BLOG UPDATE: (1:19 p.m.)According to the Kings PR department, Martin is officially out for tonight's game.
Kevin Martin left last night's game against Portland in the third quarter with a strained right knee and did not return, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he doesn't play tonight against New Orleans.
The knee has been bothering him for some time, and this may become one of those perfect opportunities to let him rest and make room for the likes of Quincy Douby to get more playing time than he's seen all season. The Hornets need a win after last night's loss to the Lakers to stay alone atop the Western Conference standings, meaning Douby and the other youngsters who will see time had better be ready. Ron Artest is, as has been the case for some time now, a gametime decision. The Kings small forward has sent mixed messages through various media outlets recently, from a radio statement before he missed last night's game that he would play every game until to the end to telling myself that he would likely play the home games to indicating to others that he's done for the season.
BANDING TOGETHER
In regards to the headband movement last night at Arco Arena, the idea began with Martin.
Apparently he thought it would be a fun way to unify the bunch at this late season juncture when motivation can be hard to come by, all while serving as a sign of respect for Kings center Brad Miller and the season he had that has ended. Now granted, Miller hasn't worn the headbands for a while now, but the concept still works. Unless, of course, you're Beno Udrih.
The Kings point guard took all sorts of grief afterward for not wearing the headband, and he blamed it on the fact that he has too much hair and it would just look goofy. The excuse didn't fly, as his teammates were on him about it until he left the arena. - Sam Amick
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