http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/43401.html
Lineup changes yielding results
Coach Eric Musselman looks at a different starting five in the Kings' 112-96 victory over Utah.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:54 am PDT Saturday, October 21, 2006
Eric Musselman drove into the Arco Arena parking lot late Friday afternoon, hanging a right toward his team's facility before being stopped.
A security guard didn't recognize the home team's coach, requesting identification before finally allowing him in.
"I didn't know that guy yet," Musselman said.
Getting to know you, in other words, remains the theme from top to bottom for the Kings.
In the latest edition, Musselman mixed and matched nearly his entire bench to put the Kings back in the exhibition win column, 112-96 over the Utah Jazz in the first-year coach's Arco Arena debut.
All the while, he gave his veteran power forward a familiar taste of starting, albeit at an unfamiliar spot. Shareef Abdur-Rahim replaced Brad Miller at center, which indicates little other than a mid-exhibition season mix-it-up.
Abdur-Rahim produced, matching his highest point total yet (10) and grabbing an exhibition season-high eight rebounds. The long-term goal of being a starter full time, meanwhile, remains unchanged for the player who played the first three games behind Kenny Thomas at power forward.
"My understanding is that we're still competing for a position," Abdur-Rahim said. "A lot of times coaches want to see a lot of stuff. You have to be patient and see how things go."
What they chose not to see was point guard Jason Hart or centers Loren Woods and Vitaly Potapenko, all of whom have been absent often lately.
Early Friday, Musselman insisted that a player's minutes don't necessarily reflect his roster status, though Woods -- who didn't play Thursday against Phoenix and has logged five minutes in exhibition play -- said he couldn't help but deduce that he's "in the doghouse." Potapenko has yet to play because he hasn't passed a conditioning test.
The Kings must cut at least two players before Oct. 30.
The ones who had their names called made the most of it. Shooting guard Kevin Martin had his finest outing yet with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Point guard Mike Bibby had a game-high 23 points. Among the roster hopefuls, second-year point guard Ronnie Price turned in another solid outing, with eight points in 18 minutes in solidifying his roster position.
The other wrinkle in the starting lineup -- John Salmons for Ron Artest -- showed a new side of Salmons' skills, as he succeeded in Musselman's assignment of defending Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko.
"I thought (Salmons) did a very good job," Musselman said. "Kirilenko had him in size, but John did a good job with his foot speed and spacing defensively."
Nagging back spasms meant Artest was a game-time decision to play, and his magnetic resonance imaging exam before the game that turned up negative wasn't the only positive news of his day.
Artest eventually entered the game, logging 17 points, six rebounds, five steals, five assists and no turnovers in 30 minutes. His shooting wasn't crisp, though, as his 4-of-13 performance brought his exhibition total to 17 of 51.
Bibby, on the contrary, was sharp. He hit all four of his three-pointers, prompting Martin to chide him afterward for his well-known dislike of the NBA's new non-leather basketball.
"You still hate that ball, Mike?" Martin hollered.
"I'm lucky," Bibby said.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
Lineup changes yielding results
Coach Eric Musselman looks at a different starting five in the Kings' 112-96 victory over Utah.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:54 am PDT Saturday, October 21, 2006
Eric Musselman drove into the Arco Arena parking lot late Friday afternoon, hanging a right toward his team's facility before being stopped.
A security guard didn't recognize the home team's coach, requesting identification before finally allowing him in.
"I didn't know that guy yet," Musselman said.
Getting to know you, in other words, remains the theme from top to bottom for the Kings.
In the latest edition, Musselman mixed and matched nearly his entire bench to put the Kings back in the exhibition win column, 112-96 over the Utah Jazz in the first-year coach's Arco Arena debut.
All the while, he gave his veteran power forward a familiar taste of starting, albeit at an unfamiliar spot. Shareef Abdur-Rahim replaced Brad Miller at center, which indicates little other than a mid-exhibition season mix-it-up.
Abdur-Rahim produced, matching his highest point total yet (10) and grabbing an exhibition season-high eight rebounds. The long-term goal of being a starter full time, meanwhile, remains unchanged for the player who played the first three games behind Kenny Thomas at power forward.
"My understanding is that we're still competing for a position," Abdur-Rahim said. "A lot of times coaches want to see a lot of stuff. You have to be patient and see how things go."
What they chose not to see was point guard Jason Hart or centers Loren Woods and Vitaly Potapenko, all of whom have been absent often lately.
Early Friday, Musselman insisted that a player's minutes don't necessarily reflect his roster status, though Woods -- who didn't play Thursday against Phoenix and has logged five minutes in exhibition play -- said he couldn't help but deduce that he's "in the doghouse." Potapenko has yet to play because he hasn't passed a conditioning test.
The Kings must cut at least two players before Oct. 30.
The ones who had their names called made the most of it. Shooting guard Kevin Martin had his finest outing yet with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Point guard Mike Bibby had a game-high 23 points. Among the roster hopefuls, second-year point guard Ronnie Price turned in another solid outing, with eight points in 18 minutes in solidifying his roster position.
The other wrinkle in the starting lineup -- John Salmons for Ron Artest -- showed a new side of Salmons' skills, as he succeeded in Musselman's assignment of defending Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko.
"I thought (Salmons) did a very good job," Musselman said. "Kirilenko had him in size, but John did a good job with his foot speed and spacing defensively."
Nagging back spasms meant Artest was a game-time decision to play, and his magnetic resonance imaging exam before the game that turned up negative wasn't the only positive news of his day.
Artest eventually entered the game, logging 17 points, six rebounds, five steals, five assists and no turnovers in 30 minutes. His shooting wasn't crisp, though, as his 4-of-13 performance brought his exhibition total to 17 of 51.
Bibby, on the contrary, was sharp. He hit all four of his three-pointers, prompting Martin to chide him afterward for his well-known dislike of the NBA's new non-leather basketball.
"You still hate that ball, Mike?" Martin hollered.
"I'm lucky," Bibby said.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
