http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/4745 Recent articles about Kenny Thomas en-us From newly acquired rookie Donte Greene to their star player Kevin Martin, an in-depth look at each player from what they did in the off-season, what the rookies did to get on the team, and what to look forward to going into training camp in Hawaii and the upcoming season. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:14:57 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/339579 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/339579 The Kings made some big changes this off-season. They traded Ron Artest for some value, their rookies were stars in summer league, their young players did well and they have every position filled with a full, healthy roster. The front office is definitely building for the future. Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:15:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/336578 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/336578 It's the dog days of summer for Celtics fans. Too early to think about training camp and nothing is going on with the team. There were no new basketball articles in the Globe and the Herald just had one about Deng's new contract and Artest's trade. I still think Danny has something up his sleeve. We get little tidbits like Boston offered a sign and trade for Delonte but nothing definite. Makes you wonder who Danny was including in the trade from the Celtics. Personally I think the Cavs need a glue guy like Scal. It seems like a long time till training camp. The schedule is due out next week and that may give us something to talk about for awhile. There will be the Olympics and speaking of the Olympics, the Celtics 2nd round draft pick didn't look too bad on the Turkish national team against team USA. We can look forward to seeing him with the Celtics in a year or two. Another observation: D Wade is one of those players who just doesn't look right bald. NBA front-office sources are reporting that the Lakers were very disappointed not to land Artest. But, L.A. was reluctant to part with Lamar Odom and were even more reluctant to take Kenny Thomas along with Artest. Sacramento ultimately relented on its insistence that any team acquiring Artest take Kenny Thomas, as well, dropping that condition and agreeing to Houston's offer because the Kings are essentially coming away with two first-round picks for Artest. Artest for his part is thrilled to be rejoining Rick Adelman who was his coach when he first arriced in Sacramento. Yao is a bit concerned about the Rockets' new acquisition and had this to say about it: "We worry about the new attitude to the team. We are adding talent to the team and we need that, but building team chemistry is important. This is not bad. I don't mean he is not welcome to Houston. But a new player always needs some time. "Also, he was the biggest part of a team in Sacramento. He was a star player. We need more chemistry and more communication." "There's worry. Obviously, yes," said Yao. "We will think about it, of course. Hopefully, he's not fighting anymore and going after a guy in the stands. I'd say that Yao has good reason to be concerned. Artest has caused problems everywhere he has gone, both on and off the court. He has been charged with domestic abuse and animal cruelty. He has charged into the stands and attacked a fan. He has decided to take time off from playing to promote his rap CD. And, he has caused chemistry problems in both Indiana and Sacramento. However, he did seem to behave when he was playing for Rick Adelman so maybe Yao can relax a little, hopeful of his coach's ability to control the loose cannon that is Ron Artest. The Bulls finalized a six-year, $71 million contract with Luol Deng on Wednesday and the new deal includes incentives that could increase the total value to $80 million. With new contract in hand, Deng is scheduled to leave for the European Championships, where he will play for the British team. The Bulls remain far apart in negotiations with Ben Gordon. Gordon's agent has told the Bulls that Gordon should be the highest-paid player on the team because he has led the team in scoring each of the last three seasons. Deng got the big contract in spite of his declining from 18.8 points per game to 17 in an injury plagued season last year. The Bulls aren't expected to guarantee up to $80 million over a maximum six years for Gordon, so if negotiations continue to stall, the sides might pursue a sign-and-trade deal. Gordon would have to approve such a move. Gordon also has strongly considered signing the team's qualifying offer of $6.4 million for next season, after which he would be an unrestricted free agent. Along with signing Deng and negotiating with Gordon, the Bulls have been busy pursuing trades as well. They were very interested in trying to acquire Nenad Krstic before he decided to go to Europe. They have also