Artest out of potential NBA Finals preview

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Indiana Pacers will be without forward Ron Artest when they host the Sacramento Kings Friday night in what may be a preview of the NBA Finals.

Artest was suspended one game without pay by the NBA for hitting Portland's Derrick Anderson in the head with his forearm in Wednesday night's 80-71 win at Conseco Fieldhouse. The incident occurred with 8:18 remaining in the third quarter.

Artest, who is averaging 17.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 60 games, will also receive a flagrant foul penalty two as a result of his actions.

Regarded as one of the league's premier defensive players, Artest would have been matched up against Peja Stojakovic, who is perhaps the NBA's best shooter, on Friday.

The Pacers have won eight of their last nine games and own the best record in the NBA at 50-17. The Kings lead the Western Conference with a 49-19 mark.

The Kings have lost the first two contests of a three-game road trip and are hoping to avoid their first three-game regular-season skid since January 24-28, 2003.

Sacramento is coming off a 114-108 setback at lowly Washington on Wednesday. Stojakovic scored 25 points and Mike Bibby added 20 for the Kings, who shot 56 percent from the field.

The Kings, who edged the Pacers at home on December 7, 91-88, are trying to sweep Indiana for a second straight season after losing the prior five games in the series.

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