• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Artest returns to Conseco Fieldhouse for second time

Feb 25, 2007 - 6:27 PM Sacramento (23-31) at Indiana (29-25) 8:00 pm EST

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) - For the second time, Indiana Pacers' fans will get a chance to take out their frustration on Ron Artest - vocally.

Likely to get showered with boos, Artest and the Sacramento Kings hope to end a four-game road losing streak when they take on the Pacers on Sunday.

After spending more than four seasons with Indiana, Artest ended his career here on a sour note, inciting full-scale melee at the Palace of Auburn Hills - resulting in a 73-game suspension during the 2004-05 season.

Returning to the Pacers the following season, the mercurial forward played just 16 games before demanding a trade. Indiana then dealt Artest to Sacramento for sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic on January 25, 2006.

Artest returned to Conseco Fieldhouse for the first time on March 17, 2006, scoring 18 points on 6-of-22 shooting in the Kings' 98-93 loss. The fans booed Artest from the moment he was introduced.

On Friday, Sacramento was defeated, 109-96, at New Jersey. Artest scored 33 points and Ronnie Price added 16 for the Kings, who fell to 0-2 on their four-game East Coast swing.

The Pacers had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 110-88 loss to Toronto on Friday. Jamaal Tinsley had 19 points and eight assists and Jermaine O'Neal scored 17 points.