had discussions with Sacramento about center Brad Miller according to a league source. Reportedly, the Bulls are offering Nocioni as trade bait. The Bulls also had some interest from teams wanting guard Larry Hughes, as long as they're willing to take a big contract back in return. Since the Bulls need to thin out their backcourt rumors are that the possibilities include Joel Przybilla, Jared Jeffries, Erick Dampier or Kenyon Martin. The Denver Nuggets announced on Wednesday that they have signed Dahntay Jones to a contract. Jones was a former first-round pick by the Boston Celtics in 2003. He was sent to the Grizzlies in the trade that brought Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins to the Celtics and he played his first three seasons in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers have been making news by signing players and losing players and now they have waived one. On Wednesday, the Clippers announced that they had waived 6'9" forward Josh Powell. Powell averaged 5.5 PPG, 5.20 RPG and 0.7 APG in 19 mpg last season. The Clippers got a real deal when they signed Ricky Davis for $2.3 million a year. I really like Ricky and hope he can finally shake off all the negativity that has in most cases followed him. The Clippers are also trying to re-sign free agent point guard Shaun Livingston. He is an intriguing prospect. If he can stay healthy he could be something very special. Former Cavs guard J.R. Bremer is the latest NBA player to jump to Europe. Bremer has signed a two-year, $5 million deal with Moscow Dynamo Triumph. He will join former New Jersey center Nenad Krstic on the Triumph roster. Krstic signed a two-year deal worth $3 million euros (about $9 million U.S., when figuring in taxes). There have been rumors from the Suns that both Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa are on the trading block. The Cavs have been rumored to be interested in Barbosa but now, an NBA source said the Suns may not be making him available after all. However, the source said that Boris Diaw might be available to be traded. The Suns are still looking for a point guard to back up Steve Nash. They have to keep going back to the 2007 draft and kicking themselves for giving away Rajon Rondo to the Celtics. The Lakers have confirmed that they have invited Robert "Tractor" Traylor in for a private workout to be conducted Thursday. Traylor has not played in the NBA since the 2004-2005 season, when he averaged 5.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 74 games with the Cavs. If the workout goes well, Traylor likely would be signed to a non-guaranteed contract and invited to training camp. Traylor was the 6th pick in the 1998 draft and has never come close to fulfilling the expectations for him. He has the distinction of having been picked before both Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce and we all know how both of those players worked out. Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:05:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298612 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298612 LAS VEGAS – He still answers to Ron these days, even though he recently told a Sacramento radio station he'd prefer to be called Bill. He's still as affable off the court as he is ferocious on it, and, yes, he's still a Sacramento King, enough so that he hopped a flight here from New York to help cheer on the franchise's summer-league team. For a change, though, Ron Artest isn't talking. At least he wasn't saying anything of substance Saturday afternoon. No trade demands. No complaining about the Kings not committing to him. No regrets about not opting out of his contract. No…comment. What are your thoughts on your future with the Kings? "No comment." Do you want to have a future with the Kings? "No comment." If you could be with any team next season who would it be? "No comment." New York Mets cap pulled low, smile stretched across his face, Artest sounded apologetic for not being more cooperative. "Seriously, I don't know what my future is," he said. "I don't know, really, so I can't say anything." Check back in 12 hours, or five minutes, for that matter. Ron-Ron changes his mind by the tick-tock of the clock. He wants to be traded. He wants to be a King for life. He's opting out of his contract. No, he's not. Artest has many skills, decisiveness not among them. That's not a knock on Artest. It's a fact. He's said enough and he'll probably say some more, but his opinion no longer matters. Eventually, someone is going to call with the right offer and eventually the Kings are going to trade him. Just like in Chicago and Indiana, Artest has become more valuable for Sacramento to move than keep. The Kings don't seem to be in a rush. Nor should they be. As free-agency options dry up, more teams look to trades to strengthen their roster. Even if the Kings have to wait until closer to the trade deadline, some