http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/156182.html
Defense rests again for Kings
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:04 am PDT Tuesday, April 17, 2007
And then there's the race the Kings are still in.
Taking another blow in the standings but receiving another boost for the lottery draw, they lost to New Orleans 125-118 Monday night at Arco Arena. Hope mixed a little more with humiliation, as the Hornets shot 55.8 percent and the Kings might have inched forward by taking another big step backward.
They gave up a 16-point first-quarter lead this time, regained a tie at 114-114, then got left in the rearview mirror again. The Kings had a missed layup and an offensive foul on their next two possessions, the Hornets scored on four of their next five trips downcourt, and Sacramento had its 11th defeat in 15 games.
"I thought it was an All-Star Game," Hornets guard Bobby Jackson said, meaning the defenses and not the star-laden rosters.
That was for the moment. For the future, though, the Kings tied the Charlotte Bobcats for the ninth-worst record and are in position to jump at least a couple of spots, if not more, before the regular season ends Wednesday. Owners whose family runs a Vegas casino don't need to be reminded of the importance of shifting odds.
Whoever finishes in the ninth spot will have a 1.7 percent chance of winning the weighted lottery, a 2 percent chance of getting the second choice in the draft and a 2.41 percent chance of landing third.
Finish eighth-worst and you're at 2.80, 3.26 and 3.89.
Seventh-worst: 4.3, 4.94 and 5.79.
They're all still long shots. Memphis, by comparison, will have a 25 percent chance of getting the top spot and the likely selection of Greg Oden if he leaves Ohio State. But moving up or down a couple of spots for the drama of May 22 can become a major change of fortune. The first three selections are chosen by the lottery, the teams fall in line according to record after that, and everyone has to live with the outcome for only the next decade or so.
Which brings the Kings back to their Monday inside Arco and the reality that there were actual implications to a game between teams seemingly just playing out the schedule. They began with the 10th-worst record, but also a chance.
The Bobcats were just a half-game worse at tipoff, and the Kings erased that as Chris Paul had 23 points and 12 assists and David West had 25 points for the Hornets.
The Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks were one game better, and all also lost.
Clearly not caught up in this gripping moment, the Kings played scattered and undependable, as usual. The catapult from the impressive showing Sunday afternoon in a victory that dealt the Los Angeles Clippers' playoff hopes a severe blow quickly became a 16-point lead ... which became a tie at halftime.
"It was like a track meet out there tonight," Kings guard Mike Bibby said. "I don't think either team was playing defense."
The Kings were just not playing it a little more. The Hornets haven't scored that many points in a game since getting the same 125 in overtime Feb. 21, 2003, and haven't tilted the scoreboard like that in a regulation game since piling up 136 on April 9, 1997.
New Orleans, eliminated from playoff contention Saturday, had at least 30 points in every quarter and committed only 11 turnovers.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@ sacbee.com.
Defense rests again for Kings
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:04 am PDT Tuesday, April 17, 2007
And then there's the race the Kings are still in.
Taking another blow in the standings but receiving another boost for the lottery draw, they lost to New Orleans 125-118 Monday night at Arco Arena. Hope mixed a little more with humiliation, as the Hornets shot 55.8 percent and the Kings might have inched forward by taking another big step backward.
They gave up a 16-point first-quarter lead this time, regained a tie at 114-114, then got left in the rearview mirror again. The Kings had a missed layup and an offensive foul on their next two possessions, the Hornets scored on four of their next five trips downcourt, and Sacramento had its 11th defeat in 15 games.
"I thought it was an All-Star Game," Hornets guard Bobby Jackson said, meaning the defenses and not the star-laden rosters.
That was for the moment. For the future, though, the Kings tied the Charlotte Bobcats for the ninth-worst record and are in position to jump at least a couple of spots, if not more, before the regular season ends Wednesday. Owners whose family runs a Vegas casino don't need to be reminded of the importance of shifting odds.
Whoever finishes in the ninth spot will have a 1.7 percent chance of winning the weighted lottery, a 2 percent chance of getting the second choice in the draft and a 2.41 percent chance of landing third.
Finish eighth-worst and you're at 2.80, 3.26 and 3.89.
Seventh-worst: 4.3, 4.94 and 5.79.
They're all still long shots. Memphis, by comparison, will have a 25 percent chance of getting the top spot and the likely selection of Greg Oden if he leaves Ohio State. But moving up or down a couple of spots for the drama of May 22 can become a major change of fortune. The first three selections are chosen by the lottery, the teams fall in line according to record after that, and everyone has to live with the outcome for only the next decade or so.
Which brings the Kings back to their Monday inside Arco and the reality that there were actual implications to a game between teams seemingly just playing out the schedule. They began with the 10th-worst record, but also a chance.
The Bobcats were just a half-game worse at tipoff, and the Kings erased that as Chris Paul had 23 points and 12 assists and David West had 25 points for the Hornets.
The Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks were one game better, and all also lost.
Clearly not caught up in this gripping moment, the Kings played scattered and undependable, as usual. The catapult from the impressive showing Sunday afternoon in a victory that dealt the Los Angeles Clippers' playoff hopes a severe blow quickly became a 16-point lead ... which became a tie at halftime.
"It was like a track meet out there tonight," Kings guard Mike Bibby said. "I don't think either team was playing defense."
The Kings were just not playing it a little more. The Hornets haven't scored that many points in a game since getting the same 125 in overtime Feb. 21, 2003, and haven't tilted the scoreboard like that in a regulation game since piling up 136 on April 9, 1997.
New Orleans, eliminated from playoff contention Saturday, had at least 30 points in every quarter and committed only 11 turnovers.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@ sacbee.com.
