Kings' Martin may be headed to midseason showcase

	Guard Kevin Martin (left) is averaging more than 21 points a game in his third season. AP

Also in this column:
• Surprise! You're an NBA starter
• Notes from around the league

Coaches love to pay lip service to defense, but the guys who put the ball in the basket are the ones who make it to the NBA All-Star Game.

An examination of the league's top 25 scorers reveals that just seven players in that group have never played in an All-Star Game. However, since no player among the seven is older than 26, it's likely several of them will eventually get the chance.

The Magnificent Seven are Carmelo Anthony (Denver), Joe Johnson (Atlanta), Zach Randolph (Portland), Carlos Boozer (Utah), Caron Butler (Washington), Ben Gordon (Chicago) and Kevin Martin (Sacramento). All seven will have to rely on coaches, who vote for the All-Star reserves, to make the team this year.

There is no question that the lowest-profile member of the Magnificent Seven is Martin, who not only has Reggie Miller's body but also Miller's shooting touch. The 6-foot-7, 185-pounder from Western Carolina entered the NBA quietly as a late first-round pick of Sacramento in 2004. After what amounted to a redshirt year as a rookie, he moved into the starting lineup as a second-year player last season, when he averaged 10.8 points per game and displayed a terrific perimeter shooting touch.

This season, with Mike Bibby fighting through a hand injury and Ron Artest slumping, Martin has become the Kings' leading scorer (21.2 ppg) and is also leading the team in three-point shooting percentage (41.7) and free throw percentage (88.7).

He toasted Washington for a career-high 40 points Dec. 21, and he's had five other games of at least 30 points. Despite his slight frame, he's also proved durable, logging 35.5 minutes a game.

But the most encouraging thing about Martin might be his smarts. He understands that most defenders will try to play him tight, and he has increasingly made them pay with drives to the basket. He's in the top 20 in the league in free throw attempts (7.1 per game), and with his percentage, that will keep him among the scoring leaders for years to come.

Surprise starters

Imagine you are a seldom-used reserve parked at the end of an NBA bench. You work hard in practice, and just about every day, the assistant coaches tell you: "Keep playing hard. You never know when your chance may come. Stay ready."

After a few weeks or months, it's hard to listen to the coaches. Your frustration level is high, your motivation level low.

Then, bang! It happens. Your team is hit with a host of injuries at your position. After not getting any daylight at all, your moment has arrived. The public address announcer is announcing the starting lineups, and he's calling your name.

Think this is a far-fetched scenario? Then you haven't been paying attention to the rash of injuries to star players this season, and the resulting playing opportunities for journeymen, rookies and 10-day contract players alike.