contender will likely be willing to roll the dice on Artest. When healthy and motivated, he can dominate on both ends of the floor. His contract is more than affordable ($7.4 million) and he'll be a free agent at the end of the season, which has a few GMs thinking he'll also try to fit in and behave, at least for a few months. Already, the Los Angeles Lakers have inquired about Artest, according to a report in The Sacramento Bee, and there might not be a more logical destination. Exposed by the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, the Lakers need to get tougher and better defensively. Swapping Artest for Lamar Odom, who wilted as much as any Laker during the Finals, would be an upgrade in both areas. Phil Jackson won three titles with Dennis Rodman, so he's accustomed to dealing with non-conformists, as well as extraterrestrials, if one is to believe Jackson's nickname for Vladimir Radmanovic: My Favorite Martian. Artest, too, has been accused of being from another planet. As for any ego concerns, not even Artest is bold enough to challenge Kobe Bryant's authority in the locker room. That's not to say Artest would be a perfect fit. At least one scout thinks the Lakers would be foolish to give up Odom, saying his length and versatility create too many matchup problems for opponents. Odom is the better rebounder and passer, and though Artest certainly is a more dependable three-point threat, he can be a ground-and-pound ball-stopper on offense. The Lakers also would be wise to wait as long as possible to see how their young center, Andrew Bynum, recovers from knee surgery. If Bynum continues to labor, the Lakers may very well need Odom's size next to Pau Gasol. Still, Jackson and Bryant can be sure of one thing: Artest isn't going to curl up in the fetal position just because Kevin Garnett cursed at him. The Kings also would want the Lakers to take on Kenny Thomas and his contract's remaining two years and $17.3 million. But with the Lakers also apparently hedging on matching Golden State's four-year, $17 million offer for Ronny Turiaf that might not be as big an issue as previously thought. As the Bee's Sam Amick wrote, "It's the price of doing business if they want to acquire the underpaid Artest." There's an old rule in professional sports that if you're going to make a trade, you better make one that doesn't help your rival. These days, though, the Kings and Lakers aren't rivals, no matter how much bitter history covers the 400 miles of I-5 interstate between them. The Lakers are coming off an appearance in the NBA Finals; Sacramento won 38 games and figures to again have a tough time qualifying for the playoffs, with or without Artest. The Kings have the potential to be major players in the expansive 2010 free-agent market. Shedding Thomas' contract (along with Odom's) could give them the option of reloading a year sooner, if they desire. And if the Kings choose not to deal with the Lakers? They should have at least a few more options. The Phoenix Suns had interest in Artest at last season's trade deadline. The San Antonio Spurs also are intrigued, but they don't have enough to offer to make a serious bid. "I like his talent. I like his competitiveness. I like his contract," one GM said of Artest. "But there's always a risk with him." Artest's erratic behavior has often overshadowed his talent, and it's been no different with the Kings. He decided not to opt out of his contract two weeks ago then emailed the Bee and ESPN.com to say he made a mistake after watching Baron Davis and Elton Brand land lucrative longterm deals. Artest claimed to have been misled to believe the Kings considered him an important piece of their future. He later tried to clarify his comments. And last week he told a Sacramento radio station he wanted everyone to start referring to him by his middle name: William. So where does that leave Artest now? Does he want to stay with the Kings? Or not? "No comment." Artest smiled. Saying nothing sometimes says enough. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:07:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289821 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289821 With so many rumors floating around regarding a potential Jason Kidd deal, FIO and TalkHoops.net writer Zach Harper focuses on four scenarios that could possibly go down. Taking a look at both sides of the potential deals, Harper discusses the impacts to fantasy basketball if something were to go down. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:22:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/117455 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/117455 We'll Odenize the Cleveland Cavs, all straight-faced, cold-blooded and final. Our guest odenizer is Cavs expert Brian Windhorst, who provided us with an EXCLUSIVE email about what team might end up doing. Yes sir! Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:40:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/81270 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/81270 These days, trade talks have gone up. T-Mac wants a trade, Mike James' unhappy in Houston. Cavs, and now the Knicks, want the Kings' Mike Bibby, and the Knicks want Ron Artest without giving up David Lee, but will give up Jamal Crawford. So I put 4-way trade together to solve their problems. A deal that would get an unhappy T-Mac out of Houston and Mike James back at a starting role. Ron Artest can try to fix the Knicks. The Cavs get Bibby while shipping Larry Hughes and Damon Jones, and not getting Kenny Thomas. Crawford gets out of NY, what the Knicks are trying to do. The Kings unload 2 players able to opt out this year and get 2 great players at their position. And every team can financially afford the deal. To Houston: Jamal Crawford (NYK), Larry Hughes and Damon Jones (CLE) To Sacramento: Tracy McGrady and Mike James (HOU), Drew Gooden (CLE) To Cleveland: Mike Bibby (SAC), Malik Rose (NYK) To New York: Ron Artest and Kenny Thomas (SAC) Here's the pros and cons resulting in the trade and their probable line-ups. Houston Rockets Probable Line-Up: PG-Rafer Alston SG-Jamal Crawford SF-Shane Battier PF-Chuck Hayes C-Yao Ming Averages Lost: McGrady, James 30.1 PPG 6.4 RPG 6.9 APG Averages Gained: Crawford, Hughes, Jones 34.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 8.4 APG Difference: +4.4 PPG, +0.5 RPG, +1.5 APG Houston would get Jamal Crawford, Larry Hughes and Damon Jones to equal the scoring T-Mac gave them while getting PG Jones to come off of the bench to replace Mike James. Hughes hasn't had his best season this year, but he's doing better than Jones but could be a good defender when needed. With the absence of T-Mac, Luther Head has emerged and could be a great spark off the bench behind Crawford who is a very good scorer this year. Plus the team has been playing better as of late. Under Rick Aldelman they could once again become playoff contenders in years to come with a new team to work with. Sacramento Kings: Probable Line-Up: PG-Mike James SG-Kevin Martin SF-Tracy McGrady PF-Drew Gooden C- Brad Miller Averages Lost: Bibby, Artest, Thomas (At Least) 35 PPG, 9 RPG, 10 APG Averages Gained: McGrady, Gooden, James 42.2 PPG, 15.3 RPG, 7.9 APG Difference: (At least)+7.2 PPG, +6.3 RPG, -2.1 APG T-Mac replaces Artest at the SF spot where he and the efficient Martin can create a possible scoring tandem. The only con to getting him is that he's injury prone, but John Salmons could easily fill the void, averaging 21.9 PPG in January. They also get Drew Gooden's rebounding expertise and scoring, moving Mikki Moore to back-up PF. Mike James would be the starting PG while Udrih gets benched. They give Mike Bibby to Cleveland and Ron Artest and Kenny Thomas to New York. Doing that, they get rid of Bibby's $13 million contract and get someone back before he opts out. Ron Artest doesn't get the chance to opt out on the Kings, but gets to play somewhere he wants while Kenny Thomas' expensive contract gets shipped to NY as well, while saving the Knicks money. T-Mac, Gooden and James come to Sacramento, a team that is not considered a big threat in the west. However, this would be a Kings' dream come true as they are stocked with a ton of potential with rising star Kevin Martin and breakout players John Salmons, Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih. 7 players have scored 20+ points twice or more in 36 games. Kevin Martin (16/20 games due to injury) John Salmons (16) Ron Artest (10/20 due to injury, suspension) Francisco Garcia (10) Brad Miller (8) Beno Udrih (5) Mikki Moore (2) Cleveland Caviliers: Probable Line-Up: PG-Mike Bibby SG-Sasha Pavlovic SF LeBron James PF-Anderson Varejao C-Zydrunas Ilgauskus Averages Lost: Gooden, Hughes, Jones 27.4 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 4.9 APG Averages Gained: Bibby, Rose (Around) 17 PPG, 5 RPG, 5 APG Difference: -10.4 PPG, -7.8 RPG, +0.1 APG The Cavs finally get Mike Bibby after expressing interest since last summer without sacrificing any of their young talent. Bibby gets to work with LeBron James, taking much of the scoring load off of him. He scored 19 points off the bench in his first game back from injury. Daniel Gibson fills in while Bibby goes on the bench. They can even play at SG with how well they both shoot and wouldn't be a bad combo in the game together. They get Malik Rose from NY because of Kenny Thomas coming in. Thomas was considered a deal breaker when the Kings offered Bibby, but because of Thomas' play, Cleveland wasn't interested. Rose scores more than Thomas. They get rid of Larry Hughes on the decline and his $12 million contract along with Damon Jones' $4 million contact and send them both to Houston. Both would be brought in to compensate Mike James leaving the back-up PG spot and McGrady leaving. Drew Gooden would leave letting Anderson Varejao get the starting PF spot, leaving the back-up spot to Donyell Marshall. Malik Rose could probably end up playing Scot Pollard New York Knicks: Probable Line-Up: PG-Stephon Marbury SG-Quentin Richardson SF-Ron Artest PF-Zach Randolph C-Eddy Curry Averages Lost: Crawford & Rose 20.