---

Kings vs. Rockets
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 – ARCO Arena, Sacramento, CA
Kings win 99-98
Box Score || Game Info || In-Game Blog
Coach Theus Audio || Kevin Martin Audio || Ron Artest Audio

---

He could have claimed it was an April fool's joke, but his honesty preceded him.

Ron Artest controlled the ball and for all intents and purposes the outcome of the game as the clock wound down. Rather than go with the designed play that had been set with just 18.2 seconds to go in the Kings timeout, Artest saw the outstretched arms of Mikki Moore and attempted to lob an alley-oop to the Kings power forward. As the pass sailed high, the Rockets took control of the final play.

Just as he had all game, Rafer Alston calmly brought the ball up the court and found the Rockets perennial All-Star Tracy McGrady. With 5.6 seconds remaining, McGrady drove along press row and past the Kings bench where he was met by two Kings defenders. After McGrady released the shot, the buzzer sounded...the ball hit the front iron and bounced out.

Happy and relieved, the Kings beat the Rockets 99-98 at ARCO Arena Tuesday.

“Against a top team in the Western Conference, it’s always satisfying," Kevin Martin said. "Especially with the kind of game it was, it was like a grind-it-out game where it felt like whoever had the ball last would win.”

The win improved the Kings to 12-4 against the Rockets in the past 16 contests at home and squared the season series at two.

Artest finished with a team-high 30 points while shooting 4-of-7 from 3-point range. The Kings defensive specialist also snatched five steals to go along with four boards and three assists. Feeling fortunate, Artest was happy to recall how the last play was drawn up.

"Basically coach drew that up," Artest said grinning ear-to-ear. "Coach said to turn it over, and so I was like, 'OK, if that’s what you want, I’ll turn it over.' I turned the ball over and we still won. He wanted us to win it on defense.”

[Smile]

Though he missed the final shot, McGrady scored a game-high 32 points, but shot just 12-of-31 from the field. The small forward also notched seven rebounds, four assists and five turnovers.

Dating back to last season, the Kings-Rockets matchup has been decided by fewer than two points, or overtime, four times and has not been decided by more than eight points in the past seven meetings.

Heading into the game Martin was averaging more than 27 points per game over the past five games. So it was only fitting that the Kings shooting guard scored 27 points while shooting 8-of-14 from the field. He also tallied three assists, but like his team, struggled to corral rebounds.

Aside from shooting 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range, the Kings were beat in nearly every statistical category. Most notably, the Kings surrendered a 21-rebound advantage (49-28), including a 21-4 discrepancy on the offensive glass.

“It was a difficult game statistically," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "When you look at the stats, there’s no way we should win this game. But if you look at the defense, they only shot 40 percent from the field. If we had rebounded the basketball at all, they would’ve shot in the low 30s for the game.”

Known for their defense, the Rockets limited the Kings to 100 points or less for the fourth time this season, but it was the Kings half court defense in particular that limited the Rockets to 40 percent shooting from the field, 25 percent from long range and allowed just two fast break points. Limiting Houston to 98 points, it was the first time in 10 games that the Kings held their opponent to less than the century mark.

“When you look at the way we finished the basketball game, making shots and playing defense, it’s very satisfying because it’s nice that we can play a role in the Western Conference," Theus said. "The guys understand that we have a role to play. If that role is to muck up the [playoff picture], then that’s what we’ll do.”

While Kings rookie Spencer Hawes missed his second-consecutive game due to a left ankle sprain, the Rockets rookie turned in a nifty night. Luis Scola tallied 20 points, eight boards, two assists and one steal.

Like Friday's contest between the Kings and Wizards, Tuesday's affair featured a lot of emotion as the home team hosted yet another team battling for playoff position. Unfortunately, like Moore before him, Brad Miller was the one who let his emotions get the best of him. Miller was ejected from the game with 7:21 remaining in the third. Ironically, Moore was ejected with 7:27 remaining in third against Washington.

“When Brad got kicked out, it was hard for us to rebound because they had so many tall guys in there," Francisco Garcia said. "But everybody stayed focused and played good defense in the fourth quarter and that’s how we won.”

With the Kings missing their starting center, reserve Shelden Williams stepped in to play 24 minutes. The second-year big man notched eight points, six boards and two steals.

Helping the Kings reserves outscore the Rockets reserves 18-10, Garcia chipped in eight points to go along with four boards, one assist and one steal.

Notorious for his finger waving ways, Dikembe Mutombo swatted two shots as Houston tallied a game-high 11 blocks. Starting at center for the injured Yao Ming, Mutombo also scored 11 points and pulled down seven boards.

The Kings host five of their last eight games in Sacramento.

Celebrate the Summer Games with the Kings on Thursday, April 3 at 7 p.m. as your Kings face the Clippers with special appearances by Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle and Sacramento Olympians.This is where the SIXTH MAN happens. Click here to buy tickets now.

Closing Thought:
In a game that featured a number of outstanding athletic plays, a flying El Flaco stood head and shoulders above the rest.

“I call it, ‘Let’s get hyphy," Garcia said laughing of his high-flying right handed slam on the left side of the hoop that also earned a trip to the free throw line as Shane Battier went head-first into the row of photographers. "I don’t really dunk that much, so I just wanted to show my athleticism.”

And his teammates certainly enjoyed it.

“That was a man walk," Martin said smiling. "I’ll probably watch that replay enough to know how many people were in the crowd.”

“It’s about time," Artest added still grinning. "He’s 175 pounds and he’s the lightest guy in the league who can’t really jump. But he wanted that bucket. We needed that dunk."

---