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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:24 am Post subject: March 15: Kings Move Past Lakers; McKie near return. Lakers host the Timberwolves. |
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Kings Move Past Lakers
Artest makes the difference for Sacramento, which pulls away in the fourth quarter and takes the No. 7 spot in the West.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
March 15, 2006
SACRAMENTO — It lasted six days, the Laker stay in seventh in the Western Conference, undone by an old rival that gladly passed them up and sent them down to less desirable circumstances.
Kobe Bryant ran hot and cold, the defensively savvy Ron Artest had a notable game on offense, and the Lakers fell to the Sacramento Kings, 114-98, Tuesday at the noisy-as-always Arco Arena.
Lamar Odom came to play with 24 points on nine-for-12 shooting, but there were few that would join him on the way to the Lakers falling a half-game behind the Kings.
Bryant had 30 points on 12-for-28 shooting, marking a fourth consecutive game in which he failed to make half his shots.
Artest was there in his face, as were double-teams from numerous angles, although Bryant seemed less frustrated with the state of Laker affairs than he did during Sunday's loss to Seattle.
"Every time I touch the ball, everybody just rotates over to that side of the floor," he said, matter-of-factly. "They're trying to stop me from getting into the paint."
Last edited by Phil on Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:33 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:25 am Post subject: |
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Star struck
Lakers behind Sacramento in playoff race
By Ross Siler, Staff Writer
Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest, right, reacts after a turnover by Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant late in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif.
Photo Gallery: 3/14: Lakers vs. Kings (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
SACRAMENTO - The Lakers were shorthanded enough when they arrived at Arco Arena - no Chris Mihm, no Devean George - without having to consider what might have been had they traded for Ron Artest earlier this season.
But Artest was the player the Lakers missed most Tuesday night in a 114-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings. The teams swapped places in the standings as Artest reminded everyone why he might just be the NBA's best two-way player.
The 6-foot-7 forward finished with 28 points, knocked down four 3-pointers, did as good a job on Kobe Bryant as anybody this season and came off the court for exactly 59.2 seconds at the end of the third quarter.
It was the kind of game that Bryant could appreciate and he acknowledged as much, even bringing up the alternate reality of Artest playing for the Lakers.
"Not too many guys can do that," Bryant said of Artest's 47-minute marathon. "That's why I would have loved to have played with him. He's the type of guy that does it at both ends of the floor. The same way I do." |
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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:27 am Post subject: |
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Lakers lose with thinning hand
Without Mihm and George, they are tripped up by an uneven effort.
By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register
SACRAMENTO – Chris Mihm for MVP?
How about Devean George?
The Lakers were lost Tuesday night without two of their veteran components because of injury and lost, 114-98, to the surging Sacramento Kings.
The result dropped the Lakers a half-game behind Sacramento in the Western Conference standings and back to eighth place and left Coach Phil Jackson to make a rare admission to the thinness of a roster with four rookies on it.
"They took advantage of some of our young kids," Jackson said.
The one player who looked like an MVP on this night was Sacramento's Ron Artest, whom the Lakers considered acquiring earlier this season.
Artest had 28 points and pestered Kobe Bryant into a 12-for-28 shooting night (30 points). Artest lamented his conditioning after losing to Bryant and the Lakers three weeks ago - and on this night played all but 59 seconds.
"Not too many guys can do that," Bryant said. "I would've loved to play with him." |
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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:30 am Post subject: |
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Kings top cold Kobe, Lakers
Kings 114, Lakers 98 They pass LA for the West's No. 7 playoff spot.
12:41 AM PST on Wednesday, March 15, 2006
By BRODERICK TURNER / The Press-Enterprise
SACRAMENTO - The rivalry is not the same as it was when the Lakers and Kings played for supremacy in the West.
These days the Lakers and Kings are playing for their playoff lives, neither secure in the low playoff spots it holds.
With Ron Artest scoring 28 points and doing a good job guarding Kobe Bryant, Sacramento defeated the Lakers, 114-98, Tuesday to leapfrog them in the playoff race.