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.9 APG Averages Gained: Artest & Thomas 20.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.9 APG Difference: -0.4 PPG, +3.8 RPG, 0 APG Ron Artest gets his hometown wish to play for the Knicks, while they didn't have to trade David Lee away. The Knicks get Kenny Thomas from the Kings while shipping Malik Rose to Cleveland keeping cap issues the same. Thomas would most likely ride the bench and recieve little playing time if any. Artest has been problematic in the past, but he has recently been humbled with his summer trip to Kenya and finding out his daughter has kidney cancer. But if things ever boiled over to the point where he couldn't take it anymore in NY, things could get worse than before. But his performance this year has proved that he can be a great player in the NBA. The Knicks are shopping Crawford and would most likely be glad to give him up to get Artest. The trade with the Kings keeps their salary cap virtually the same. They actually save money ($253,750). That Knicks line-up looks scary, except for the fact that they probably can't play together. All of the line-ups look pretty good though. There are a couple of problems with this trade actually goiing through. Cleveland loses a big part of their scoring and the Cavs probably wouldn't want Malik Rose, but if they really wanted Bibby, they'd have faith in him and faith in the team to pull together. Another problem, concern over the Kings getting too much power. With McGrady and Martin possibly scoring a combined 47 PPG along with the resurfacing of Brad Miller, and Drew Gooden a good PF and Mike James starting again the Kings could be a playoff team ranking from 4th-6th seed in the future. T-Mac has never gone past the first round before, but even Eli Manning got past his playoff slump. This trade certainly has potential to make every team better, filling almost every team's needs. Sources T-Mac Wants Out http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080107/SPORTS0102/801070314/1127/ Mike James Unhappy http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5454556.html Turning Down Deals for David Lee, but Crawford Available http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/sports/kings/archives/009994.html Cavs Still Want Bibby, Not Thomas http://c13.zedo.com//ads2/f/269201/1/0/0/305000430/305000430/0/305/282/zz-V1-pop1200333768461.html?a=;l=;p= Knicks Interested in Artest, Bibby http://www.insidehoops.com/nba_rumors.shtml Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:55:44 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/74290 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/74290 It was good effort for the shorthanded Kings, just lack of execution at the end. Something the Kings have been doing for a while. No Mike Bibby since the beginning of the year, no Kevin Martin for 12 games so far, and now no Ron Artest because of bone chips in his right elbow that could require surgery. With only 10 players on their roster they played good basketball going up against better team. Although they put in good effort with none of their stars, they have gone 0-4 at home after a 3-2 road trip. (Video on link) What do the Suns have to say about the Kings? And is Francisco Garcia better than Kyle Korver this year? Look on the bottom for stat comparisons. Amare Stoudemire and the Suns got off to a good start as he scored 12 points in 6 minutes. Barbosa came off the bench to score 8 points off the bench, but the Kings stayed close through the 1st quarter as John Salmons scored 10 points with Francisco Garcia scoring 9 points. The leading center in assists, Brad Miller with 3 apg, had 4 assists in the quarter. With the Suns leading into the 2nd quarter, Leandro Barbosa and Grant Hill sparked an early surge with Barbosa scoring 12 points in the 2nd quarter and Hill hitting 4 early free throws. The Kings were starting to fall back but they were only down 64-55 by halftime. Mikki Moore was scored 10 points in the half with 5 rebounds (3 off.). Going into the 3rd quarter, the Suns would lead by as much as 14 points. Shawn Marion, who only had 3 points in the in the first half because of foul trouble, lit up for 16 points including 4 three pointers in the quarter. Steve Nash also had 14 assists at that time. John Salmons would help keep the game close finishing with 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. In the final quarter, the Kings would make a late surge going on a 10-4 run, but the Suns would answer back with a 19-6 run to finish off the Kings. Francisco Garcia had another great performance against the Suns scoring 30 points, 7 rebounds, an