http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14021517p-14853989c.html
Desperate Kings show a little fight
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, December 28, 2005
LOS ANGELES - They finally felt the wall.
Five lost games, three lost starters and one unhappy holiday later, the Kings felt their backs against the cold concrete that is their plummeting position in the Western Conference.
And guess what? They pushed back.
Their 110-93 win Tuesday over the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center might have been only a inch or so of space, but a start is more than the Kings have mustered since the spiraling began.
Before tipoff, they looked finished.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim flew back to Sacramento, where it was learned he had a broken jaw, suffered in Monday night's loss to Portland and adding another injury to insult.
Peja Stojakovic had a right groin injury, one he played through after it occurred against the Trail Blazers, but he decided against doing so again.
Bonzi Wells, of course, is a spectator by way of his own groin injury.
So the Kings were left with a makeshift starting lineup of Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin, Francisco García, Kenny Thomas and Brad Miller, and a handful of other reserves who had grown used to their playing time coming in single-digit minutes.
It was more than enough for a team that had finally had enough.
Bibby exploded for 38 points on 10-of-20 shooting, hitting 4 of 8 three-pointers and 14 of 16 free throws. He looked capable of taking the Clippers out of the Pacific Division lead on his own in the third quarter, when he scored 15 points during a 20-8 run that put Kings up 83-60. He also had a season-high 10 assists, with nine coming in the first half as the Kings - who have beaten the Clippers 10 consecutive times - led 59-44.
Bibby's performance - which was two points shy of his career high - wasn't so different than one he had here March 19, when Bibby and former teammate Cuttino Mobley couldn't miss late in a comeback Kings win in overtime.
"They're still a good team," said Mobley, the Clippers guard who was held to 9-of-23 shooting (0 for 5 from three-point range) for 19 points. "When I was there last year, Mike and I were by ourselves, when Brad was hurt, and we still went out and beat teams. So it doesn't really matter who's hurt, as long as Mike's playing."
Bibby said it felt like old times with the new unit.
"We just played good," Bibby said. "We were running a little bit, getting easy baskets in transition. We played together. There's nothing we can do (about the injuries). The games have got to go on, so you've got to play. The guys stepped up."
Bibby had help from Miller, who was aggressive from the start and finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. And for the third time this season, Martin set his career-high in points, scoring 20 on 6 of 14 shooting. Overall, the Kings set a season high in free throws made (35 of 40), and neared their season-high in assists (31) with 26.
The defense was a welcome change, too. The Kings had allowed 100-plus points in eight of the last 10 games. They held the Clippers to 44.3 percent shooting while containing Elton Brand to six points in the second half after he had 19 in the first.
"There are guys (who), after last night, came out with a nice attitude and controlled the game," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "It's hard to explain because last night we had a real lackluster game and tonight they had one."
The hapless Clippers of old these are not. They entered tied with Phoenix atop the Pacific Division, although they had lost five of their last seven games. It was a true role reversal, the first meeting since Feb. 12, 1993, where the Kings had a losing record and the Clippers a winning one.
Desperation worked wonders for the Kings from the start, as they jumped out to an 18-10 lead in the first quarter. A long-awaited outburst came midway through the second quarter, when a 21-8 Kings run put them up 57-40 just before the half.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
Desperate Kings show a little fight
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, December 28, 2005
LOS ANGELES - They finally felt the wall.
Five lost games, three lost starters and one unhappy holiday later, the Kings felt their backs against the cold concrete that is their plummeting position in the Western Conference.
And guess what? They pushed back.
Their 110-93 win Tuesday over the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center might have been only a inch or so of space, but a start is more than the Kings have mustered since the spiraling began.
Before tipoff, they looked finished.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim flew back to Sacramento, where it was learned he had a broken jaw, suffered in Monday night's loss to Portland and adding another injury to insult.
Peja Stojakovic had a right groin injury, one he played through after it occurred against the Trail Blazers, but he decided against doing so again.
Bonzi Wells, of course, is a spectator by way of his own groin injury.
So the Kings were left with a makeshift starting lineup of Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin, Francisco García, Kenny Thomas and Brad Miller, and a handful of other reserves who had grown used to their playing time coming in single-digit minutes.
It was more than enough for a team that had finally had enough.
Bibby exploded for 38 points on 10-of-20 shooting, hitting 4 of 8 three-pointers and 14 of 16 free throws. He looked capable of taking the Clippers out of the Pacific Division lead on his own in the third quarter, when he scored 15 points during a 20-8 run that put Kings up 83-60. He also had a season-high 10 assists, with nine coming in the first half as the Kings - who have beaten the Clippers 10 consecutive times - led 59-44.
Bibby's performance - which was two points shy of his career high - wasn't so different than one he had here March 19, when Bibby and former teammate Cuttino Mobley couldn't miss late in a comeback Kings win in overtime.
"They're still a good team," said Mobley, the Clippers guard who was held to 9-of-23 shooting (0 for 5 from three-point range) for 19 points. "When I was there last year, Mike and I were by ourselves, when Brad was hurt, and we still went out and beat teams. So it doesn't really matter who's hurt, as long as Mike's playing."
Bibby said it felt like old times with the new unit.
"We just played good," Bibby said. "We were running a little bit, getting easy baskets in transition. We played together. There's nothing we can do (about the injuries). The games have got to go on, so you've got to play. The guys stepped up."
Bibby had help from Miller, who was aggressive from the start and finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. And for the third time this season, Martin set his career-high in points, scoring 20 on 6 of 14 shooting. Overall, the Kings set a season high in free throws made (35 of 40), and neared their season-high in assists (31) with 26.
The defense was a welcome change, too. The Kings had allowed 100-plus points in eight of the last 10 games. They held the Clippers to 44.3 percent shooting while containing Elton Brand to six points in the second half after he had 19 in the first.
"There are guys (who), after last night, came out with a nice attitude and controlled the game," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "It's hard to explain because last night we had a real lackluster game and tonight they had one."
The hapless Clippers of old these are not. They entered tied with Phoenix atop the Pacific Division, although they had lost five of their last seven games. It was a true role reversal, the first meeting since Feb. 12, 1993, where the Kings had a losing record and the Clippers a winning one.
Desperation worked wonders for the Kings from the start, as they jumped out to an 18-10 lead in the first quarter. A long-awaited outburst came midway through the second quarter, when a 21-8 Kings run put them up 57-40 just before the half.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
