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Sacbee: Artest is showing Kings just what defense means
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14155301p-14983345c.html
Artest is showing Kings just what defense means
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 3:03 pm PST Sunday, February 5, 2006
The world according to Ron Artest is always worth a peek. The Kings' new power forward has this theory about how his bunch is suddenly playing better defense, at least Sunday in polishing off the Utah Jazz 96-78 in one of those slugfests a defensive menace like Artest can appreciate.
So, Ron, is the D coming of age before our eyes here?
"It's like when you smoke cigarettes, you got to take that nicotine patch and break that habit," Artest explained.
"We've got a habit of losing right now (and) it can become a real bad habit. It wasn't hard for Snoop Dogg to stop smoking marijuana."
The Kings were hardly smoking on offense at Arco Arena, shooting 42 percent. Then again, that figure was a far cry from the 0 for 20 stinker the Kings offered in the fourth period Friday in a demoralizing 10-point setback to the Jazz. Artest was brought into the Kings' fold to defend, to preach it, to show how exactly to do it.
Even hobbled with a hip pointer that was so tender that he could hardly walk on Saturday, Artest made a difference, not so much in hawking ballhandlers, but just being out there, period.
The Kings used an 18-4 run from the 3:40 mark of the third period to the 8:34 mark of the fourth to seize control, with the Jazz twice committing 24-second violations and Francisco García blocking four of his career-high five shots in the final period. Garcia jammed his finger in the first half, and it hurt enough that he had it X-rayed at the half (negative). All told, the Kings turned away a season-high 10 shots.
Artest looked like a man trying to play ball while weighted down with a backpack loaded with bricks. It was painful to cut, to run, to crash the boards, and he grimaced and winced through most all of his nearly 36 minutes on his way to nine points, four rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal. He was the only Kings starter not to reach double figures, with Mike Bibby leading the way with 23 points and Kevin Martin going for 20. But if Kings coach Rick Adelman wanted an example of guts and guile, of taking a season personally, he's got it, wearing No. 93.
"I don't know how he played and fought through that," Adelman said.
"That's the one thing I really like about him. He doesn't care that he had nine points, but he had a real presence on the floor defensively, and he had a presence with the way he played. I was amazed." Added Bibby, "Ron's a strong, tough guy. That's what I've said before he even came here and I like that. The team likes that and that’s what we need."
The Kings had just five assists at the half and 18 total, which normally would doom this club, especially with starters Brad Miller and Bonzi Wells sitting out. But this isn't the motion, passing group of even last month. It's a half-court team with plenty of post players and a high flyer in Martin, whose team improved to 7-1 this season when he scores 20 or more points.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14155301p-14983345c.html
Artest is showing Kings just what defense means
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 3:03 pm PST Sunday, February 5, 2006
The world according to Ron Artest is always worth a peek. The Kings' new power forward has this theory about how his bunch is suddenly playing better defense, at least Sunday in polishing off the Utah Jazz 96-78 in one of those slugfests a defensive menace like Artest can appreciate.
So, Ron, is the D coming of age before our eyes here?
"It's like when you smoke cigarettes, you got to take that nicotine patch and break that habit," Artest explained.
"We've got a habit of losing right now (and) it can become a real bad habit. It wasn't hard for Snoop Dogg to stop smoking marijuana."
The Kings were hardly smoking on offense at Arco Arena, shooting 42 percent. Then again, that figure was a far cry from the 0 for 20 stinker the Kings offered in the fourth period Friday in a demoralizing 10-point setback to the Jazz. Artest was brought into the Kings' fold to defend, to preach it, to show how exactly to do it.
Even hobbled with a hip pointer that was so tender that he could hardly walk on Saturday, Artest made a difference, not so much in hawking ballhandlers, but just being out there, period.
The Kings used an 18-4 run from the 3:40 mark of the third period to the 8:34 mark of the fourth to seize control, with the Jazz twice committing 24-second violations and Francisco García blocking four of his career-high five shots in the final period. Garcia jammed his finger in the first half, and it hurt enough that he had it X-rayed at the half (negative). All told, the Kings turned away a season-high 10 shots.
Artest looked like a man trying to play ball while weighted down with a backpack loaded with bricks. It was painful to cut, to run, to crash the boards, and he grimaced and winced through most all of his nearly 36 minutes on his way to nine points, four rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal. He was the only Kings starter not to reach double figures, with Mike Bibby leading the way with 23 points and Kevin Martin going for 20. But if Kings coach Rick Adelman wanted an example of guts and guile, of taking a season personally, he's got it, wearing No. 93.
"I don't know how he played and fought through that," Adelman said.
"That's the one thing I really like about him. He doesn't care that he had nine points, but he had a real presence on the floor defensively, and he had a presence with the way he played. I was amazed." Added Bibby, "Ron's a strong, tough guy. That's what I've said before he even came here and I like that. The team likes that and that’s what we need."
The Kings had just five assists at the half and 18 total, which normally would doom this club, especially with starters Brad Miller and Bonzi Wells sitting out. But this isn't the motion, passing group of even last month. It's a half-court team with plenty of post players and a high flyer in Martin, whose team improved to 7-1 this season when he scores 20 or more points.
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