and get a sweat going, but that was about it. I wanted to see the other guys play.
"Most of them haven't been getting a lot of time, and I wanted them to get some extended minutes, and I thought they did a nice job until the last six minutes, when I thought they got tired."
The Kings appeared sluggish during much of the first 20 minutes while the starters were in the game. The revamped and smallish Lakers used their quickness advantage and led 44-34 with 4:10 left in the first half. That's when Adelman turned to Anwar Ferguson, Adam Parada, Matt Barnes, Tony Bland and Ricky Minard.
Immediately, the young bucks supplied a noticeable increase in activity, energy and quickness, resulting in a 10-2 Kings run to end the half.
Adelman also used Maurice Evans, Darius Songaila, David Bluthenthal and Erik Daniels during the final two quarters, and they showed why they have received praise for their work during training camp.
Ferguson, a slim, undrafted free-agent center from the University of Houston, scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked a game-high four shots in 28 minutes.
"He's one guy we know can go up and block shots," Adelman said of Ferguson. "He's very long. The question was how he would play against physical players because there's not much to him. But he's an interesting kid."
Et cetera - The Kings played without free-agent power forward Alton Ford (pinched nerve, neck) and swingman Courtney Alexander (sprained left foot).
Alexander, who has been slowed by a sprained left thigh throughout training camp, said he injured his foot during practice Saturday.
"The doctors said it will be OK in a couple of days, but it's just so frustrating," he said.
Alexander starred collegiately at Fresno State, adding to his frustration over missing the game. * Former Kings center Vlade Divac, who signed with the Lakers as a free agent over the summer, wasn't with the team because of a herniated disc that has sidelined him this preseason.
