NBA: SACRAMENTO (4-8) at PORTLAND (4-8) <h3>Kings hope to have Artest vs. sliding Blazers</h3> <div class="pre">Sacramento (4-8) at Portland (4-8) 10:00 pm EST</div> PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) - The Sacramento Kings hope Ron Artestwill be around to make things worse for the sliding PortlandTrail Blazers. After a one-game absence, Artest hopes to return to theSacramento Kings when they take on the Trail Blazers at the RoseGarden on Friday. Suspended for the first seven contests this campaign after lastseason's domestic violence dispute, Artest has given thestruggling Kings a much-needed boost since his return. The 6-7, 246-pound bruiser has averaged 23.5 points, 6.5rebounds and 3.8 assists to go along with his usual defensiveintensity in four games for Sacramento, which won two of thosecontests. But he did not play in the Kings' 127-111 loss to the PhoenixSuns on Wednesday - leaving the team for personal reasons - andhis status for Friday's game is uncertain. Sacramento, which has lost all six of its road games, also maybe without point guard Beno Udrih (knee), who was playing innplace of Mike Bibby (thumb). Francisco Garcia filled in for Udrih - who sat out Wednesdayagainst the Suns - and netted a career-high 31 points for theKings. But it should be easier for Garcia and the Kings againstBlazers, who have lost five straight since a surprisingfour-game winning streak. They suffered a 106-101 setbackagainst the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday. Portland, which is 4-1 at home this campaign, aims to avoiddropping six in a row for the first time since closing out the2005-06 season with eight straight setbacks.
NBA: SACRAMENTO at PORTLAND <div class="pre">SACRAMENTO VS PORTLAND - INACTIVES SACRAMENTO PORTLAND PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON S ABDUR-RAHIM COACH'S DECISION D MILES RIGHT KNEE INJURY M BIBBY THUMB INJURY J JONES LEFT KNEE INJURY G ODEN RIGHT KNEE SURGERY</div>
NBA: SACRAMENTO at PORTLAND <div class="pre">SACRAMENTO AT PORTLAND - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS SACRAMENTO PORTLAND F Mikki Moore F Lamarcus Aldridge F John Salmons F Martell Webster C Brad Miller C Channing Frye G Kevin Martin G Steve Blake G Francisco Garcia G Brandon Roy OFFICIALS: Ken Mauer Michael Smith Zach Zarba</div>
NBA: SACRAMENTO at PORTLAND <div class="pre">SACRAMENTO AT PORTLAND - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS REVISED LINEUPS SACRAMENTO PORTLAND F Mikki Moore F Lamarcus Aldridge F Ron Artest F Martell Webster C Brad Miller C Channing Frye G Kevin Martin G Steve Blake G Beno Udrih G Brandon Roy OFFICIALS: Ken Mauer Michael Smith Zach Zarba</div>
NBA: SACRAMENTO at PORTLAND <div class="pre">NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- SACRAMENTO 25 25 PORTLAND 24 24 END 1ST QTR HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER SAC - KEVIN MARTIN 11, MIKKI MOORE 6, BENO UDRIH 4 POR - LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 13, BRANDON ROY 5, JARRETT JACK 2</div>
NBA: SACRAMENTO at PORTLAND <div class="pre">NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- SACRAMENTO 25 18 43 PORTLAND 24 18 42 HALFTIME HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME SAC - KEVIN MARTIN 11, FRANCISCO GARCIA 10, MIKKI MOORE 8 POR - LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 17, BRANDON ROY 7, TRAVIS OUTLAW 4</div>
NBA: SACRAMENTO at PORTLAND <div class="pre">NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- SACRAMENTO 25 18 22 65 PORTLAND 24 18 20 62 END 3RD QTR HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER SAC - FRANCISCO GARCIA 16, KEVIN MARTIN 14, RON ARTEST 13 POR - LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE 25, BRANDON ROY 9, STEVE BLAKE 7</div>
