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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11840408p-12728169c.html
A night for offense
The Kings get 98 points from their starters in a victory over the Wizards.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Kings forward Chris Webber dunks for two of his 20 points in the victory over the Wizards. The Kings improved to 11-2 at Arco this season.
According to script, there was a beautiful exhibition of offensive skill and not too much defense. That's what happens when two of the NBA's highest-scoring teams go head-to-head.
The Kings had just a bit more balance and received 98 points from their five starters in a 104-93 victory over the Washington Wizards before a late-arriving sellout crowd of 17,317 at Arco Arena.
Entering the game, the Kings were the second-highest scoring team at 101.9 points per game, a half-point higher than Washington's 101.4.
It was just last Thursday when the Los Angeles Lakers used their quickness and aggressiveness to abuse the Kings on their homecourt.
So Kings coach Rick Adelman knew his team would have to be more focused defensively against the Wizards, a team with a deeper offensive pool of skills. He was happy with the results after his team improved to 11-2 at home.
However, those 19 turnovers that resulted in 22 Washington points didn't exactly warm Adelman with holiday cheer.
"For the most part," Adelman said, "we did a good job. (Washington's) a good team and an explosive team offensively. We made some really poor decisions with the ball again. I don't know what's going on. (The Wizards) do get in the passing lanes, but it was all us, and that really got them back in the game."
Peja Stojakovic made 5 of 9 three-point attempts and scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Kings (17-7). Chris Webber returned to the lineup after missing one game and had 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to offset five turnovers.
Mike Bibby scored 24 points and shot 9 of 14 from the field, 3 of 4 from three-point range. Doug Christie tied a season-high with nine assists against four turnovers.
The Kings lost the services of sixth man Bobby Jackson, who suffered a sprained left wrist. He scored on a baseline drive with 8:23 left in the second quarter and came back down court grimacing and holding his wrist.
Jackson's wrist has hindered his ballhandling since he initially injured it Nov. 14 in a collision with Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin. Jackson is scheduled for an MRI test this morning.
"I don't even know who hit me," said Jackson, who scored four points in 10 minutes. "All I know is it hurt like hell, and it still does. It feels horrible."
Jackson sat out the second half.
Adelman went to Maurice Evans in the fourth quarter to spell Stojakovic, Christie and Bibby. Evans played eight minutes and contributed defensively against the quickness of Wizards' scorers Larry Hughes and Jarvis Hayes.
The game featured spurts of offensive brilliance by each team throughout, but Brad Miller's solid offensive rebounding in the second half helped get the Kings over the hump.
A 24-5 run that spanned the first and second quarters and gave the Kings their biggest lead (39-25) featured three consecutive threes by Stojakovic, but it was only temporary. The Wizards continued attacking, pulling within 64-63 following their 10-1 run midway through the third quarter.
The Kings, however, scored seven points in 1:31 to regain control and never again led by fewer than four. Miller had all five of his offensive boards in the game's final 16 minutes to bail out the Kings at that end of the court. Miller finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Wizards (14-10) were playing their fourth game in the last five nights and the finale of a four-game West Coast road trip. They were led by Gilbert Arenas, who scored 22 points.
A night for offense
The Kings get 98 points from their starters in a victory over the Wizards.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Kings forward Chris Webber dunks for two of his 20 points in the victory over the Wizards. The Kings improved to 11-2 at Arco this season.
According to script, there was a beautiful exhibition of offensive skill and not too much defense. That's what happens when two of the NBA's highest-scoring teams go head-to-head.
The Kings had just a bit more balance and received 98 points from their five starters in a 104-93 victory over the Washington Wizards before a late-arriving sellout crowd of 17,317 at Arco Arena.
Entering the game, the Kings were the second-highest scoring team at 101.9 points per game, a half-point higher than Washington's 101.4.
It was just last Thursday when the Los Angeles Lakers used their quickness and aggressiveness to abuse the Kings on their homecourt.
So Kings coach Rick Adelman knew his team would have to be more focused defensively against the Wizards, a team with a deeper offensive pool of skills. He was happy with the results after his team improved to 11-2 at home.
However, those 19 turnovers that resulted in 22 Washington points didn't exactly warm Adelman with holiday cheer.
"For the most part," Adelman said, "we did a good job. (Washington's) a good team and an explosive team offensively. We made some really poor decisions with the ball again. I don't know what's going on. (The Wizards) do get in the passing lanes, but it was all us, and that really got them back in the game."
Peja Stojakovic made 5 of 9 three-point attempts and scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Kings (17-7). Chris Webber returned to the lineup after missing one game and had 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to offset five turnovers.
Mike Bibby scored 24 points and shot 9 of 14 from the field, 3 of 4 from three-point range. Doug Christie tied a season-high with nine assists against four turnovers.
The Kings lost the services of sixth man Bobby Jackson, who suffered a sprained left wrist. He scored on a baseline drive with 8:23 left in the second quarter and came back down court grimacing and holding his wrist.
Jackson's wrist has hindered his ballhandling since he initially injured it Nov. 14 in a collision with Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin. Jackson is scheduled for an MRI test this morning.
"I don't even know who hit me," said Jackson, who scored four points in 10 minutes. "All I know is it hurt like hell, and it still does. It feels horrible."
Jackson sat out the second half.
Adelman went to Maurice Evans in the fourth quarter to spell Stojakovic, Christie and Bibby. Evans played eight minutes and contributed defensively against the quickness of Wizards' scorers Larry Hughes and Jarvis Hayes.
The game featured spurts of offensive brilliance by each team throughout, but Brad Miller's solid offensive rebounding in the second half helped get the Kings over the hump.
A 24-5 run that spanned the first and second quarters and gave the Kings their biggest lead (39-25) featured three consecutive threes by Stojakovic, but it was only temporary. The Wizards continued attacking, pulling within 64-63 following their 10-1 run midway through the third quarter.
The Kings, however, scored seven points in 1:31 to regain control and never again led by fewer than four. Miller had all five of his offensive boards in the game's final 16 minutes to bail out the Kings at that end of the court. Miller finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Wizards (14-10) were playing their fourth game in the last five nights and the finale of a four-game West Coast road trip. They were led by Gilbert Arenas, who scored 22 points.
