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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13900058p-14738711c.html
Bonzi Wells plays through pain and, teammates say, yells at Peja Stojakovic to do the same.
Thu Nov 24 02:15:00 PST 2005
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, November 24, 2005 Page C1
A fat lip already behind Bonzi Wells, the latest ache was a twisted finger.
It hurt bad enough that he couldn't give a healthy high-five after sinking a free throw in the third quarter, so he offered more of a wrist-five and proceeded to make another free throw.
The right middle finger that has been nagging him since training camp is so bent, it looks like a highway curving to the left. Nonetheless, Wells helped the Kings get right Wednesday night in a 114-105 win over New Jersey at Arco Arena that broke their two-game losing streak.
Wells played through pain to score a season-high 23 points in the second straight game without small forward Peja Stojakovic, who sat out again because of a sprained pinky on his shooting hand. Wells, perhaps the toughest King, has made his opinion clear that he thinks Stojakovic should be following his lead.
According to numerous players, Wells hollered at Stojakovic before the Kings faced San Antonio on Monday night about his decision not to play, with the exchange heated to the point that center Brad Miller had to intervene. Stojakovic, the team's leading scorer who took shots early Wednesday, is experiencing stiffness that makes catching passes a chore, a significant problem for a shooter of his ilk.
But Wells, who scored 19 second-half points as the Kings used a 39-12 run to pull away after trailing 66-63 in the third quarter, said he has been playing through an injury for weeks now. And he wouldn't mind seeing Stojakovic do the same.
"Peja's different," Wells said. "Peja, if he feels like he can't play, and he don't want to hurt himself or hurt his career anymore, he's going to sit out. But I just met him, so I don't know exactly his pain tolerance. A guy like myself, I'm going to go out there and lay it on the line and worry about it tomorrow. It's no problem for me.
"I'm not a doctor. I know his hand is sprained on the shooting hand, and that's all you've got to say. If he can't shoot, I don't know."
While the Nets were without high-flying Vince Carter (back injury), Wells was one of many Kings who stepped up to fill the void left by Stojakovic. Point guard Mike Bibby scored 25 or more points for the fourth time in five games, finishing with 25. Miller bounced back from a two-point outing against the Spurs to tally 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
Still, no one played replacement player better than shooting guard Kevin Martin.
Before tipoff, Martin was debating with big man Jamal Sampson about their pregame one-on-one matchup, with Martin bragging about his highlights in a win that Sampson was protesting. Martin's performance when it counted was even better.
He scored a career-high 18 points, the contribution coming in handy when rookie Francisco García, who started for the second straight game, got in early foul trouble. Martin had gone scoreless in his last two games, rushing in most of the few minutes he received and generally looking out of sorts.
In the third quarter, he delivered a bullet pass to Miller for a dunk that sparked his hot streak. He soared for a putback dunk off a missed Bibby three-pointer, hit a three and put the Kings ahead 100-78 with 9:57 to play when he dunked from just past the free-throw line on a fast break.
"The difference tonight was coming out and not pressing," Martin said. "I was relaxing, knowing that a couple of games were not going to ruin (my) career. I can't get down on two bad games."
New Jersey didn't have enough firepower without Carter, although six Nets scored in double figures, led by a near-perfect night by forward Marc Jackson (10-for-12 shooting, 21 points).
"I don't know if it was a matter of defense or what, but they were making shots," New Jersey guard Jeff McInnis said. "It seemed like they were making every shot."
Bonzi Wells plays through pain and, teammates say, yells at Peja Stojakovic to do the same.
Thu Nov 24 02:15:00 PST 2005
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, November 24, 2005 Page C1
A fat lip already behind Bonzi Wells, the latest ache was a twisted finger.
It hurt bad enough that he couldn't give a healthy high-five after sinking a free throw in the third quarter, so he offered more of a wrist-five and proceeded to make another free throw.
The right middle finger that has been nagging him since training camp is so bent, it looks like a highway curving to the left. Nonetheless, Wells helped the Kings get right Wednesday night in a 114-105 win over New Jersey at Arco Arena that broke their two-game losing streak.
Wells played through pain to score a season-high 23 points in the second straight game without small forward Peja Stojakovic, who sat out again because of a sprained pinky on his shooting hand. Wells, perhaps the toughest King, has made his opinion clear that he thinks Stojakovic should be following his lead.
According to numerous players, Wells hollered at Stojakovic before the Kings faced San Antonio on Monday night about his decision not to play, with the exchange heated to the point that center Brad Miller had to intervene. Stojakovic, the team's leading scorer who took shots early Wednesday, is experiencing stiffness that makes catching passes a chore, a significant problem for a shooter of his ilk.
But Wells, who scored 19 second-half points as the Kings used a 39-12 run to pull away after trailing 66-63 in the third quarter, said he has been playing through an injury for weeks now. And he wouldn't mind seeing Stojakovic do the same.
"Peja's different," Wells said. "Peja, if he feels like he can't play, and he don't want to hurt himself or hurt his career anymore, he's going to sit out. But I just met him, so I don't know exactly his pain tolerance. A guy like myself, I'm going to go out there and lay it on the line and worry about it tomorrow. It's no problem for me.
"I'm not a doctor. I know his hand is sprained on the shooting hand, and that's all you've got to say. If he can't shoot, I don't know."
While the Nets were without high-flying Vince Carter (back injury), Wells was one of many Kings who stepped up to fill the void left by Stojakovic. Point guard Mike Bibby scored 25 or more points for the fourth time in five games, finishing with 25. Miller bounced back from a two-point outing against the Spurs to tally 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
Still, no one played replacement player better than shooting guard Kevin Martin.
Before tipoff, Martin was debating with big man Jamal Sampson about their pregame one-on-one matchup, with Martin bragging about his highlights in a win that Sampson was protesting. Martin's performance when it counted was even better.
He scored a career-high 18 points, the contribution coming in handy when rookie Francisco García, who started for the second straight game, got in early foul trouble. Martin had gone scoreless in his last two games, rushing in most of the few minutes he received and generally looking out of sorts.
In the third quarter, he delivered a bullet pass to Miller for a dunk that sparked his hot streak. He soared for a putback dunk off a missed Bibby three-pointer, hit a three and put the Kings ahead 100-78 with 9:57 to play when he dunked from just past the free-throw line on a fast break.
"The difference tonight was coming out and not pressing," Martin said. "I was relaxing, knowing that a couple of games were not going to ruin (my) career. I can't get down on two bad games."
New Jersey didn't have enough firepower without Carter, although six Nets scored in double figures, led by a near-perfect night by forward Marc Jackson (10-for-12 shooting, 21 points).
"I don't know if it was a matter of defense or what, but they were making shots," New Jersey guard Jeff McInnis said. "It seemed like they were making every shot."
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