http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13879513p-14718670c.html
The Bucks stop here
Kings put together best effort of the season, cruise past Milwaukee
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 19, 2005
Rick Adelman was the only one not smiling, but even the Kings coach could have let out a smirk.
As Peja Stojakovic sprinted down the floor on a fourth-quarter fast break, Bonzi Wells threw him a pass more fit for LeBron James, an alley-oop setup heave that flew deep into the stands at Arco Arena.
Stojakovic laughed, then pointed to the ceiling as if to say to Wells, "Seriously?" Sans the coach, the entire Kings bench was in stitches.
In a game where there was no end to the Kings' joy, it was about the only play that didn't work.
Not only did the Kings win consecutive games for the first time this season in a 103-82 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, they put it together in the most complete fashion yet.
They led from beginning to end, had four starters score 16 or more points, tallied a season-high 31 assists and a season-high 50 points in the paint, all while once again looking like a team that could contend with more nights like this.
The Kings adjusted to everything the athletic and revived Bucks threw their way, no one more so than Stojakovic. After scoring 11 of his 19 points in the first half, Stojakovic sprained his right pinky finger in the third. He screamed on the bench while trainer Pete Youngman tended to his injury, with a look of pain that stayed with him for the final 21 minutes.
"It was very painful in the beginning, but I just kept moving and got a couple easy ones," said Stojakovic, who also had seven rebounds and six assists but failed to have a three-pointer for the first time this season.
"Hopefully it's going to get better.
"If not, I'll have to go more to the basket, running off of (center) Brad (Miller) and get more backcuts."
The plan worked wonders. The Kings, who led 31-22 after the first quarter, had let the Bucks back within four at halftime. After Stojakovic was done rubbing his hand, he responded by abandoning his outside game and scoring four quick points on drives through the paint. He then delivered a perfect pass for Wells' dunk midway through the third, extending the lead during an 14-5 run that ended with the Bucks down 62-51.
Stojakovic also helped Wells contain Bucks shooting guard Michael Redd, who scored 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting but never heated up.
Nor did most of the Bucks. They shot 36.9 percent (31 of 84), including 6 of 24 in the fourth quarter.
Point guard T.J. Ford and small forward Bobby Simmons were nonfactors, with the lightning-quick Ford often blowing by Kings point guard Mike Bibby only to find a second line of help defenders.
Ford had eight points, seven assists, and four turnovers, while Simmons was held to 2-of-12 shooting by - once again - Stojakovic and Wells.
"We always talk about trying to trust each other at both ends of the court, and that's how you're going to make stops, and you could see that tonight," Adelman said. "That's really good to see."
The old staples of the Kings' system were back, from ball movement dictated by Miller (game-high eight assists) and an aggressive Bibby at the point scoring 17 points and dealing five assists.
Adelman used the bench sparingly and effectively. Forward Kenny Thomas hit two jumpers in the fourth to help the Kings pull away while grabbing six rebounds, and point guard Jason Hart was 4 of 5 for eight points in just 11 minutes.
"As long as you move the ball and have body movement, you're going to have good looks," Stojakovic said. "The way we played tonight, and shared the ball, everybody was involved. It was a good game."
And a good time.
"We're having fun again," Bibby said.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
The Bucks stop here
Kings put together best effort of the season, cruise past Milwaukee
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 19, 2005
Rick Adelman was the only one not smiling, but even the Kings coach could have let out a smirk.
As Peja Stojakovic sprinted down the floor on a fourth-quarter fast break, Bonzi Wells threw him a pass more fit for LeBron James, an alley-oop setup heave that flew deep into the stands at Arco Arena.
Stojakovic laughed, then pointed to the ceiling as if to say to Wells, "Seriously?" Sans the coach, the entire Kings bench was in stitches.
In a game where there was no end to the Kings' joy, it was about the only play that didn't work.
Not only did the Kings win consecutive games for the first time this season in a 103-82 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, they put it together in the most complete fashion yet.
They led from beginning to end, had four starters score 16 or more points, tallied a season-high 31 assists and a season-high 50 points in the paint, all while once again looking like a team that could contend with more nights like this.
The Kings adjusted to everything the athletic and revived Bucks threw their way, no one more so than Stojakovic. After scoring 11 of his 19 points in the first half, Stojakovic sprained his right pinky finger in the third. He screamed on the bench while trainer Pete Youngman tended to his injury, with a look of pain that stayed with him for the final 21 minutes.
"It was very painful in the beginning, but I just kept moving and got a couple easy ones," said Stojakovic, who also had seven rebounds and six assists but failed to have a three-pointer for the first time this season.
"Hopefully it's going to get better.
"If not, I'll have to go more to the basket, running off of (center) Brad (Miller) and get more backcuts."
The plan worked wonders. The Kings, who led 31-22 after the first quarter, had let the Bucks back within four at halftime. After Stojakovic was done rubbing his hand, he responded by abandoning his outside game and scoring four quick points on drives through the paint. He then delivered a perfect pass for Wells' dunk midway through the third, extending the lead during an 14-5 run that ended with the Bucks down 62-51.
Stojakovic also helped Wells contain Bucks shooting guard Michael Redd, who scored 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting but never heated up.
Nor did most of the Bucks. They shot 36.9 percent (31 of 84), including 6 of 24 in the fourth quarter.
Point guard T.J. Ford and small forward Bobby Simmons were nonfactors, with the lightning-quick Ford often blowing by Kings point guard Mike Bibby only to find a second line of help defenders.
Ford had eight points, seven assists, and four turnovers, while Simmons was held to 2-of-12 shooting by - once again - Stojakovic and Wells.
"We always talk about trying to trust each other at both ends of the court, and that's how you're going to make stops, and you could see that tonight," Adelman said. "That's really good to see."
The old staples of the Kings' system were back, from ball movement dictated by Miller (game-high eight assists) and an aggressive Bibby at the point scoring 17 points and dealing five assists.
Adelman used the bench sparingly and effectively. Forward Kenny Thomas hit two jumpers in the fourth to help the Kings pull away while grabbing six rebounds, and point guard Jason Hart was 4 of 5 for eight points in just 11 minutes.
"As long as you move the ball and have body movement, you're going to have good looks," Stojakovic said. "The way we played tonight, and shared the ball, everybody was involved. It was a good game."
And a good time.
"We're having fun again," Bibby said.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
