Kevin Martin News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 6

Sacramento Bee

"Kevin Martin leaned against the wall in the Kings' practice facility Thursday afternoon, still very much in shock, his damaged left wrist dangling at his side. Hours earlier, an MRI revealed that the league's third-leading scorer – and the Kings' best player – sustained a hairline fracture Monday night in a collision with the Memphis Grizzlies' Allen Iverson. Martin was presented with three options, all of them terrible: He can wear a soft cast and attempt to play, risking further injury and possibly a complete break. He can undergo surgery and have a screw inserted to stabilize the bone, with recovery projected at six to eight weeks. Or he can have the arm casted and hope that the wrist ..."

Martin questionable for tonight

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November 4

Sacramento Bee

"After having the best game of his career in the Kings' home-opening win Monday, shooting guard Kevin Martin is questionable for tonight's game against Atlanta. Martin missed shoot-a-round with a swollen left (non-shooting) hand and will be a gametime decision. He injured the hand during Monday's game when he landed on it after a fall, and sat out much of the Tuesday practice session icing it. X-Rays were taken but were negative."

Having Evans as teammate thrills Martin

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September 29

Sacramento Bee

"One day before the start of training camp, Kevin Martin remained consistent. He won't call the Kings "his" team, even if his big contract and status as leading scorer would indicate otherwise. And even if you think he'd feel threatened, Martin is still giddy about playing with rookie Tyreke Evans, the fourth overall pick in the June draft. Martin texted the Kings' decision makers the morning of the draft to let them know he wanted Evans, even if some think the former Memphis star is better suited to play Martin's spot at shooting guard. "A lot of people say he's not a true point, but that doesn't matter," Martin said at Kings media day Monday. "The last five years I've been playing with ..."

Martin accompanies Jordan to Hall festivities

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September 15

Sacramento Bee

"When Kevin Martin signed a shoe deal with the Jordan brand last summer, it was a decision driven more by childhood idolatry of His Airness than the extra paycheck. Growing up in Zanesville, Ohio, the Kings' sixth-year shooting guard was among the millions worldwide who plastered Michael Jordan on their walls and tried to emulate his every move on the basketball court. His reverence for Jordan was so great, his disinterest in other shoe companies so obvious, you almost wonder if Jordan needed to pay him. Yet last weekend in Springfield, Mass., Martin felt like the richest man alive as he joined Jordan for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Martin was one of ..."

Martin's season appears to be over

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April 13

Sacramento Bee

"Kevin Martin won't travel with the Kings on their two-game, season-ending road trip. Since scoring a career-high 50 points in a 143-141 overtime loss at Golden State on April 1, the Kings' leading scorer has missed six consecutive games because of a sore left ankle. Interim coach Kenny Natt stopped short of declaring Martin's season over but didn't sound as if he expected the guard to catch a late flight and meet up with the team before season's end. "There's been no official announcement on it," Natt said. "You can say he's not traveling with the team. It's important for him to see the doctors and do all of that." By missing the final eight games, Martin will have missed 31 this season ..."

Ailing Martin misses another game

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April 11

Sacramento Bee

"Kevin Martin's status is in limbo for the final three games of the season, as he missed his fifth consecutive game Friday night. Kings interim coach Kenny Natt appeared slightly less optimistic than he was last week when shooting down the suggestion that Martin might not return before season's end. Before the Kings faced the Los Angeles Clippers, Natt said he wasn't sure when the shooting guard would return from a sore left ankle that has been troublesome all season. The Kings' last home game is Sunday night against the San Antonio Spurs. "I wouldn't say he's any closer, but there is still a chance he could play in the next game at home," Natt said. "We are still hopeful, but we will have ..."

