Breaking NewsSponsored by The Sullivan Auto Group
Subscribe: Home Delivery Special!
Artest leads Kings to victory over Hornets
By Melody Gutierrez - mgutierrez@sacbee.com
Last Updated 9:58 pm PDT Saturday, April 12, 2008
Ron Artest was irritated with questions about his sprained right thumb.
No, it hasn't miraculously healed.
No, it's not feeling better, he said before Saturday's game.
But the small forward's mood changed, taking the court and providing the spark the Kings needed in a 94-91 win over the New Orleans Hornets.
Artest drained two consecutive three-pointers early in the fourth quarter to begin the Kings march toward the win, then sank another pivotal trey with 51 seconds remaining in front of an announced crowd of 14,965 at Arco Arena.
Artest finished with a team-high 22 points.
With the loss, New Orleans' top position in the Western Conference is in jeopardy, with the Los Angeles Lakers threatening. The Kings won despite playing without leading scorer Kevin Martin, who sat out with a right knee injury he suffered in Friday's win over Portland.
Entering the game, Artest was listed as doubtful after sitting out three of the last four contests.
While the Kings came up big, the Hornets put up a fight, especially in the waning seconds. Following Artest's three-pointer with 51 seconds remaining that put the Kings ahead 91-85, Morris Peterson sank three consecutive free throws with 23 seconds remaining.
New Orleans' defense forced a Kings five-second violation inbounding the ball, which was followed by Peja Stojakovic's three-pointer with 12.3 seconds that brought the Hornets within reach - 92-91. New Orleans fouled John Salmons with 11 seconds left, and his two free throws increased the margin to three before Stojakovic's final three-point attempt for the Hornets fell short.
About the writer:
- Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521.
Recommend this story at Yahoo! Buzz:
Unique content, exceptional value. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Most Popular
More Stories in Sports
The Kings' John Salmons, left, and Spencer Hawes, back, battle with New Orleans' Tyson Chandler for a rebound. Steve Yeater / Associated Press
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
QUICK JOB SEARCH
News |
Sports |
Business |
Politics |
Opinion |
Entertainment |
Lifestyle |
Travel |
Blogs |
Cars |
Homes |
Jobs |
Classifieds/Shopping
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Site Map | Advertise | Guide to The Bee | Bee Jobs | FAQs | RSS
Contact Us | e-edition | Subscribe | Manage Your Subscription | E-newsletters | Sacbeemail | Archives
sacbee.com | Sacramento.com | Capitol Alert | SacMomsClub.com | SacPaws.com | SacWineRegion.com
Copyright © The Sacramento Bee
2100 Q St. P.O. Box 15779 Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 321-1000