STAR STRUCK LAKERS CAN'T FIND WAY TO CONTAIN ARTEST IN LOSS SACRAMENTO 114, LAKERS 98.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer SACRAMENTO - As much as the Sacramento Kings try to quantify the Ron Artest Ronald (Ron) William Artest Jr. (born November 13 1979) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays with the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. Artest gained reputation as one of the premier defenders in the game today, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year effect, in wins and losses, points allowed and playoff ground gained, they simply can't do it justice. It is an electricity that can be felt in every corner of Arco Arena Current arenas in the National Basketball Association Western Conference Eastern Conference , never more so than in Sacramento's 114-98 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday night, and was a reminder of just why Artest might be the NBA's best two-way player. Artest finished with 28 points and did everything in his 47 minutes on the court. He kept Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. nearly in check as the superstar guard had 30 points (six below his season average) on 12-of-28 shooting. The Lakers would have had a tough time against the Kings even if Artest never had left Indiana, especially after losing center Chris Mihm Christopher (Chris) Steven Mihm (born July 16, 1979 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He stands 7 feet tall (213 cm) and weighs 265 pounds (120 kg). to a severely sprained right ankle on Sunday. But the 6-foot-7 forward in the No. 93 jersey was all the difference. When the Kings needed a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, Artest was there. When they needed him to stand up Bryant on defense, Artest did the job. When they needed him to play point guard, Artest took the ball in his hands. Artest came out of the game just once, for the final 59.2 seconds of the third quarter. He walked off the court with his index finger raised as the final horn sounded. It was a costly loss for the Lakers, who were passed by the Kings in the Western Conference standings and will play the second game of a back- to-back set tonight against Minnesota at Staples Center This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It does not cite any references or sources. . Lamar Odom Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward (also plays both forward spots and is a "point-forward") for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. had 24 points - 14 in the first quarter - for the Lakers. The Kings shot 54.2 percent for the game and got 29 points from Mike Bibby Michael (Mike) Bibby (born May 13, 1978 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball point guard for the NBA's Sacramento Kings, and the son of former NBA and UCLA player and former USC basketball coach and current Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Henry and 18 from Brad Miller Brad Miller can refer to any of several people:
Artest was as good as advertised in the first half, when he played all 24 minutes, contained Bryant on the defensive end, knocked down three 3- pointers as the Kings went on an 18-2 run, and even played point guard for a stretch. With Artest running the offense, the Kings were able to put a lineup on the court that featured four players taller than 6-foot-7 in Artest, Kenny Thomas Kenny Thomas may refer to:
Sacramento trailed 31-24 after the first quarter but Artest heated up at the start of the second. He drilled a jumper as the Lakers set up in a zone with Bryant on the bench and went on to connect on three 3-pointers as the Kings went in front 42-33. Artest had 17 points in the second quarter alone. Bryant had nine points on 4 of 12 shooting in the first half. The Kings outscored the Lakers 30-19 in the quarter and led 54-50 at halftime. It was the first game for the Lakers since losing starting center Chris Mihm to a severely sprained ankle. Kwame Brown started and finished with 10 points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes. Lakers coach Phil Jackson sent in rookie Andrew Bynum for Brown with 9:22 left and the 18-year-old was involved in two plays that shaped the fourth quarter. Bynum wasn't ready for a Smush Smush was an American game show which aired on the USA Network in 2001.[1] Smush was hosted by Ken Ober and co-hosted by Lisa Dergan[1]. The show, set in a basement party atmosphere, featured four contestants trying to "smush" the answers to clues Paker pass at one end of the court at was hit in the head by the ball. Back on defense, Bynum left Miller on a pick and roll play. Odom left to help on Miller, who sent the ball on to Artest for a 3-pointer that made it 92-84 with 8:02 left. The Kings never looked back. The Kings were riding a four-game winning streak and had won their last 12 games at Arco Arena. They are now 15-7 since trading for Artest, a player the Lakers also were interested in but ultimately decided against acquiring. The Lakers had a chance to close to 67-65 in the third quarter but wound up looking at a 72-63 deficit instead. Odom lost the ball going up for a layup on the fastbreak and Bibby sank a 3-pointer for the Kings at the other end. After Brian Cook lost the ball along the baseline, Kevin Martin scored off a layup as Sacramento ran back at the Lakers. What should have been a two-point game was a nine-point game just like that. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) Sacramento's Ron Artest hunkers Hunkers, conservative faction of the Democratic party in New York state in the 1840s, so named because they were supposed to "hanker" or "hunker" after office. In opposition to them stood the radical Democrats, or Barnburners. down on defense against the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. (2) Sacramento's Ron Artest, center, scored 28 points in the Kings' 114-98 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday. Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images Box: STORY LINES |
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