http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14226772p-15050705c.html
Kings cut down the Nets
Mike Bibby burns New Jersey for 29 points as Sacramento rebounds from a tough loss.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, March 7, 2006
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The convenient timing of the philosopher did nothing to dispel the philosophy.
Mike Bibby stood at his locker at Continental Airlines Arena on Monday night, fully dressed and about to depart after his own personal media scrum. As he walked away, he left behind a nugget of hoops wisdom.
"It ain't all about scoring," he said.
Sure, he says that on the night he could hardly miss, a night on which the New Jersey Nets' crowd of 15,749 saw the Kings point guard score 29 points in a way that was so routine before this team's dynamic was changed.
Bibby, who had scored 20-plus points just once in the past seven games, was cold-blooded in doing it. And the Kings showed a bit of ice in their veins, too, bouncing back from a missed chance in Washington the day before to rout the Nets 109-84 and guarantee a winning record on this five-game road trip.
It was the Nets' second-worst loss of the season and their worst at home, a surprising turn of events, as they had won 15 of their last 17 in this building. New Jersey had downed so-called giants like Detroit and Miami at home, while allowing 100-plus points just four times in the 17 games.
The Kings reached the century mark with more than four minutes left. And they finally reached double-digit wins on the road with the largest margin of victory of the season away from Arco Arena.
The thing about Bibby's stance, though, is he was right. While the near-perfect offensive outing of Brad Miller (21 points on 9-of-10 shooting) and a breakout game from Bonzi Wells (7-of-15 shooting for 16 points off the bench) was certainly helpful, the Kings shamed a quality team in its house by ways other than scoring. They remembered how to defend.
After a first quarter in which the Nets' Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson combined for 19 points, they combined for only 19 the rest of the way. The Nets shot just 37.1 percent, including Carter's 8-of-22 performance with Ron Artest at his side.
Carter did his best work early, driving past Artest for a dunk in the second quarter when he was greeted with a fist-pound from Jefferson, who said, "He can't guard you, boy."
The premature prediction didn't stand, as Carter had an ugly 21 points and four turnovers. Jefferson was held to 18 points and Jason Kidd had 10.
It was about playmaking outside of burying shots as well. Bibby, who coach Rick Adelman has lauded for his ability to distribute lately, finished with 10 assists. He consistently pushed the offense, resulting in 22 fast-break points.
"We traded baskets with a team that likes to run up and down," Carter said. "They are a very good transition team. ... They were hitting everything."
No one more so than Bibby, who began the rout by scoring 11 straight Kings points to end the second quarter.
With the Kings up 47-46, Bibby hit three straight three-pointers, then nabbed a steal to hit a fast-break layup and put them up 58-48 at the half. Up by 17 entering the fourth, the lead only grew for the Kings, who face Milwaukee in the trip's finale Wednesday.
"Everything was on all cylinders tonight," Bibby said. "We think we should be four of four (on the road) right now, but we wanted to get at least four out of five."
They did so while avoiding a strange bit of history. Having given Washington coach Eddie Jordan his 100th Wizards win Sunday, the Kings left Nets coach Lawrence Frank with a win tally of 99. He has a bit more to go, as do the Kings.
"We came back with a good attitude today," Adelman said. "They've put themselves in a position to have a great trip."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
Kings cut down the Nets
Mike Bibby burns New Jersey for 29 points as Sacramento rebounds from a tough loss.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, March 7, 2006
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The convenient timing of the philosopher did nothing to dispel the philosophy.
Mike Bibby stood at his locker at Continental Airlines Arena on Monday night, fully dressed and about to depart after his own personal media scrum. As he walked away, he left behind a nugget of hoops wisdom.
"It ain't all about scoring," he said.
Sure, he says that on the night he could hardly miss, a night on which the New Jersey Nets' crowd of 15,749 saw the Kings point guard score 29 points in a way that was so routine before this team's dynamic was changed.
Bibby, who had scored 20-plus points just once in the past seven games, was cold-blooded in doing it. And the Kings showed a bit of ice in their veins, too, bouncing back from a missed chance in Washington the day before to rout the Nets 109-84 and guarantee a winning record on this five-game road trip.
It was the Nets' second-worst loss of the season and their worst at home, a surprising turn of events, as they had won 15 of their last 17 in this building. New Jersey had downed so-called giants like Detroit and Miami at home, while allowing 100-plus points just four times in the 17 games.
The Kings reached the century mark with more than four minutes left. And they finally reached double-digit wins on the road with the largest margin of victory of the season away from Arco Arena.
The thing about Bibby's stance, though, is he was right. While the near-perfect offensive outing of Brad Miller (21 points on 9-of-10 shooting) and a breakout game from Bonzi Wells (7-of-15 shooting for 16 points off the bench) was certainly helpful, the Kings shamed a quality team in its house by ways other than scoring. They remembered how to defend.
After a first quarter in which the Nets' Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson combined for 19 points, they combined for only 19 the rest of the way. The Nets shot just 37.1 percent, including Carter's 8-of-22 performance with Ron Artest at his side.
Carter did his best work early, driving past Artest for a dunk in the second quarter when he was greeted with a fist-pound from Jefferson, who said, "He can't guard you, boy."
The premature prediction didn't stand, as Carter had an ugly 21 points and four turnovers. Jefferson was held to 18 points and Jason Kidd had 10.
It was about playmaking outside of burying shots as well. Bibby, who coach Rick Adelman has lauded for his ability to distribute lately, finished with 10 assists. He consistently pushed the offense, resulting in 22 fast-break points.
"We traded baskets with a team that likes to run up and down," Carter said. "They are a very good transition team. ... They were hitting everything."
No one more so than Bibby, who began the rout by scoring 11 straight Kings points to end the second quarter.
With the Kings up 47-46, Bibby hit three straight three-pointers, then nabbed a steal to hit a fast-break layup and put them up 58-48 at the half. Up by 17 entering the fourth, the lead only grew for the Kings, who face Milwaukee in the trip's finale Wednesday.
"Everything was on all cylinders tonight," Bibby said. "We think we should be four of four (on the road) right now, but we wanted to get at least four out of five."
They did so while avoiding a strange bit of history. Having given Washington coach Eddie Jordan his 100th Wizards win Sunday, the Kings left Nets coach Lawrence Frank with a win tally of 99. He has a bit more to go, as do the Kings.
"We came back with a good attitude today," Adelman said. "They've put themselves in a position to have a great trip."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