It's time for a reluctant Martin to take a load off

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April 8

Sacramento Bee

columnist Ailene Voisin

"Kevin Martin's season of mystery and misery continued Tuesday, when the Kings shooting guard skipped his matchup with Kobe Bryant, remained in street clothes and watched the game near the bench. The left ankle, still aching. The left ankle, limiting his mobility. The left ankle a crutch, all season. It's time. It's over. Give it a rest. Why prolong the inevitable? It makes more sense to rest the darned foot permanently, or at least for the remaining five games of the season, and make a preemptive strike at an offseason recovery. X-rays taken Monday revealed a bone spur in the ankle - raising the possibility of minor surgery. "That would be a last option for me," said Martin, who ..."

Long, painful season for Kings' Martin

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April 6

Sacramento Bee

"Kevin Martin doesn't like keeping count of how many times he has tweaked his troublesome left ankle. "It seems like once every three weeks," Martin said Friday before entering the visitors' locker room at US Airways Center in Phoenix for treatment. "It's been a frustrating injury all year. I just can't wait to get it right." Getting it right will require Martin to stay off it, and he won't be afforded that rest until the offseason, barring any more precautionary measures. Martin originally suffered a mild sprain of his left ankle on Nov. 5, when the Kings beat Memphis for their first victory of the season. Four days later, he landed awkwardly on the ankle in a victory over the Golden ..."

Long, painful season for Kings' Martin

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April 5

Sacramento Bee

"Kevin Martin doesn't like keeping count of how many times he has tweaked his troublesome left ankle. "It seems like once every three weeks," Martin said Friday before entering the visitors' locker room at US Airways Center in Phoenix for treatment. "It's been a frustrating injury all year. I just can't wait to get it right." Getting it right will require Martin to stay off it, and he won't be afforded that rest until the offseason, barring any more precautionary measures. Martin originally suffered a mild sprain of his left ankle on Nov. 5, when the Kings beat Memphis for their first victory of the season. Four days later, he landed awkwardly on the ankle in a victory over the Golden ..."

Martin, Garcia kick it up a notch

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March 10

Sacramento Bee

"The remodeling didn't stop at the Kings' roster last month, when the flurry of trades before the Feb. 19 deadline required an upgrade in other areas as well. There is a Kings and Monarchs collage on the concrete wall near the Arco Arena employee and media entrance, the pictures changing constantly in recent years. It has long been unofficially considered a symbolic reflection of organizational commitment to those who are portrayed. The latest moves meant more changes, with former Kings center Brad Miller being removed from his spot next to pictures of Kevin Martin and Francisco García and being replaced by a combination image of big men Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes. But while the ..."

Kevin Martin scores 37 points in overtime win over Thunder

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February 2

Sacramento Bee

"The Kings snapped an eight game losing streak with a 122-118 overtime win over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday at Arco Arena. Kevin Martin led all scorers with 37 points, while the Kings played without two starters in the sparsely attended matinee. Center Brad Miller (abdominal strain) and point guard Beno Udrih (left calf contusion) both not play today, with Spencer Hawes and Bobby Brown replacing them in the starting lineup. Brown, made his first career start, scoring the first bucket of the game after sinking a 12-footer before finishing the game with two points in 21 minutes. The Kings looked poised to take the win over the Thunder in regulation, when Oklahoma City's Jeff ..."

Martin can't save Kings from loss

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January 4

Sacramento Bee

"After Kevin Martin's 45-point effort wasn't enough to lift the Kings to a win over Indiana, interim coach Kenny Natt traded his usually calm demeanor for a flustered look. Obviously, his tension wasn't over the one-man show that set a Sacramento-era record for most points off the bench. "Kevin pretty much carried us all night," Natt said. "We just have to get everyone else on the same page." Specifically, Natt pointed at point guard Beno Udrih, who was benched for all but 12 minutes of Saturday's 122-117 loss to the Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse. Udrih was not called on during the pivotal fourth quarter, which the Kings entered tied 89-89. As Natt shuffled his guards, the coach said there ..."