AP photo
Lamar Odom scores 14 of his 24 points in the first quarter of Tuesday's loss at Sacramento.
The Kings overtook the Lakers for the seventh spot in the West by a half-game. The Lakers fell to 33-32 and the eighth and final spot, one game ahead of New Orleans.
Bryant had 30 points but missed 16 of 28 shots from the field. He's shooting 36.1 percent in the past four games. |
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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:31 am Post subject: |
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McKie Back in Uniform
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
March 15, 2006
SACRAMENTO — Laker guard Aaron McKie was back on the active list Tuesday, ending a 50-game inactive exile by suiting up for the first time since Dec. 1.
The torn quadriceps tendon now fully healed in his left leg, McKie must show if he can contribute anything this season.
His return was almost mandatory. Had he not suited up, the Lakers would have had only 11 players against Sacramento. Devean George was out because of a slightly fractured wrist, Chris Mihm was out because of a severely sprained ankle, and Von Wafer was still in the Development League. |
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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:32 am Post subject: |
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McKie is finally back
By Ross Siler, Staff Writer
SACRAMENTO - The thought never crossed Aaron McKie's mind when he suffered a partially torn left quadriceps tendon on Dec. 1 that he wouldn't be putting on a game uniform again until mid-March.
"I didn't think it was that serious," McKie said. "I've been injured before where it just felt like, 'I blew my knee out, I'm done for the year,' (and was) back the next game.
"That's just pretty much how that felt with my knee. It was sore and had a little swelling and everything. But I never felt I'd be out this long."
McKie was cleared by doctors this week to resume practicing, but whether he will play again this season is in doubt. He was needed to fill out the 12-man active roster Tuesday night with Chris Mihm lost to a severe ankle sprain and Devean George still injured.
With a month left in the season, Lakers coach Phil Jackson wasn't ready to commit to any timetable for McKie's return. The 33-year-old guard has missed 51 games since the injury and has yet to practice with the full team.
"I think this is a time for Aaron to see if he is ready and if he can play," Jackson said. "Then we'll make assessments from there about him helping us in the playoffs." |
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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:33 am Post subject: |
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Notebook: McKie's return near
12:36 AM PST on Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Broderick Turner
SACRAMENTO - Aaron McKie was shooting jumpers with assistant coach Kurt Rambis before Tuesday's game.
McKie was running from spot to spot, knocking down jump shots, looking as if the torn left quadriceps tendon that's kept him out of the past 51 games were OK.
Cleared to play, McKie suited up Tuesday night for the first time since Jan. 1, but Coach Phil Jackson said he'd be cautious with the 12-year veteran.
"He was legitimately cleared to play, but ... he's not ready," Jackson said.
McKie also said he didn't want to return prematurely and that he needs to improve his conditioning and leg strength.
The Lakers brought McKie in to add experience to their backcourt, to help back up Kobe Bryant. But McKie played in just 10 games before he was injured and wasn't much of a factor.
Like everyone else, McKie thought he'd be back sooner.
"I didn't think it was that serious," McKie said. "Never thought I'd be out this long." |
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Phil Retired
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007
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Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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Preview: Timberwolves at Lakers
Associated Press
Wed, Mar 15, 2006
GAME: Minnesota Timberwolves (26-37) at Los Angeles Lakers (33-32).
TIME: Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. EST.
LINE: Oddsmakers have set the Lakers as 5-point home favorites, the total is set at 197 1/2.
The struggling Minnesota Timberwolves attempt to avoid matching some dubious records when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers.
With one more loss, Minnesota will equal its total of 38 from last season. The Timberwolves have also dropped six straight on the road, one shy of the franchise record set from Dec. 12-Jan. 10.
Minnesota has lost a season-high five straight overall, with four of those losses coming on this season-high six-game road trip.
The Timberwolves dropped a 95-87 decision to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday at Staples Center, causing franchise centerpiece Kevin Garnett to vent frustration at his teammates in the locker room after the game. |
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