Kings Ruin Good Night for Bad Teams

Friday, February 3rd 2006, 7:19 am

By: News On 6

With one pathetic quarter, the Sacramento Kings ruined a good night for bad teams. The Bobcats ended their 13-game skid, the Hawks have a three-game winning streak, and the Raptors and Knicks made a trade that should help both squads.

The Kings thought things were looking up for them, too, after they acquired Ron Artest. But he wasn't around to help them avoid their collapse in Utah on Friday night.

Sacramento did not make a field goal in the fourth quarter, allowing the Jazz to rally for an 89-79 victory. The Kings were 0-for-20 from the field and were outscored 34-12 in the period.

``The Jazz were the aggressors and they took the game over and we just caved in. We came out and gave it to them,'' Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. ``We didn't guard them. We turned it over and we just waited for something to happen instead of trying to make it happen.''

Artest led the Kings with 20 points, but injured his hip on two consecutive plays in the fourth quarter and left the game for good with 5:32 to play and the game tied at 72.

``We got brain-locked in the fourth,'' Artest said.

In other games, it was: the Los Angeles Clippers 98, Boston 81; Detroit 87, Philadelphia 80; Houston 100, Seattle 77; and Portland 89, Minnesota 85.

Utah's Andrei Kirilenko scored 14 of his 24 points in the period. The last time the Kings failed to convert a field goal in a quarter was Feb. 4, 1987, against the Los Angeles Lakers. It last happened in the NBA on March 13, 2005, by the Detroit Pistons against the Jazz, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

``We just concentrate the whole fourth quarter and you see how many field goals we let them score,'' Kirilenko said. ``We were very, very active.''

The Bobcats' strong defensive play in the fourth quarter helped them end their franchise-record, 13-game losing streak. Charlotte held Kobe Bryant to no field goals and only four points in the final period and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-102.

``Teams that have lost a lot of games are dangerous teams and we knew that coming in,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. ``We just have no excuses. They outplayed us tonight.''

Jumaine Jones, traded from Los Angeles to Charlotte in late October, scored a career-high 31 points as the Bobcats won for the first time since Jan. 10.

``It's definitely a big deal that I had a good game against the team that traded me,'' Jones said. ``But we had a 13-game losing streak. I just wanted to get a win. That means more to me than anything.''

Jalen Rose could have played Friday night against the team that traded him hours earlier.

Toronto sent Rose to New York along with a first-round pick and cash for Antonio Davis. The move gives the Knicks a veteran scorer to play small forward _ a weakness this season _ along with a pick in the first round to replace the one they traded to Chicago in the deal that brought Eddy Curry and Davis to New York.

The Knicks are in desperate need of help. They have dropped four straight and 10 of 11 after Friday's 104-90 loss.

``We tried but we just we have some deficiencies that hopefully Jalen will help alleviate,'' Knicks coach Larry Brown said. ``I think he'll take a lot of pressure off the perimeter people and make the big guys bigger.''

With Davis' contract expiring after this season, Toronto will clear salary cap space it hopes can be used to re-sign Mike James and give an extension to Chris Bosh. Bosh scored 29 points Friday for the Raptors, who have won three straight.

So have the Hawks, and that is reason to celebrate in Atlanta.

Joe Johnson sank a jumper over DeShawn Stevenson with less than a second remaining to lift the Hawks over the Orlando Magic 96-94.

The Hawks hadn't won three straight since April 9-12, 2004. Atlanta (14-31) recently moved past Charlotte out of last place in the Southeast Division and has now surpassed its win total from last season.

``This is not the end of it,'' Johnson said. ``We want to keep adding to it and make the game fun.''

Pistons 87, 76ers 80

At Philadelphia, Richard Hamilton scored 30 points and Rasheed Wallace added 20.

Allen Iverson missed his fourth straight game with injured ankles but was going to travel and try to play Saturday night at Cleveland, 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks said.

Clippers 98, Celtics 81

At Boston, Elton Brand and Sam Cassell keyed a late run that broke open a close game, leading Los Angeles to its seventh win in eight games.

The Clippers improved to 11-10 on the road, surpassing their total of 10 road wins in each of the last two seasons. They also went 10 games over .500 (27-17) for the first time since 1991-92.

Rockets 100, SuperSonics 77

At Houston, Tracy McGrady scored 36 points and Yao Ming added 24 points and 14 rebounds as Houston won back-to-back games at the Toyota Center for the first time this season.

The Rockets improved to 11-6 when Yao and McGrady both play.

Trail Blazers 89, Timberwolves 85

At Portland, Ore., Zach Randolph had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the improving Trail Blazers, who have won seven of their last 11 games.

Kevin Garnett had 27 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, which has lost three of five since a seven-player deal with Boston.