Apr

13

Artest Picks up Scoring Slack, Kings Edge Hornets 94-91

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under Main 

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The Sacramento Kings, now a lottery-bound team, get to apprise a new role for the last few games of the NBA season - spoilers.? The Kings were without leading scorer Kevin Martin (right knee injury) and Brad Miller (leg/elbow injuries), so they had to manufacture some offense from other sources.? Saturday’s game would fins some offensive firepower from Ron Artest; Artest hit 4 clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter, enabling Sacramento to escape Arco Arena with a 94-91 victory.

Both teams played pretty much to a standstill in the first half, as Sacramento took a slim 52-49 lead into halftime; the Hornets went on a 15-2 run in the third quarter, which was no doubt enhanced by poor free throw shooting by the Kings.? The end result of the Kings’ problems at the charity stripe was the Hornets holding onto an 8-point lead; however, Sacramento would regain the lead early in the fourth quarter as Artest drained consecutive 3-pointers which sparked a 10-0 run that made it 80-75.? Artest would make another basket which would put the Kings up by 7 with 2:55 remaining in the game; he would also make an off-balance trey that put Sacramento up 91-85 with 51 seconds left.

The Hornets would hang close as Morris Peterson made 3 free throws to cut the Kings’ lead to 4 with 23 ticks left on the clock; after a 5-second violation by Sacramento, New Orleans’ Peja Stojakovic hit a 3-pointer with just 12 seconds left, making it 92-91.? But Sacramento’s John Salmons hit a pair of free throws to put the Kings up by 3, then Stojakovic missed a 3.? Sacramento was led by Artest with 22 points, including 4 treys, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block while Salmons scored 18 with 11 rebounds and 3 assists; Francisco Garcia, from off the bench, added 16 with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

New Orleans was led by David West with 30 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal while Stojakovic scored 18 with 4 rebounds, an assist and a steal; Chris Paul shot 4-of-13, scoring 14 with 6 rebounds, 12 assists and 6 steals while Tyson Chandler recorded a double-double, scoring 13 with 13 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block.? Sacramento (38-42) plays their final home game of the season as they host the San Antonio Spurs Monday while New Orleans (55-25) returns home to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.



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