Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
NBA: Kings, Pacers lose after trade involving Artest falls through
By The Associated Press
Wednesday, January 25, 2006 | No comments posted.
On a day the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers nearly swapped Peja Stojakovic and Ron Artest, the teams could have used either player.
The Kings lost 109-103 at Philadelphia on Tuesday night without Stojakovic, who stayed back at the hotel after the team reportedly agreed to send him to Indiana for Artest earlier in the day.
“I had no control over any of it,” Kings coach Rick Adelman said. “I didn't have Peja. I told them to play with the hand you're dealt.”
The Pacers, who deactivated Artest in December after he requested a trade, could have used the defensive stopper who held LeBron James to 19 points on 6-of-20 shooting earlier this season. Instead, James had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers rolled past visiting Indiana 96-66.
The Pacers also could have used Stojakovic's offensive skills. They scored just 28 points on 11-for-38 shooting in the second half and lost Jermaine O'Neal to another injury.
“We're not a very good basketball team right now,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “This was very disappointing.”
O'Neal, who has been outspoken about Artest's uncertain future, refused to use it as an excuse.
“I don't care about distractions or trades,” O'Neal said. “We are missing one player. Anybody who says that bothers them, they have to be a better pro. This is the hand we've been dealt, and we go play it.”
Mike Bibby had a career-high 44 points and Kevin Martin added 20 as the Kings lost their third straight game. Sacramento has won at least 55 games in four straight seasons, but is last in the Pacific Division.
“As far as distractions go, not having Peja was the biggest thing,” Bibby said. “We still don't know what's going on.”
The Kings visit New York today, but Adelman wasn't sure about Stojakovic's status.
“I have a lot of faith in Peja,” Adelman said. “He's meant a lot to me and this franchise. He's been a pro his whole career.”
The Sixers have won three in a row, improving to 21-20 at the halfway point of the season.
At Cleveland, James met with Oscar Robertson before the game and then flirted with a triple-double in front of the man who patented them.
Wearing white tights under his shorts, James, who scored 51 points on a gimpy right knee Saturday night in Utah, got to relax on the bench for the final 5:51 after the Cavaliers built a 25-point lead.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 18 points, Sasha Pavlovic a season-high 16 and Drew Gooden 14 with 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, back home following a 1-5 trip to the West Coast.
Cleveland held Indiana to a season-low in points and the Pacers shot a season-low 33 percent. Stephen Jackson scored 17 points to lead Indiana, but O'Neal had only seven and 15 rebounds before possibly tearing a groin muscle in the fourth quarter.
“We sure have had enough bad luck for a year,” O'Neal said. “I'm really, really concerned. I heard it pop. Hopefully, I won't need surgery.”
Heat 94, Grizzlies 82
At Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half, helping the Heat pull away.
Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points and 15 rebounds in only 30 minutes for Miami, which won its 51st consecutive home game when leading after three quarters. Former Memphis guard Jason Williams added 14 points and six assists for the Heat, who have won two straight.
Bobby Jackson had a season-high 22 points for Memphis.
Pistons 107, Timberwolves 83
Chauncey Billups beat his old team by five points in the third quarter, leading Detroit to a win and giving Pistons coach Flip Saunders a satisfying return to Minnesota.
Billups finished with 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds after outscoring the Timberwolves 18-13 by himself in the third. The Pistons (34-5) won their eighth straight.
Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota.
Spurs 104, Bobcats 76
Beno Udrih had season highs of 17 points and eight assists, and Tim Duncan had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead host San Antonio past injury-plagued Charlotte.
Jumaine Jones had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats, who lost their eighth straight.
Magic 111, Suns 102
Hedo Turkoglu scored 30 points and Orlando limited visiting Phoenix to just one basket in the final 4:48.
Dwight Howard added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who matched their season high with a fourth consecutive victory. Steve Francis had 15 points and six assists.
Shawn Marion led Phoenix with 26 points and 16 rebounds.
The Kings lost 109-103 at Philadelphia on Tuesday night without Stojakovic, who stayed back at the hotel after the team reportedly agreed to send him to Indiana for Artest earlier in the day.
“I had no control over any of it,” Kings coach Rick Adelman said. “I didn't have Peja. I told them to play with the hand you're dealt.”
The Pacers, who deactivated Artest in December after he requested a trade, could have used the defensive stopper who held LeBron James to 19 points on 6-of-20 shooting earlier this season. Instead, James had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers rolled past visiting Indiana 96-66.
The Pacers also could have used Stojakovic's offensive skills. They scored just 28 points on 11-for-38 shooting in the second half and lost Jermaine O'Neal to another injury.
“We're not a very good basketball team right now,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “This was very disappointing.”
O'Neal, who has been outspoken about Artest's uncertain future, refused to use it as an excuse.
“I don't care about distractions or trades,” O'Neal said. “We are missing one player. Anybody who says that bothers them, they have to be a better pro. This is the hand we've been dealt, and we go play it.”
Mike Bibby had a career-high 44 points and Kevin Martin added 20 as the Kings lost their third straight game. Sacramento has won at least 55 games in four straight seasons, but is last in the Pacific Division.
“As far as distractions go, not having Peja was the biggest thing,” Bibby said. “We still don't know what's going on.”
The Kings visit New York today, but Adelman wasn't sure about Stojakovic's status.
“I have a lot of faith in Peja,” Adelman said. “He's meant a lot to me and this franchise. He's been a pro his whole career.”
The Sixers have won three in a row, improving to 21-20 at the halfway point of the season.
At Cleveland, James met with Oscar Robertson before the game and then flirted with a triple-double in front of the man who patented them.
Wearing white tights under his shorts, James, who scored 51 points on a gimpy right knee Saturday night in Utah, got to relax on the bench for the final 5:51 after the Cavaliers built a 25-point lead.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 18 points, Sasha Pavlovic a season-high 16 and Drew Gooden 14 with 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, back home following a 1-5 trip to the West Coast.
Cleveland held Indiana to a season-low in points and the Pacers shot a season-low 33 percent. Stephen Jackson scored 17 points to lead Indiana, but O'Neal had only seven and 15 rebounds before possibly tearing a groin muscle in the fourth quarter.
“We sure have had enough bad luck for a year,” O'Neal said. “I'm really, really concerned. I heard it pop. Hopefully, I won't need surgery.”
Heat 94, Grizzlies 82
At Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half, helping the Heat pull away.
Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points and 15 rebounds in only 30 minutes for Miami, which won its 51st consecutive home game when leading after three quarters. Former Memphis guard Jason Williams added 14 points and six assists for the Heat, who have won two straight.
Bobby Jackson had a season-high 22 points for Memphis.
Pistons 107, Timberwolves 83
Chauncey Billups beat his old team by five points in the third quarter, leading Detroit to a win and giving Pistons coach Flip Saunders a satisfying return to Minnesota.
Billups finished with 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds after outscoring the Timberwolves 18-13 by himself in the third. The Pistons (34-5) won their eighth straight.
Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota.
Spurs 104, Bobcats 76
Beno Udrih had season highs of 17 points and eight assists, and Tim Duncan had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead host San Antonio past injury-plagued Charlotte.
Jumaine Jones had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats, who lost their eighth straight.
Magic 111, Suns 102
Hedo Turkoglu scored 30 points and Orlando limited visiting Phoenix to just one basket in the final 4:48.
Dwight Howard added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who matched their season high with a fourth consecutive victory. Steve Francis had 15 points and six assists.
Shawn Marion led Phoenix with 26 points and 16 rebounds.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines