Kings center Brad Miller is scheduled for surgery today to remove a bone chip from his right elbow. The team said Tuesday that Miller would miss the rest of the season with the injury, as well as a stress fracture in his left leg.
Team physician Richard Marder will perform today's surgery at UC Davis Medical Center.
"I fell on the elbow after the Miami game (March 2), not on the mechanical cow," Miller said jokingly about the notion he injured himself tumbling off the mechanical bull at the Kings' fan festival March 19. "They are just going in to clean it up," he added.
Miller started all 72 games in which he played this season after starting 56 times in 2006-07.
Last day – The Kings had their last practice of the season Thursday, and the players had a request: No Reggie Theus. Or at least no coach during the scrimmage that concluded practice.
"They didn't want me in the gym because they just wanted to play," said Theus, who still managed to sneak a peek.
"I saw the last play," he said. "I saw Ron Artest take a charge today. That was the first one all year. But it's one charge more than John Salmons has taken all year. I stopped practice when I saw that."
Long after practice, Artest was still going. He made jumpers and practiced free throws while wearing a blue vest with 30 to 40 pounds of weight.
"He does that, he gets his workout," Theus said.
But does that mean Artest will play tonight against Portland at Arco Arena? "No comment," he responded to questions about his sprained left thumb and status for tonight.
Artest did elaborate, however, on his conditioning for next season.
"This summer, I'm not taking any time off," he said. "I've already started working out. … I've got to get ready for next year. I don't need rest."
Looking back – The final practice led some players to reflect on 2007-08 and talk about next season.
"I think we've come a long ways, and right now the basketball we are playing is setting us up to be on a good note going into next year," Spencer Hawes said.
What did the center enjoy most about his first NBA season? "I think the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want to do when you want to do it, and not being stuck on such an (academic) schedule," he said.
Quincy Douby said he would remember this season as a learning experience.
"I got to play in some games that were tight in the fourth quarter, and that helps me and gets me confidence," the second-year guard said. "I feel like I will be better prepared coming into next season."
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