You know your team is down when you consider a loss to be the most encouraging game of the season. That is the case with the Kings and their near-comeback from 17 down in the third quarter to what I think is the best team in the NBA.

The third quarter began with Leandro Barbosa going completely rapacious from three-point range. An eight-point halftime lead was quickly stretched to 17. Oh, and did I mention that Brian Skinner, who struggles from the line and never before made a three-pointer in his career, hit a 35-foot bomb to beat the buzzer at the end of the first half? Kind of an important piece to this crappy puzzle.

Just when the game looked out of reach and Mikki Moore was shooting for some reason and Francisco Garcia was doing his flailing turnover dance and Brad Miller was getting technicals for making his sad, puppy dog face and Steve Nash was throwing in garbage from everywhere and the Kings forgot about Kevin Martin again…something clicked. Ron Artest decided it wasn’t over.

He hit threes, driving layups, free throws, got big rebounds, stole the ball from Shawn Marion in a critical spot and basically took over the game for 16 minutes. The aforementioned spazztastic Garcia even chimed in with two threes of his own as every Kings fan on earth did the old “no-no-no-YES!” chant when he let it fly.

Eventually the Kings tied the game down the stretch, but it was just too much Amare Stoudemire. I must mention that I have a man crush on Stoudemire. I have always loved the way he plays and he is my favorite non-Kings player in the NBA. And while the guys in my fantasy league may think I like him a little too much, I don’t care. Don’t judge me, America.

Back to the task at hand, Stoudemire had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks, much of those stats coming late when he was inexplicably being guarded by Garcia, who is five inches shorter, roughly 150 pounds lighter and 216 times worse than Stoudemire.

The Kings had the final shot, but John Salmons’ desperation three was rejected by Stoudemire and the game ended. Martin had his second straight sub par outing (15 pts, 5-15 fg) and towards the end it was either Artest (33 pts, 12 rebs, 12-23 fg) or no one.

The loss sucks, sure, but coming back from a huge deficit against a great team can be a confidence builder. The teams square off again on Wednesday in Phoenix in what is sure to be a crushing defeat for the Kings. If they can make a game out of it the way they have been lately, though, I will be a happy Kings fan.

I’m sick of making the Martin Meter and I’m sure you are all sick of reading it. He didn’t shoot 20 times and they lost. Here’s to sticking to my guns (clink).