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Kings now trail series 2-0 against San Antonio NBA Playoffs Spurs lead series 2-0 by Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin April 25, 2006 |
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The bad news was delivered to the Sacramento Kings on Monday Night, that their star Ron Artest , would be shelved for one game due to a flagrant foul in Game 1 of this series. With Artest not on the floor tonight, the Kings gave it go, but the San Antonio Spurs still won Game 2 tonight in San Antonio with a 128-119 overtime victory over the Kings, and now lead the series 2-0. Artest, who fouled Manu Ginobili in Game 1, by hitting Ginobili in the head with his forearm, was suspended by the NBA Commissioner David Stearn on Monday Night. Ginobili himself admitted that the foul didn't hurt him and the Spurs matter of fact were just as surprised as the Kings were when they found out that Artest would serve a game suspension. The Kings on Tuesday night at SBC Center came out and played with a fire not seen since the movie made for another sport "Angels in the outfield" or the "Mighty Ducks". The Spurs had laid it out for them on Saturday night and the Kings had their heads handed to them loosing by 34 points in game one and lost this one in overtime 128-119. But this King team was different after learning that Artest would be suspended for something so technical and almost stealth beneath the radar and something even Ginobili said wasn't damaging to his well being. By half time of Tuesday night's game at the SBC Center he fans sitting and not making a break for the beer lines were in shock and awe as they stared at the game 2 scoreboard which read 56-51. The Kings had all the motivation to win this one and they wanted to show the NBA they made a mistake that they could go on without Artest and it was Ron Artest that the Kings were set to win game two for. Had that happened Kings Head Coach Rick Adleman intended to give the game ball to Ron Artest or least make the ball co-shared. Artest before returning to Sacramento on Tuesday morning told his team mates they can do it and he gave them the confidence to get the job done. Guys who seemed sleepy in game one were alive and awake Tuesday night, the high scorers for the Kings were five who all finished in double figures, Bonzi Wells lead the way with 28, Kevin Martin 26, Shareef Abdur Raheem 27, Mike Bibby with 15, and Kenny Thomas with 12. The Kings battled the Spurs to a 109-109 overtime battle. In the closing seconds of the game the Kings had a lead on the Spurs as much as three points with four second left with a 109-106 lead. The Spurs Manu Ginobili has been their secret weapon and he helped the Spurs get back into the ball game. The high scorers for San Antonio, Ginobili 32, Tony Parker and Brent Barry both finished with 22, Tim Duncan 14 and Robert Horry with 12. And when it was over the Kings who scored ten points to the Spurs 19 in overtime could only look up at the scoreboard and wish it was 109-106 again. The Kings played their heart and soul out and part of their heart and soul was on his way back to Sacramento to meet the Kings for Game three on Friday. As talk show host for Sportstalk, Amaury Pi Gonzalez says this suspension was not about elbowing Ginobili, this was payback from the league for Artest, by embarrassing the league by going in the stand and attacking a fan who threw beer at him in a previous season. The NBA who suspended him for the remainder of that season was embarrassed, and was not happy another team showed interest in Artest after he requested to leave Indiana. Maybe the league would hope that no one would be interested and Artest would be forced to stay in Indiana and have little time off the bench. That scenario would all be too unlikely as the Kings who needed some defense and some spark something that could wake up the senses and get them going and bring the Kings up to some competitiveness that they were looking for so that they would get a shot at post season. When the Kings acquired Ron Artest he did live up to the standard that Jeff Petrie the Kings General Manager was looking for. He had defense, he had offense, he set the pick, he helped team mates move the ball inside and he was all the things that the Kings looked for. He was the anti-NBA league office guy. He told ESPN TV after finding out about his suspension that he was naturally disappointed but he couldn't do anything about it and that the real reason why he was suspended was because he was Ron Artest. Indeed that's what the Spurs and the Kings believed on both sides of the floor in talking with them. Best of seven schedule: Game one Spurs 122-88 Game two Spurs 128-119 Game three at Sacramento Fri Apr 28 7PM Game four at Sacramento Sun Apr 30 7PM Game five at San Antonio Tue May 2* Game six at Sacramento Fri May 5* Game seven at San Antonio Sun May 7* *denotes if necessary Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento weekends. |
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