http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13858271p-14698037c.html
Heading backward
Too many turnovers and not enough energy doom the Kings as the Knicks win their first game.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, November 14, 2005
Shareef Abdur-Rahim was walking back to the bench late in the fourth quarter Sunday night, having a heated discussion with Mike Bibby about the events that led to yet another Kings step backward.
From 30 feet away, official Steve Javie assessed Abdur-Rahim with a mysterious technical foul, prompting Abdur-Rahim to argue, officially, for the first time and receive a second technical foul that caused his ejection.
Nearby in the stands, a loudmouthed, happy New York Knicks fan and a perturbed Kings fan were exchanging pleasantries, the East Coast trash talker winning the sparring contest while his team wrapped up its 105-95 win at Arco Arena.
Harmony was short-lived for the Kings (2-5), lasting no longer than the one We-Are-Family win over Denver on Friday night. It seems safe to assume that, against the suggestion of coach Rick Adelman, the Kings didn't have another players-only meeting to keep the drive alive for longer than 24 hours.
Unity was nowhere to be found, at least on the Kings' side. The Knicks stayed together long enough to give new coach Larry Brown his first victory in six tries and break New York's eight-game losing streak in Sacramento.
The Kings shot 41.8 percent from the field, returning their offense to red-alert status after a one-game hiatus. They bumbled their way to a season-high 21 turnovers, including six apiece by Abdur-Rahim and center Brad Miller.
Yet even with the volume three-point shooting (they finished 7 for 24) and bouts with listlessness, they cut the Knicks' lead to 97-91 with 1:27 left, with Peja Stojakovic scoring 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter. But the Knicks ended the game with an 8-4 spurt, returning the Kings to a state of caustic confusion.
"There was a lot of pressure out there building," said Knicks forward Jamal Crawford, who had 16 points. "We felt it, everyone felt it. We all felt like, here we go again, the Kings are going to come back, but we stayed in there."
And the Kings were reeling. Again.
"I think we waited too long to get into this game," Adelman said. "I don't know. We never got over the hump.
"Just because you had a decent game, you think you have all the answers. You can't do that in this league. They knew that team hadn't won. They knew that team wasn't an 0-5 team."
The Kings were booed one minute into the second quarter, when New York took a 33-16 lead behind rookie forward Channing Frye. The Knicks' surprising start was helped by 12 first-half Kings turnovers.
And on the rare occasions the Kings came within striking distance, they faded fast.
After the Kings pulled within six points in the third quarter, the Knicks went on a 14-2 run that extended into the fourth quarter. It ended with rookie point guard Nate Robinson hitting an 18-footer at the top of the key and the Knicks celebrating all the way to their bench after a timeout.
Midway through the fourth, Stojakovic sank a three-pointer to cut the lead to eight. But Crawford answered with five straight points.
"They kept making big shots," backup point guard Jason Hart said. "Their confidence was up, and it was just too late.
"It's very frustrating. We're playing more desperate, and then that causes us to do things that aren't in our character. It forces you to do things that you're not accustomed to."
Knicks forward Eddy Curry was a beast down low, pounding against his old Chicago teammate, Miller. Curry had 16 points and eight rebounds and teamed with Frye and Crawford to score 52 points in the paint.
Kings shooting guard Bonzi Wells had his second straight off night, hitting 2 of 9 shots and grabbing two rebounds.
Heading backward
Too many turnovers and not enough energy doom the Kings as the Knicks win their first game.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, November 14, 2005
Shareef Abdur-Rahim was walking back to the bench late in the fourth quarter Sunday night, having a heated discussion with Mike Bibby about the events that led to yet another Kings step backward.
From 30 feet away, official Steve Javie assessed Abdur-Rahim with a mysterious technical foul, prompting Abdur-Rahim to argue, officially, for the first time and receive a second technical foul that caused his ejection.
Nearby in the stands, a loudmouthed, happy New York Knicks fan and a perturbed Kings fan were exchanging pleasantries, the East Coast trash talker winning the sparring contest while his team wrapped up its 105-95 win at Arco Arena.
Harmony was short-lived for the Kings (2-5), lasting no longer than the one We-Are-Family win over Denver on Friday night. It seems safe to assume that, against the suggestion of coach Rick Adelman, the Kings didn't have another players-only meeting to keep the drive alive for longer than 24 hours.
Unity was nowhere to be found, at least on the Kings' side. The Knicks stayed together long enough to give new coach Larry Brown his first victory in six tries and break New York's eight-game losing streak in Sacramento.
The Kings shot 41.8 percent from the field, returning their offense to red-alert status after a one-game hiatus. They bumbled their way to a season-high 21 turnovers, including six apiece by Abdur-Rahim and center Brad Miller.
Yet even with the volume three-point shooting (they finished 7 for 24) and bouts with listlessness, they cut the Knicks' lead to 97-91 with 1:27 left, with Peja Stojakovic scoring 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter. But the Knicks ended the game with an 8-4 spurt, returning the Kings to a state of caustic confusion.
"There was a lot of pressure out there building," said Knicks forward Jamal Crawford, who had 16 points. "We felt it, everyone felt it. We all felt like, here we go again, the Kings are going to come back, but we stayed in there."
And the Kings were reeling. Again.
"I think we waited too long to get into this game," Adelman said. "I don't know. We never got over the hump.
"Just because you had a decent game, you think you have all the answers. You can't do that in this league. They knew that team hadn't won. They knew that team wasn't an 0-5 team."
The Kings were booed one minute into the second quarter, when New York took a 33-16 lead behind rookie forward Channing Frye. The Knicks' surprising start was helped by 12 first-half Kings turnovers.
And on the rare occasions the Kings came within striking distance, they faded fast.
After the Kings pulled within six points in the third quarter, the Knicks went on a 14-2 run that extended into the fourth quarter. It ended with rookie point guard Nate Robinson hitting an 18-footer at the top of the key and the Knicks celebrating all the way to their bench after a timeout.
Midway through the fourth, Stojakovic sank a three-pointer to cut the lead to eight. But Crawford answered with five straight points.
"They kept making big shots," backup point guard Jason Hart said. "Their confidence was up, and it was just too late.
"It's very frustrating. We're playing more desperate, and then that causes us to do things that aren't in our character. It forces you to do things that you're not accustomed to."
Knicks forward Eddy Curry was a beast down low, pounding against his old Chicago teammate, Miller. Curry had 16 points and eight rebounds and teamed with Frye and Crawford to score 52 points in the paint.
Kings shooting guard Bonzi Wells had his second straight off night, hitting 2 of 9 shots and grabbing two rebounds.
