April 12th, 2008 
Stephen Rhodes 
Posted in ????????????????????????????????????? 
Sacramento Kings swingman John Salmons got the rare opportunity to start in Friday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers; the first half didn’t go so well for Salmons, but he more than made up for it, scoring 18 second-half points in leading Sacramento to a convincing, 103-86 win over Portland at Arco Arena.? The win was even more impressive in the fact that the Kings were without Ron Artest and Brad Miller – both out with injuries.
Portland didn’t shoot very well in the first half, and the first half score indicated their shooting woes as Sacramento went into halftime with a 51-41 lead; the Kings’ Salmons would assert himself in the third quarter, scoring 10 points in the period as the Kings went into the fourth quarter leading 78-62.? The Blazers?wouldn’t put up much of a challenge from that point on.? Sacramento, of the 8 players that?played, had 7 in double-digits, led by Salmons with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while Kevin Martin and Fernando Garcia scored 16 each – with?Martin grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing out 2 assists, along with a steal and a block while Garcia grabbed 2 rebounds, dished out 2 assists and a steal.? Spencer Hawes added 15 with 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.
Portland was led by LaMarcus Aldridge with 24 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals and 3blocks while Travis Outlaw, from off the bench, scored 18 with 2 rebounds and an assist; Channing Frye added 15 with 14 rebounds and an assist.? Sacramento (37-42) will remain home to host the New Orleans Hornets Saturday while Portland (39-40) returns home to host the Dallas Mavericks – also on Saturday.
