Just when the previously downtrodden Sacramento Kings had started to build some momentum -- two straight wins, the return of Ron Artest, Spencer Hawes considering rebounding lessons -- they got kicked in the collective nether-regions when handed the news that budding superstar Kevin Martin will be out four to six weeks with a strained right groin. Martin left Tuesday's game against Utah with a minute to go in the third quarter and never returned. Panic didn't set in for Sac-town immediately though, as John Salmons stepped up in the fourth quarter to propel the Kings over the visiting Utah Jazz. Salmons and Reggie Theus favorite Francisco Garcia are expected to see the majority of run at the two while Martin recovers but while both are intriguing offensive talents -- Garcia especially -- there's no question that Martin's scoring prowess and production --24.5 points, 4.9 dimes, 1.35 steals per game -- will be missed.
Artest summed it pretty well:
Without Kevin, we definitely won't be as good ... but we've got to hang in there. We've got to play every possession like it's our last. We've been giving ourselves a chance to win, and we have to give ourselves a chance to see how far we can take this thing.Well, actually, the first sentence probably sums it up best, but you get the point. And with Mike Bibby still staring at late January return, this "thing" probably won't be going very far.
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