http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/11857500p-12744488c.html
The Kings go cold in the fourth quarter after letting a 17-point lead slip away to Miami.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, December 24, 2004
The Kings threw jab after jab at the Miami Heat on Thursday night at Arco Arena.
However, in the end, it was the Heat, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Damon Jones, who delivered the knockout blows in a come-from-behind 109-107 victory before a heated and eventually disappointed sellout crowd of 17,317. The Kings (17-8) lost for the second time in four outings on this five-game homestand. Miami (21-7) has the league's longest winning streak at 10 games and showed indomitable spirit in bouncing back from double-digit deficits in both the second and fourth quarters.
The Kings' 17-point lead (38-21) with 10:07 left in the second quarter dwindled to 54-52 with 46.8 seconds left in the half before taking a 57-52 advantage into halftime.
But the Heat never would go away. Miami twice took six-point leads late in the third quarter as O'Neal scored nine points in the period, but the Kings rallied behind Mike Bibby's 10 points and held an 83-81 lead entering the fourth.
O'Neal scored a team-high 25 points and had 10 rebounds. Eight of those points came during the fourth quarter when the Heat erased a 101-89 Kings lead with 5:23 left.
He had plenty of help from Dwyane Wade, who scored 22 points, had a team-high 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds in 44 minutes.
And Jones hit two huge three-pointers in the final 2:43. The second came with 23.4 seconds left in the game just moments after Peja Stojakovic had drilled a three-pointer to give the Kings a 107-106 lead.
Stojakovic's basket was one of just two field goals the Kings converted during the final 5:56.
"I don't have any problems with some of those shots we got," said Kings coach Rick Adelman, whose team made just eight of 29 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter. "We had really good looks. We just didn't make them."
Sacramento, which already was playing without the injured Bobby Jackson, lost guard Doug Christie in the third quarter on the second of two technicals.
With Jackson out, Christie was the backup point guard. With Christie out, Bibby had no backup.
Adelman said he thought Bibby tired down the stretch.
Jones, the former Kings guard, made two free throws to give the Heat a 106-104 lead with 51.1 seconds left. Stojakovic made his three-pointer a few seconds later, but then Jones answered.
The Kings had a chance to retake the lead. Brad Miller missed a jumper from the baseline and O'Neal was fouled. But he missed both free throws with 10.9 seconds left to give the Kings another chance. Bibby missed a drive and then Webber missed a 28-footer at the buzzer.
Miller was injured with 1:41 remaining in the first quarter when he collided with Wade. Miller sustained a four-inch laceration to his right shin and was taken to the locker room.
During back-to-back timeouts, he was taped up and able to come back and attempt his free throws.
Had Miller been unable to take his shots, he could not have returned to the game. He made both and then returned to the locker room to receive 15 stitches from Kings doctor Richard Marder.
Miller returned to the bench late in the second quarter but did not play again until the start of the second half.
The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
The Kings go cold in the fourth quarter after letting a 17-point lead slip away to Miami.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, December 24, 2004
The Kings threw jab after jab at the Miami Heat on Thursday night at Arco Arena.
However, in the end, it was the Heat, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Damon Jones, who delivered the knockout blows in a come-from-behind 109-107 victory before a heated and eventually disappointed sellout crowd of 17,317. The Kings (17-8) lost for the second time in four outings on this five-game homestand. Miami (21-7) has the league's longest winning streak at 10 games and showed indomitable spirit in bouncing back from double-digit deficits in both the second and fourth quarters.
The Kings' 17-point lead (38-21) with 10:07 left in the second quarter dwindled to 54-52 with 46.8 seconds left in the half before taking a 57-52 advantage into halftime.
But the Heat never would go away. Miami twice took six-point leads late in the third quarter as O'Neal scored nine points in the period, but the Kings rallied behind Mike Bibby's 10 points and held an 83-81 lead entering the fourth.
O'Neal scored a team-high 25 points and had 10 rebounds. Eight of those points came during the fourth quarter when the Heat erased a 101-89 Kings lead with 5:23 left.
He had plenty of help from Dwyane Wade, who scored 22 points, had a team-high 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds in 44 minutes.
And Jones hit two huge three-pointers in the final 2:43. The second came with 23.4 seconds left in the game just moments after Peja Stojakovic had drilled a three-pointer to give the Kings a 107-106 lead.
Stojakovic's basket was one of just two field goals the Kings converted during the final 5:56.
"I don't have any problems with some of those shots we got," said Kings coach Rick Adelman, whose team made just eight of 29 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter. "We had really good looks. We just didn't make them."
Sacramento, which already was playing without the injured Bobby Jackson, lost guard Doug Christie in the third quarter on the second of two technicals.
With Jackson out, Christie was the backup point guard. With Christie out, Bibby had no backup.
Adelman said he thought Bibby tired down the stretch.
Jones, the former Kings guard, made two free throws to give the Heat a 106-104 lead with 51.1 seconds left. Stojakovic made his three-pointer a few seconds later, but then Jones answered.
The Kings had a chance to retake the lead. Brad Miller missed a jumper from the baseline and O'Neal was fouled. But he missed both free throws with 10.9 seconds left to give the Kings another chance. Bibby missed a drive and then Webber missed a 28-footer at the buzzer.
Miller was injured with 1:41 remaining in the first quarter when he collided with Wade. Miller sustained a four-inch laceration to his right shin and was taken to the locker room.
During back-to-back timeouts, he was taped up and able to come back and attempt his free throws.
Had Miller been unable to take his shots, he could not have returned to the game. He made both and then returned to the locker room to receive 15 stitches from Kings doctor Richard Marder.
Miller returned to the bench late in the second quarter but did not play again until the start of the second half.
The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.