ducks
02-11-2006, 07:04 PM
Ron to the rescue
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
February 11, 2006
Steve Kerr
Yahoo! Sports Exclusive
When Ron Artest arrived in California's capital a couple of weeks ago, he announced that the Sacramento Kings "had gambled on me, and I want to make that gamble pay off."
Obviously, there's a long way to go and there's no telling whether or not Artest will behave himself and have a long, prosperous career in Sacramento. But the early returns are in and – so far – the trade has been a resounding success for the Kings. Artest has reenergized what had become a quiet Arco Arena crowd, and his defense and all-around game have helped Sacramento revive what looked like a lost season.
After two initial losses following the trade, the team has won four of its last six games. More important is the manner in which the Kings have been winning. In those six games, they have reinvented themselves, playing stingy defense, hitting the glass and playing with an edge. Their opponents have been held to just 41.5-percent shooting, thanks in large part to the attitude Artest has brought with him.
Overall, Sacramento has won seven consecutive games at home and has its sights set on the playoffs. Despite the fact that his new team is 12th in the Western Conference and 3½ games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth spot, Artest has guaranteed a postseason berth. His bravado – however misguided it can be at times – is just what the Kings needed.
Sacramento appeared to be headed nowhere just a few weeks ago. There was speculation about whether or not coach Rick Adelman would hang onto his job, and the future of the team seemed cloudy. Now that seems to be changing.
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Adelman is talking about developing young players "for the future," the crowd at Arco senses that things are turning around and the team is playing with confidence. On Thursday night, the Kings harrassed the Chicago Bulls into a woeful shooting night, essentially ending the game by the second quarter. It was like old times in Sacramento with the Kings dominating on their home floor.
Sacramento's offense still revolves around Mike Bibby and Brad Miller, but a couple of young players are making huge strides and giving Kings' fans a glimpse of the future. Kevin Martin has emerged in his second season as a major force with his excellent shooting and efficient offensive game, and rookie Francisco Garcia is giving Adelman great minutes at the wing with his defense, ball handling and scoring ability. Both players would appear to be part of the blueprint for the future that general manager Geoff Petrie has put together.
The team has been entirely revamped in the past few years, with longtime stalwarts Vlade Divac, Chris Webber and Bobby Jackson all moving on. In fact, only Bibby remains from the team that lost in seven games to the Lakers in that epic series in the 2002 Western Conference finals.
The new Kings will be built around Bibby, Miller and Artest. As good as Peja Stojakovic was, he didn't provide the defense or interior threat that Artest posseses. Sacramento hasn't had a low-post presence in a long time, but now the Kings have the ability to put Artest on the low block and play off of him. They are inverting their offense, with big men like Miller and Kenny Thomas perched on the perimeter as shooters, while Artest uses his 260-pound frame to pound defenders inside.
The result is that defenses have something else to think about now with Sacramento. Artest is so strong that he draws a lot of double teams, freeing up the many shooters the Kings have for open looks.
The question, of course, is whether or not Artest can sustain his good behavior and simply do what he does best: play basketball. The Kings are crossing their fingers. But his play, which will only get better as he continues to work himself back into top form, has been intoxicating for Sacramento fans. Another couple of months of this, and it wouldn't be shocking to see the Kings where they've been for seven straight seasons – in the playoffs.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
February 11, 2006
Steve Kerr
Yahoo! Sports Exclusive
When Ron Artest arrived in California's capital a couple of weeks ago, he announced that the Sacramento Kings "had gambled on me, and I want to make that gamble pay off."
Obviously, there's a long way to go and there's no telling whether or not Artest will behave himself and have a long, prosperous career in Sacramento. But the early returns are in and – so far – the trade has been a resounding success for the Kings. Artest has reenergized what had become a quiet Arco Arena crowd, and his defense and all-around game have helped Sacramento revive what looked like a lost season.
After two initial losses following the trade, the team has won four of its last six games. More important is the manner in which the Kings have been winning. In those six games, they have reinvented themselves, playing stingy defense, hitting the glass and playing with an edge. Their opponents have been held to just 41.5-percent shooting, thanks in large part to the attitude Artest has brought with him.
Overall, Sacramento has won seven consecutive games at home and has its sights set on the playoffs. Despite the fact that his new team is 12th in the Western Conference and 3½ games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth spot, Artest has guaranteed a postseason berth. His bravado – however misguided it can be at times – is just what the Kings needed.
Sacramento appeared to be headed nowhere just a few weeks ago. There was speculation about whether or not coach Rick Adelman would hang onto his job, and the future of the team seemed cloudy. Now that seems to be changing.
ADVERTISEMENT
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Adelman is talking about developing young players "for the future," the crowd at Arco senses that things are turning around and the team is playing with confidence. On Thursday night, the Kings harrassed the Chicago Bulls into a woeful shooting night, essentially ending the game by the second quarter. It was like old times in Sacramento with the Kings dominating on their home floor.
Sacramento's offense still revolves around Mike Bibby and Brad Miller, but a couple of young players are making huge strides and giving Kings' fans a glimpse of the future. Kevin Martin has emerged in his second season as a major force with his excellent shooting and efficient offensive game, and rookie Francisco Garcia is giving Adelman great minutes at the wing with his defense, ball handling and scoring ability. Both players would appear to be part of the blueprint for the future that general manager Geoff Petrie has put together.
The team has been entirely revamped in the past few years, with longtime stalwarts Vlade Divac, Chris Webber and Bobby Jackson all moving on. In fact, only Bibby remains from the team that lost in seven games to the Lakers in that epic series in the 2002 Western Conference finals.
The new Kings will be built around Bibby, Miller and Artest. As good as Peja Stojakovic was, he didn't provide the defense or interior threat that Artest posseses. Sacramento hasn't had a low-post presence in a long time, but now the Kings have the ability to put Artest on the low block and play off of him. They are inverting their offense, with big men like Miller and Kenny Thomas perched on the perimeter as shooters, while Artest uses his 260-pound frame to pound defenders inside.
The result is that defenses have something else to think about now with Sacramento. Artest is so strong that he draws a lot of double teams, freeing up the many shooters the Kings have for open looks.
The question, of course, is whether or not Artest can sustain his good behavior and simply do what he does best: play basketball. The Kings are crossing their fingers. But his play, which will only get better as he continues to work himself back into top form, has been intoxicating for Sacramento fans. Another couple of months of this, and it wouldn't be shocking to see the Kings where they've been for seven straight seasons – in the playoffs.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.