The NBA preseason can be deadly dull, and as such, the Sacramento Bee’s Martin McNeil oughta be very grateful the local side provided some rare October entertainment on Monday.
Kings forwards Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kenny Thomas don’t like each other, although neither will admit it.
Here’s proof that actions speak louder than words. The two fought when they played against each other, nearly went at it as Kings teammates during the final regular-season game against Seattle last season, then squared off briefly Monday during practice
Ron Artest admittedly was feeling silly after Monday’s practice. Recalling what he considers the best fight he had seen in a training camp or practice, Artest said, “I think it was when Vitaly (Potapenko) smacked Mike (Bibby) in the head.”
“What?” Bibby (above) demanded. “That never happened. That must have been one of those times Ron blacked out. You know he blacks out 75 percent of the time. He probably didn’t take his medicine this morning.”
Corliss Williamson, whose running attack on former bad boy Derrick Coleman years ago at Arco Arena might have been better than half the professional fights held there, said the best nongame fight he had seen was between Byron Houston and Michael “The Animal” Smith.
Moments before the tip-off of today’s Sixers/Suns exhibition in Cologne, Bill Walton said of the recovering Amare Stoudemire, “18 months ago, he was looking to change the future of basketball.” If Walton’s not making any sense, I can’t really call it hyperbole.
Though Milwaukee have yet to play a preseason game, new addition Steve Blake is already making an impression. His collision with Andrew Bogut on Saturday will cost the Bucks the services of their Aussie center for the next 6 to 8 weeks.