http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13907503p-14746010c.html
All is Wells in the end
Sacramento guard hits the game-winning shot with two seconds left.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 26, 2005
Bonzi Wells blew on both hands as if they were charging pistons, just as he always does when it's his time to enter a game.
With less than eight minutes left in regulation, he walked the line to halfcourt and checked into the action, the Kings trailing 96-90 to the Toronto Raptors.
But the visitors had no such cooling mechanism for the Kings' shooting guard, who got hot at the right time as the Kings survived a scare, 106-104 Friday night at Arco Arena.
It was their second win in three tries without small forward Peja Stojakovic, who remains day-to-day with a sprained right shooting hand.
Wells was involved in nearly every key moment of the Kings' late fourth-quarter turnaround, none bigger than his game-winning jumper in the post. With two seconds left and the Raptors limiting resident Kings clutch shooter Mike Bibby with their zone defense, Wells took a pass from center Brad Miller on the right block. Wells spun and buried a six-footer over Jalen Rose. After a timeout, the Raptors guard had his own chance to win it but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
"We didn't know that last play was going to Bonzi," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. "We were trying to stay home and guard our guys, but I wasn't in their huddle, (so) I didn't know the play was going to Bonzi." Nor did Wells.
"I was like the last option," said Wells, who had 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and just one turnover. "Coach wanted Mike to look for the screen and roll first, and if you don't get that, you always look to the weak side."
There was nothing weak about Wells down the stretch. He grabbed a jump ball won by Francisco García that led to a Bibby three-pointer and the Kings' first lead in 13 minutes, capping a 12-2 run to put them up 102-100. He corralled a missed Bibby three-point attempt with 32 seconds left, then was fouled and hit both free throws for a 104-102 lead. In all, Wells had six points and four rebounds in the final 5:40.
The Kings played just enough defense in the last half quarter to avoid donating a second win to the struggling Raptors. For most of the evening, a Toronto squad that entered with one win in 12 tries and a 43.2 shooting percentage shot uncontested from most anywhere on the floor.
Brazilian big man Rafael Araujo tied his season high in points (eight) before the second quarter came, finishing with a career-high-tying 14. Point guard Mike James, forward Chris Bosh and Araujo reached double-digit scoring by halftime. The Raptors shot 55.7 percent through three quarters and led 85-82.
"For a while, it looked like (the win) wasn't going to happen," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "They were pretty much doing what they wanted to do."
But the Kings held the Raptors scoreless for nearly five minutes in the fourth, and Toronto hit just 8 of 21 shots in the final period.
"We toughened up a little bit, got some loose balls, got the rebounds," Bibby said.
In the second straight win, it was another all-starters outing for the Kings. García played well for the third straight game in his new starting role. The rookie's ability to stay out of foul trouble was helpful, considering the still-struggling Kings bench produced just 12 points. García had an as-advertised showing, filling up the stat sheet the way he did at Louisville with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Bibby scored 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting, giving him 25 or more in five of his last six games. The Kings leaned on power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim (22 points) early, as he scored nine first-quarter points. Miller had 16 points as the starters accounted for 88.6 percent of the offense.
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Next: Tuesday vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.
TV: CSN
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
All is Wells in the end
Sacramento guard hits the game-winning shot with two seconds left.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 26, 2005
Bonzi Wells blew on both hands as if they were charging pistons, just as he always does when it's his time to enter a game.
With less than eight minutes left in regulation, he walked the line to halfcourt and checked into the action, the Kings trailing 96-90 to the Toronto Raptors.
But the visitors had no such cooling mechanism for the Kings' shooting guard, who got hot at the right time as the Kings survived a scare, 106-104 Friday night at Arco Arena.
It was their second win in three tries without small forward Peja Stojakovic, who remains day-to-day with a sprained right shooting hand.
Wells was involved in nearly every key moment of the Kings' late fourth-quarter turnaround, none bigger than his game-winning jumper in the post. With two seconds left and the Raptors limiting resident Kings clutch shooter Mike Bibby with their zone defense, Wells took a pass from center Brad Miller on the right block. Wells spun and buried a six-footer over Jalen Rose. After a timeout, the Raptors guard had his own chance to win it but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
"We didn't know that last play was going to Bonzi," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said. "We were trying to stay home and guard our guys, but I wasn't in their huddle, (so) I didn't know the play was going to Bonzi." Nor did Wells.
"I was like the last option," said Wells, who had 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and just one turnover. "Coach wanted Mike to look for the screen and roll first, and if you don't get that, you always look to the weak side."
There was nothing weak about Wells down the stretch. He grabbed a jump ball won by Francisco García that led to a Bibby three-pointer and the Kings' first lead in 13 minutes, capping a 12-2 run to put them up 102-100. He corralled a missed Bibby three-point attempt with 32 seconds left, then was fouled and hit both free throws for a 104-102 lead. In all, Wells had six points and four rebounds in the final 5:40.
The Kings played just enough defense in the last half quarter to avoid donating a second win to the struggling Raptors. For most of the evening, a Toronto squad that entered with one win in 12 tries and a 43.2 shooting percentage shot uncontested from most anywhere on the floor.
Brazilian big man Rafael Araujo tied his season high in points (eight) before the second quarter came, finishing with a career-high-tying 14. Point guard Mike James, forward Chris Bosh and Araujo reached double-digit scoring by halftime. The Raptors shot 55.7 percent through three quarters and led 85-82.
"For a while, it looked like (the win) wasn't going to happen," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "They were pretty much doing what they wanted to do."
But the Kings held the Raptors scoreless for nearly five minutes in the fourth, and Toronto hit just 8 of 21 shots in the final period.
"We toughened up a little bit, got some loose balls, got the rebounds," Bibby said.
In the second straight win, it was another all-starters outing for the Kings. García played well for the third straight game in his new starting role. The rookie's ability to stay out of foul trouble was helpful, considering the still-struggling Kings bench produced just 12 points. García had an as-advertised showing, filling up the stat sheet the way he did at Louisville with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Bibby scored 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting, giving him 25 or more in five of his last six games. The Kings leaned on power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim (22 points) early, as he scored nine first-quarter points. Miller had 16 points as the starters accounted for 88.6 percent of the offense.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next: Tuesday vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.
TV: CSN
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
