With their 114-98 victory over the Lakers last night, the Sacramento Kings moved ahead of LA into 7th place in the West. They have won 15 of their last 20 and 13 straight at home. Much of this can be attributed to the play of Ron Artest, whom the Kings acquired in a mid-season trade for Peja Stojakovic.
Artest has become the darling of the frenzied [Arco Arena] crowd, feeding off its energy. The love affair began the night the sellout crowd gave him a standing ovation in his first game in a Kings uniform. He has returned the affection with typically intense play, especially at the defensive end.
Artest has been a model teammate in Sacramento, too. One Kings basketball executive said the players he joined Jan. 25 had not seen a work ethic like Artest’s. His devotion to defense has rubbed off on teammates who never had seemed to care as much about stopping opponents as they do now.
Artest seems determined to keep everyone waiting for his eventual meltdown. So far, the trade has worked out brilliantly for the Kings, but one has to wonder when the other shoe will drop. If the Kings can keep winning, there’s a good chance that he’ll continue to be a model citizen.