assist and a steal. His career high is 31 points which he scored earlier at Phoenix. Garcia would probably shot more if he didn't have 5 fouls. Mikki Moore had a double double with 20 points, 12 rebounds (7 off.), an assist and a block. Brad Miller had an all around night with 9 points, 7 rebounds and assists each, 2 steals and a block. Beno Udrih had 6 points 4 rebounds and assists each and 1 steal. Swingman Dhantay Jones had a season high 10 points with 6/6 free throws playing 11 minutes. Guard Quincy Douby came off the bench for 4 points, 2 rebounds and assists each, and 2 blocks. The Suns had a great game as usual with Amare Stoudemire as the top performer getting 31 points, 17 rebounds (career high 10 off.), a steal and a block. Steve Nash finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 15 assists and 2 steals. Shawn Marion had 25 points, 4 rebounds (2 off.), a steal and 2 blocks. Leandro Barbosa came off the bench for 22 points, an assist and a steal. Boris Diaw had 4 points rebounds and assists each, with 3 offensive rebounds and a steal. Former King Brian Skinner had 7 rebounds, an assist and 2 blocks. Raja Bell had 11 points 3 rebounds and assists each. Six Suns scored in double figures as they moved up to 22-9. Even they had some good things to say about the Kings. "They were short handed and we took advantage of it," Mike D'Antoni said. "But they played hard and didn't quit." Steve Nash said, "They are a tough team, even with key guys out. (Francisco) Garcia, (Mikki) Moore and (John) Salmons all played great. They made it tough on us." The injury riddled Kings are really struggling as they drop to 11-18 after losing 4 straight. What started this streak, that heartbreaking buzzer beater Linas Kleiza hit to give Denver the win. That followed with losses to the Celtics and Sixers, games they were in at the 4th quarter. Adding to that, they have 4 injured players, 3 from their starting line-up, Without Kevin Martin they are 4-7 and 2-8 without Ron Artest. With Artest, they're 8-10. They're already without Mike Bibby who doesn't come back for 2-3 weeks, the same time Kevin Martin comes back. Artest might be out for a while if he gets elbow surgery to remove bone chips. Shareef Abdur-Rahim is already out for the season because of surgery on his knee. Justin Williams made a rare appearance and has 2 rebounds and a block in 3 minutes. He played better than Spencer Hawes who had 2 rebounds in 7 minutes. This team is not going anywhere right now Martin scores 23 ppg. and Artest scores 20 ppg. and is their best post up scorer. Bibby averaged 13 ppg during the preseason but averaged 21 ppg. in 05-06. A lot of the Kings' scoring is gone. As everyone already knows, this is a rebuiling year, and even though the goal for the team is the playoffs, it's important to develop the team along the way. The organization is doing their best to keep the team together by acquiring new players and developing potential in other players. Mikki Moore has come in as a good post scorer and is starting to understand his place on the team, averaging career highs of 8.3 ppg. and 5.8 rpg. Dhantay Jones signed on the team and brings explosiveness to the basket and defense on small guards. Francisco Garcia had his second 30+ point game and is taking the same route Martin did when Bonzi Wells was injured back in 2005. Cisco is currently having a better season fellow shooter Kyle Korver. That's progress. John Salmons has already stepped up when Artest was absent, and with Cisco on his side in Martin's absence, both continue to develop. Salmons is in his best year by far. For a team who has gone through injuries to their 3 best players on the team, it could be worse. Garcia comparison to Korver this season. Garcia 13.2 ppg. 3.4 rpg. 1.6 apg. 1.2 spg. 0.4 bpg. FG 44.9% 3pt. FG 37.8% Korver 10.0 ppg. 2.9 rpg. 1.3 apg. 0.8 spg. 0.2 bpg. FG 39.6% 3pt. FG 35.2% Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:32:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/57124 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/57124 Friday's weekly fantasy basketball column discusses the injuries around the NBA - FIO and TalkHoops.net writer Zach Harper lists those players who will be sidelined with injury for the coming days, and suggests some possible fantasy replacements in the interim. Check this article each and every week on Friday to prep yourself for any moves to be made over the weekend. Sat, 17 Nov 2007 01:56:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/36519 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/36519 I had my doubts about the Kings' free agent picks the past few years, but left handed point guard Beno Udrih might be a good choice. I mean, we got someone who the Spurs said he was not developing fast enough, and he was waived by the T'Wolves out of all teams, and not only that, his finger on his shooting hand was broken when we got him. All of a sudden, he's