)...5 Favorite Kings Players...
5 least Favorite Kings players...
5 most memorable moments (regular season)...
5 greatest playoff performances by a King...
5 most memorable playoff games...
5 most memorable playoff series...
5 moments you wish you could forget...
Here are mine...
5 Favorite Kings Players...
Honorable Mentions: Scot Pollard, Kevin Martin, Jason Williams
5. Ron Artest
I Know he had his ups and downs here, but I just can't dislike the guy. He is one of my favorite characters in the NBA, and he helped us surge into the playoffs in the 05-06 season. I really think that suspension in game 2 for being Ron Artest cost us the series, and much more in the future.
4. Vlade Divac
Class act in every sense of the word. This guy may never have been huge on the stat sheet, but he was probably the most important player on the Kings for most of the time he was here. I had the privilege of being at the game when his jersey was retired earlier this year, and it really let me think back to the fun he provided. I can't think of him now without thinking about him somehow knocking in that dagger three against the Jazz in 2002. One of the truly great guys to ever put on a uniform.
3. Mike Bibby
Of all the trades we have done, this one bugs me the most. As much as I loved J Will, we truly did not become elite until this guy came along, and what did we get for him when he left? Sheldon Williams, and a 95 year old Anthony Johnson (like the player, but really?). He was one of my favorite playoff players we had in the decade. He did everything in his power to help us win the infamous game 7 in the 2002 WCF's. But I would too if I had the load of knowing I had brutally fouled Kobe's elbow with my nose in the previous game.
2. Chris Webber
Best King of the decade, without question. So many memorable moments. So underappreciated at the end. I believe the timeout he called in Michigan made people blinded to how good he truly was in his prime. I have talked to many people who have seen him around Sac Town, and have not heard a bad word about how he treated his fans. I enjoy seeing him on TNT now that his career is over.
1. Bobby Jackson
Was this even in question? I loved this guy his entire tenure here, whether he was adding hustle off the bench, keeping us in a season when Bibby was hurt, or beating some sense into TMac, he was my favorite. He also, as of right now, is the only King from the glory years to finish his career a King (I know it wasn't straight through, but it still counts.) I am sad that he is retired now, but am also happy that he is still with the organization.
5 least Favorite Kings players...
5. Quincy Douby
Bust
4. Vitaly Potapenko
I never knew it was possible for a player to be this bad...
3. Beno Udrih (2008-09 season)
OK, Beno I don't hate you anymore, but I can't lie, I wanted your head on a silver platter last year. Thanks for proving me wrong though.
2. Kenny Thomas (every year he started)
Why did he start over Shareef? WHY! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?
1. Tony Massenberg
Hated his attitude, and can see why he had so many stops.
5 most memorable moments (regular season)...
5. The Kings meet the King...
Lebron's first NBA game against the Kings. We were still a good team that could be taken seriously. And we had the next big thing coming into Arco for his first game. Everything was memorable, from the buildup, to the Nike commercial, to the game itself. The Kings let him know the NBA was not going to like High School. And honestly, I don't think Lebron ever recovered from the beatdown we laid upon him.
4. Webber gets traded, only to play the Kings his first game in Philly
Divac was gone, but this is when we truly knew the era was over. in one week Webber went from helping us beat the Hawks, to playing against us. He had the oppurtunity to hit a game winner against us to! I still have never exactly figured out why we traded him for the guys we got though.
3. The Miracle in Chicago...
We were down 35 you guys. 35! That is a bad game. If you are down 35, you have played horribly. I mean that is what teams score in a half, quite often, and we were down by it in the first couple minutes of the fourth quarter. But this was not the Kings of last year. We started making a comeback, and I was proud of the effort, not expecting a win, then all of the sudden we're within 10, and I'm like "We can win this! But I'm still not gonna get my hopes up", next thing I know we are ahead! Hopefully this can help us start the new decade like we did the last one.
2. Fox vs. Christie
I know, I said regular season, but come on, how can I not put this, and do you really think I was gonna put a best pre season moments section? This showed how much we hated each other. I remember calling my friend to tell him there was a Kings game on, then BAM! All of the sudden
1. The Post Artest Trade Turnaround (05-06)
All hope was lost before we got him. We were basically hanging on to Mike Bibby and sometimes Bonzi's belt to be in any game at all. Then, we got Artest, then we didn't, then we did again. We had that crazy guy that was beating the crap out of fans 16 months earlier. After a rough start, one of the funnest runs I can remember as a Kings fan occured, and we finished something like 20-9.
5 greatest playoff performances by a King...
5. BJax vs the Mavericks (2003)
Great PG series.
4. Bibby every time he faced Nash
I still wish we had won that one more game in 05/06, I think we'da ridden straight to the WCF's.
3. Bonzi Wells vs SA
I still wonder what would have been if he had accepted our offer and not let himself go that off season. The dude was putting up double digit rebounds.
2. Chris Webber, 2002 Playoffs
20-10-5 on 50% shooting. Need I say more?
1. Mike Bibby, 2002 playoffs
His coming out party of sorts. The guy was a nightmare for everyone. He and Webber kept us in game 7 no matter how much Peja and Christie wanted to put us out.
5 most memorable playoff games...
5. Game 4, 2001 1st round.
The Kings won their first playoff series with the new group. My most memorable part of that game was in the post game show. Bobby Jackson was getting interviewed when out of nowhere Samurai Scottie comes out of nowhere and plants a fat kiss on his bald head.
4. Game 5, 2002 1st round.
Why is this memorable? We ended the dynamic duo of Stockton and Malone's career. Stockton, retired, Malone played Arnold. Also always remember Stockton shedding some tears after the Arco crowd gave him a standing ovation.
3. Game 5, 2002 WCF's
Mike Bibby's game winner off Webber's killer screen. I miss that team.
2. Game 3, 2006
Kevin Martin hit my favorite playoff moment of the decade. I think I broke the sound barrier when I screamed after that shot.
1. Game 6, 2002 WCF's
I hate that this is number 1, but it is the most memorable game as a Kings fan. I am not going to go into details as I will just want to cry. But you know the story.
5 most memorable playoff series...
5 moments you wish you could forget...
Let's see your guys' lists.
