12-22-2007, 02:16 AM
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#4 (permalink)
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MANRAM!
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: NORCAL
Age: 24
Posts: 18,070
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Re: Artest predicts a playoff berth
Kings Notes: Kings starting to think playoffs
Quote:
The P-word returned to the Kings' vocabulary Friday, no longer banished to preseason goals and if-only thinking.
Yes, it's OK to say "playoffs" again. And this time it's not just Ron Artest with April forecasts.
"Even early when we were really struggling, we still won at home, so we knew if we could take care of some away games we would have a good chance," swingman John Salmons said.
Although it took the Kings 10 tries to log that first road win, Dec. 14 against Philadelphia, continued confidence came with back-to-back victories over New Jersey on Tuesday and Milwaukee on Wednesday as they finished their road trip 3-2. The Kings took Thursday off and returned Friday with a sense of rejuvenation, even after a long practice.
"So much of getting better is believing you are getting better," coach Reggie Theus said to a slightly larger group of reporters than normal. "That's an indication that the guys believe we are getting better."
Theus didn't stop there, making his own prediction along the way.
"We realistically have a shot if we stay the course," he said. "It's not going to be easy. I've said this before, that if we make the playoffs, it will be the hardest year of your career in order to make this work."
Theus said it was nice to end questions about when the Kings would finally notch that long-awaited road win.
"We put a lot of that to rest on this last road trip," he said. "I think our guys stepped up."
While most of the players talked jubilantly about the trip, Artest quickly put it in perspective.
"The road trip wasn't that successful," said Artest, who has predicted the Kings would reach the playoffs. "We still lost two games."
Apparently, "perfection" is Artest's word of choice.
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