Back practicing, Martin hesitates

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December 2

Sacramento Bee

"Kevin Martin was hoping his confidence would return Monday in his first practice since he sprained his left ankle Nov. 9 in a win over Golden State. But on several plays during practice, the Kings' leading scorer said he was confronted with his hesitation. "There were a couple times where I went back door, and usually, I would have dunked it, but I laid it in," said Martin, who has missed the last 12 games. "Once I get that confidence back up and feel good about my quickness out there, I'll be fine. But I'm nowhere near where I want to be, player-wise, right now." Martin was leaning toward playing tonight against Utah but said he will wait to see how his ankle feels today. "It felt good," ..."

Kings' Martin out at least a week

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November 11

Sacramento Bee

"Before Kevin Martin even knew the fate of his ailing left ankle, he knew he was facing a tough decision. "I want to be on that court and to play for this team right now," the Kings shooting guard said after Monday's practice. "It's on a different level with how bad I want to be out there. … I've been playing with my ankle being bad. But after last night, it's time to be smart a little bit. It's time to be smart now." The wise move, as it turns out, will sideline Martin for seven to 10 days. The decision to rest rather than force a quicker recovery came after Martin had an MRI on Monday that confirmed the sprain. Martin sprained the ankle against Memphis on Wednesday, missed practice ..."

Martin leads Kings to win over Warriors

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November 10

Sacramento Bee

"The smiles and the laughter were as infectious as the energetic play. It was Kings over Warriors like it had rarely been in the past half-decade, and even the youngest of the bunch seemed to embrace what it meant to get the best of their Northern California rivals in this 115-98 win. But the elation inside a revived and raucous Arco Arena turned to angst with 2:39 left in the third quarter, when Kevin Martin flew at the rim from the right side and came down awkwardly on the left ankle he had already sprained days before. With watery eyes, he limped around the floor before hitting 1 of 2 free throws to give him 27 points and making his way to the locker room while his team was up 85-72. "I ..."

Kings' Martin reminiscent of Richmond

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October 22

Sacramento Bee

columnist Martin McNeal

"Close your eyes, longtime Kings fans, and you can see the Mitch Richmond movie with Kevin Martin playing "the Rock." That was one of the first thoughts while watching the Kings play the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night at Arco Arena. In the early and mid-'90s, Richmond often seemed to take on entire defenses and win his personal battle, but the Kings usually lost. Sacramento was softer - inside and outside - than baby lotion. Once again, the Kings should be doing commercials for skin softeners. The Kings didn't begin winning or even becoming competitive nightly until basketball president Geoff Petrie added key pieces in 1994 rookies Brian Grant and Michael "the Animal" Smith. One ..."

Martin breaks out, but Kings fall apart

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October 16

Sacramento Bee

"The numbers dazzled everyone but the player who put them up. Kevin Martin wanted to gloss over the debut showcase of his once-again-improved game and discuss the way his team lost in such sloppy fashion. For much of Wednesday night at the Spanos Center, a 116-112 Kings loss to the Clippers was the last thing that looked likely. The Kings executed their running game to near perfection early, Martin scored at will before sitting for good just after halftime, and the Baron Davis-less Clippers found themselves down 17 points in the third quarter. Then came the turnovers. The Kings had 13 in the second half as the reserves lost all measures of momentum that had turned a quaint announced crowd ..."

Martin goes one-on-one to improve game

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September 28

Sacramento Bee

"Kevin Martin hasn't received his homework assignment just yet, and it shows. "Everybody says they want to force me left, but I want them to force me left," the Kings shooting guard says with a bit of bravado inside a dank gym at the IMG Academies earlier this month. "I love going left." But the research – a sheet filled with statistics Martin hands to his personal coach, David Thorpe, on this muggy morning – shows it's not quite that simple. Martin may have gone left 62.19 percent of the time last season, but his efficiency when heading that direction was well below the rate when he headed right. He settled for the midrange jumper 63.25 percent of the time as opposed to 38.89 percent on ..."