It’s preseason. Why would we play him and risk further injury (and he might have to sit out a longer period of time) than let him heal and get ready for the season. …He was on the Grant and Mike show yesterday and he said that his injury –on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the worst) – was below a 5, and if it was the regular season he would be suited up to play.
Here’s a quote from Martin and Coach Theus.
"It was unfortunate that we didn't know (about Udrih's absence)," shooting guard Kevin Martin said. "We've just got to know a little ahead of time, and if you're only 60 or 70 percent and you can play, we need you out there. But whoever's going to be out there on the court when game time comes, we've got to play them."
Theus, who made it clear he was not second-guessing the team's medical staff, is confident Udrih would have played had the game counted.
"I understand (sitting in the) preseason, but to me that's something he's got to work through," Theus said. "You're not going to ever be 100 percent. … After training camp starts, there's very little time that you're ever 100 percent. But I do believe that if it was a regular-season game, he would've played."
Source: http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1332945.html
Well Beno better get it together because i doubt fans, and especially management-have the patience for constant crap like letting the coaching staff know you aren't playing 2 seconds before a game.
Hate to say it but you know damn well that if this was Artest...everyone would be going nuts right now.
Thanks that is the quote I was referring to. I'm delighted to hear Kevin say that - he is the team leader. I hope Beno plays 75+ games this season - then the insinuations that he is a p word will be a thing of the past.
Due to a copy editing error, a quote in my story today was credited to Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin instead of Kings coach Reggie Theus.
These things happen occasionally on our end, but there's no reason we can't use the immediacy of venues like the blog to clear them up before the next morning's newspaper (for the super-curious, the word "he" in my original copy was substituted for Martin's name on assumption). Anyways, it should have read as follows in regards to Beno Udrih's hip injury...
"I understand (sitting in the) preseason, but to me that's something he's got to work through," Theus said. "You're not going to ever be 100 percent. ... After training camp starts, there's very little time that you're ever 100 percent. But I do believe that if it was a regular-season game, he would've played."- Sam Amick
Kevin Martin didn't say any of it. It was ALL Reggie Theus. And SHAME on the Bee for the mistake.
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Now, about tonight's game? I don't have a problem with us sitting just about everybody out, especially after reading about how impressed the rockets are with Ron Artest's "intensity" during their pre-season game against the Celtics.
In an article in today's Bee, Sam Amick quotes Elston Turner as praising Artest's intensity. Some of the Rockets players also talked about it. If Artest was that motivated in a pre-season game against the reigning champs, how's he going to be in his first game back at Arco against the team that traded him away? We're talking Ron Artest here...
Back to the comments falsely attributed to Martin?
It is NEVER right for players to call out other players like that and it's unfortunate that Theus is still doing it. I thought he learned his lesson last year.
If he has an issue with a player he needs to discuss it with the player and not call the guy out in the press.
Hey Reggie? Shut up and do your job, which ISN'T making snide comments to the media about the players.
NO KT!!!The Rise Guys said no Beno, Francisco, Q, or KT tonight.....
I thought Phil Jackson's comments on Lamar Odom were really awful. Let's hope Theus never says anything like that.
Actually, it's not as bad as I remember it but still...What'd he say?
I mean, I understand what he's getting at but you don't have to throw in stuff like curling and make fun of him."I just got through telling him that this is really basketball now," Jackson said Wednesday. "He looks like he's either curling or doing some other kind of sport. He's not playing basketball."