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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12813332p-13663615c.html
This time, Thomas finds his way around
He scores 22 points and uses fast feet to get past the Sonics' Jerome James.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, April 30, 2005
Kenny Thomas is no fool. He found out in two dreary team outings in Seattle that you can't necessarily score by going over a 7-footer who has arms long enough to touch the banners in the rafters, so go to Option B.
In this case, that would be using fast feet to go around Jerome James, who had been using the Kings as a personal launching pad to sudden fame and, perhaps, a much fatter contract.
the starters had to show something after getting belted in Game 2, and he proved to be too quick for James, slithering around Seattle's center for bursts to the basket en route to a 22-point night. He was second among the Kings in scoring, behind Mike Bibby's 31-point outburst, and he recorded a playoff career high on a night of near perfection in Sacramento's 116-104 victory. He missed only 2 of 10 shots, made all six of his free throws, had seven rebounds and no turnovers in 33 minutes.
"James pretty much couldn't stay with me," Thomas said. "I went right around him. He's a shot-blocker, so you have to do other things. You've got to use stuff to your advantage. I wasn't going to back him down in the paint. Can't do that."
So he went at him with angles, from the left, from the right.
Thomas made three field goals in each of his first two games in this series, lost amid the rubble of back-to-back Kings meltdowns. He said he felt like a non-factor.
"I was trying get off to a good start," Thomas said. "Things came to me. The first two games, I was too stressed out."
Kings reserve guard Maurice Evans said he could sense Thomas was in a groove from the start, per the plan.
"He got involved early and that did a lot for his confidence," Evans said. "He's a key player for us, and it was important to get him going."
Said Kings center Brad Miller: "We needed him."
Thomas seeks just his second playoff series triumph. He was with the Phildalphia 76ers last season and won a series there. He was brought in as part of the Chris Webber transaction to be an active, quick guy on the block - and so far, so good.
Thomas averaged 15 points and nine rebounds entering the playoffs, and he was never better than the career-high 32 points he dumped on the Lakers on April 10. Then he saw his numbers dip for a spell, from 15 to back-to-back 11-point games.
That he could handle. But he wondered if he'd suddenly lost his game in the games that really mattered, Games 1 and 2 in Seattle. Thomas played a role on both ends of the floor Friday, with the promise of more to come.
"We had a lot of ball movement, we played together, especially on defense," Thomas said. "We've got to do that again."
And Thomas said he wants to maximize his chances. He's hardly a volume shooter, attempting about 10 a game. That's what he had Friday.
"I don't take a lot of shots," he said. "But I do try to make them count. It's always about winning. Everyone wants to put up good numbers."
And about when to take a guy this way or that way?
"You just know," he said. "You get that feeling."
Friday was that feeling.
This time, Thomas finds his way around
He scores 22 points and uses fast feet to get past the Sonics' Jerome James.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, April 30, 2005
Kenny Thomas is no fool. He found out in two dreary team outings in Seattle that you can't necessarily score by going over a 7-footer who has arms long enough to touch the banners in the rafters, so go to Option B.
In this case, that would be using fast feet to go around Jerome James, who had been using the Kings as a personal launching pad to sudden fame and, perhaps, a much fatter contract.
the starters had to show something after getting belted in Game 2, and he proved to be too quick for James, slithering around Seattle's center for bursts to the basket en route to a 22-point night. He was second among the Kings in scoring, behind Mike Bibby's 31-point outburst, and he recorded a playoff career high on a night of near perfection in Sacramento's 116-104 victory. He missed only 2 of 10 shots, made all six of his free throws, had seven rebounds and no turnovers in 33 minutes.
"James pretty much couldn't stay with me," Thomas said. "I went right around him. He's a shot-blocker, so you have to do other things. You've got to use stuff to your advantage. I wasn't going to back him down in the paint. Can't do that."
So he went at him with angles, from the left, from the right.
Thomas made three field goals in each of his first two games in this series, lost amid the rubble of back-to-back Kings meltdowns. He said he felt like a non-factor.
"I was trying get off to a good start," Thomas said. "Things came to me. The first two games, I was too stressed out."
Kings reserve guard Maurice Evans said he could sense Thomas was in a groove from the start, per the plan.
"He got involved early and that did a lot for his confidence," Evans said. "He's a key player for us, and it was important to get him going."
Said Kings center Brad Miller: "We needed him."
Thomas seeks just his second playoff series triumph. He was with the Phildalphia 76ers last season and won a series there. He was brought in as part of the Chris Webber transaction to be an active, quick guy on the block - and so far, so good.
Thomas averaged 15 points and nine rebounds entering the playoffs, and he was never better than the career-high 32 points he dumped on the Lakers on April 10. Then he saw his numbers dip for a spell, from 15 to back-to-back 11-point games.
That he could handle. But he wondered if he'd suddenly lost his game in the games that really mattered, Games 1 and 2 in Seattle. Thomas played a role on both ends of the floor Friday, with the promise of more to come.
"We had a lot of ball movement, we played together, especially on defense," Thomas said. "We've got to do that again."
And Thomas said he wants to maximize his chances. He's hardly a volume shooter, attempting about 10 a game. That's what he had Friday.
"I don't take a lot of shots," he said. "But I do try to make them count. It's always about winning. Everyone wants to put up good numbers."
And about when to take a guy this way or that way?
"You just know," he said. "You get that feeling."
Friday was that feeling.
