Kings Owner Accuses Kenyon Martin of 'Thuggery,' Demands Apology

With nothing but pride to play for, the Kings had a worst-case scenario unfold Monday night in Denver, as Spencer Hawes landed hard on one leg -- his left leg, which already underwent microfracture surgery at age 14 -- and crumpled to the ground.

Hawes is OK. An MRI revealed a strain, and he'll miss Wednesday's season finale but shouldn't have further problems. But the Kings -- specifically Kings co-owner Joe Maloof -- are angry at the cause of Hawes' terrifying fall: Kenyon Martin.

As you can see to the right (or at the 15-second mark of this highlight reel), Martin shoved Hawes under the arm as the young center flew in for a fast break dunk.

Martin reached across the lane and had absolutely no play on the ball. The refs gave him a Flagrant-1. Maloof doesn't think that's enough.

In an interview with the Sacramento Bee's Ailene Voisin, Maloof went off on Martin.

"That was thuggery," said Maloof, the Kings' co-owner, "and you can quote me on that. Kenyon Martin wasn't trying to block the shot. He went right at Spencer when he was running full speed and at the (height) of his jump, when he was most vulnerable.

"Completely unnecessary. The Nuggets might not want to hear this, but there was no excuse for that, and he (Martin) needs to apologize to Spencer and our organization. That just wasn't right."

Maloof told Voisin he'd bring up mid-air contact at the Board of Governors meeting this week in New York. TrueHoop's Henry Abbott has talked about this issue quite a bit this year; it remains to be seen, given the lack of T.J. Ford-like injuries this season*, whether there will be enough momentum for a stricter rules regarding airborne contact not involving, you know, actual ball defense.

* What's a collapsed lung between friends?