the hero of the night. After losing a close game to the Cavs the night before, the Kings had to face T'Wolves standout Al Jefferson. Again the game went down to the wire as the Kings let the T'Wolves back into the game late. With the game tied at 93, Udrih who unexpectingly played 26 minutes score a long 2 pointer leaning in to put the Kings up. Brad Miller tipped in a shot to put in the dagger. Brad Miller is contributing offensively and defensively again, getting 12 points, 16 rebounds (7 offensive), and 3 blocked shots. Kenny Thomas had 6 points and 7 rebounds and John Salmons had 19 points. Kevin Martin got off to a slow start in the 1st half with 5 points, but exploded for 24 points in the 2nd half. I think he could have got 40 in the game but he was looking tired, and he should be, leading the NBA in minutes and 2nd in scoring behind Kobe Bryant. Also in the first half, it was a sign of things to come as Udrih and Spencer Hawes checked in at the same time. On a fast break, Udrih dished out his first of 2 assists to give Hawes his first and only basket of the night that he would attempt. Udrih also had 9 points and 5 rebounds. Minnesota was also playing good with Jefferson leading the way. He had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Theo Ratliff played better getting 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 blocked shots. He also fouled out. Rashad McCants had 16 points and 4 rebounds, and rookie Corey Brewer had 15 points and 8 rebounds. Greg Buckner dished out 5 assists, beating out point guard Sebastian Telfair by one. Although the Kings' have a 2-1 record at home, they were against the Sonics and T'Wolves, both of which are still looking for their 1st win. But both have standout talented players, the Sonics having Durant. In the win vs. the Sonics, the Kings came down by 20 and won. In this game, the Kings stayed close late in the game and won. They're really going to have to step up their game, visiting the Jazz and the T'Wolves. They are 0-3 on the road. Rebounds and assists are still a defficiency on their siide, but Udrih may help assists numbers go up. They've showed good prgress at home and look like they're ready to gear up for the road. The T'Wolves are just like the Sonics. Both are young teams trying to get their first win. I was surprised that Gerald Green and Antoine Walker didn't play. I wanted to see them play, they might have even changed the outcome of the game. Their next game is against the Kings on Wednesday, so they'll have a second chance for redemption. But I think their first win will come against the currently winless Wizards. Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:08:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/35518 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/35518 Sacramento Bee reports that Spencer's thinks that he's ready to play. However, he might not be cleared to play in the home opener against the Sonics on Tuesday. Coach Reggie Theus made that clear saying, "A lot of times what happens with stuff like that is it's really healed, but it's just not strong." New acquired Kings point guard Beno Udrih (pronounced Bayno Oodrick) may be ready to play against the Caviliers on November 9th, which may be Spencer's debut as well. The Kings are desperate need of help though after going 0-3 With Mike Bibby, Ron Artest and Justin Williams out, they need H-E-L-P. After getting beat by the Hornets, Spurs and Mavs they need a lot of it. The power forwards and centers are not getting the job done. Kenny Thomas has only made 1 shot in 3 games, Mikki Moore hasn't done much, Shareef Abdur-Rahim just came off of surgery and the pre-season Brad Miller is gone. Darryl Watkins has impressed in limited minutes, but is only averaging 3.3 points and 3.7 rebounds. John Salmons (not the fish, salmon, like I hear a lot) and Francisco Garcia have stepped up to help Kevin Martin, who each scored over 20 against the Mavs. Salmons scored a career high 27 points against the Mavs, with Cisco scoring over 20. Together, they scored 3/4 of the team's points. Hopefully, this will keep up so they'll be ready when Artest comes back to help in 4 games. By then, Beno will be ready too, maybe. Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:53:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/34649 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/34649 This is part of my series of articles previewing all 30 NBA teams and the upcoming season. The Kings snuck into the playoffs with the eighth seed in the West, but they were a tough challenge reagardless of San Antonio dispatching them. They'll might not have enough talent to compete in the improving West, but they'll fight and with Ron Artest, they'll be better defensively. They should get a low playoff seed. Thu, 09 Nov 2006 23:55:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/4819 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/4819