Sacramento fans get first glimpse of Artest in Kings’ uniform

The Kings acquired the volatile Artest from the Indiana Pacers on January 25th for sharp-shooting forward Peja Stojakovic. Sacramento now has one of the best defenders in the league. The Kings have also inherited a whole lot of trouble, as the 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year made headlines last season when he charged into the crowd after fans after getting hit with debris during a game against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace. Commissioner David Stern showed no mercy, as he suspended Artest for the final 73 games of the season.

Denver has lost 18 straight at Sacramento. The last time the Nuggets won in Sacramento was on January 7, 1997. It is the third of four meetings between the clubs this season. In the two previous contests, both teams picked up a victory on its homecourt. Sacramento has won three of the last five contests in this series.

The Nuggets are scheduled to host the Kings on April 15th at the Pepsi Center.

Sacramento, which enters Tuesday’s contest on a two-game losing streak, returns home after going 1-5 on a six game road trip. On Sunday, Jalen Rose knocked down a jump shot with four-tenths of a second left in overtime to give the Toronto Raptors a 124-123 win over the Kings at Air Canada Centre.

Mike Bibby fell two points short of a career-high with 42 points and the recently acquired Artest netted 24 and pulled down nine boards in the loss to Toronto for the Kings.

The Kings are 12-11 as the host this season. They have won three in a row at ARCO Arena.

Artest is averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in his two games with the Kings. He has played more than 30 minutes in both contests.

Sacramento has scored 100 or more points in six of its last nine contests and has also allowed its opponent to reach the century mark six times in that same span.

The Kings will play a home-and-home set with the Utah Jazz on Friday and Sunday. They will visit Utah on February 3rd before returning home for a three-game homestand. After hosting the Jazz on February 5, the Kings will welcome the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls to ARCO Arena.

Sacramento played the Jazz earlier this season. On November 15th, Bibby scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Kings over the Jazz, 119-83, at ARCO Arena Utah will host the Kings on March 25th in the fourth and final meeting between the clubs in the 2005-06 campaign.