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Clanks for nothing
Kings fall short after trailing by 21 points
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 24, 2005
SEATTLE - Perspective allowed the Kings to see only a positive Saturday night after their 87-82 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series at KeyArena.
That meant focusing on the return of Brad Miller, who hadn't played since Feb. 27 because of a left leg fracture.
It meant remembering they shrank a 21-point third-quarter deficit to one point, 83-82, on Cuttino Mobley's three-pointer with 42.4 seconds left.
And it meant watching Peja Stojakovic deliver 24 points and Mobley 22 while Mike Bibby endured the worst shooting night of his career.
Bibby, who did not practice all week after injuring his left foot Monday against Utah, made just 1 of 16 shots, went 0 for 6 on three-point attempts and scored three points.
After establishing himself as the team's best clutch player, Bibby clearly had his pride wounded by the dismal performance.
"If I didn't hit that one rainbow over Jerome (James) ... ," he said. "I've had some bad games before, maybe a 1 for 8. But I just didn't feel like myself."
Combine Bibby's troubles with Bobby Jackson's 0-for-7 shooting, and Sacramento was missing some serious production.
"But with all the things that happened," coach Rick Adelman said, "we had a chance after getting down so far. Obviously, we've got a lot of stuff to work on."
After Mobley's three-pointer, former Kings center James took a pass from Antonio Daniels and capped his career playoff night with a basket that gave him 17 points and put Seattle ahead 85-82 with 25 seconds left. Mobley then missed a three-pointer from the right wing, and Bibby airballed another three, and that was it for Sacramento.
"I thought it was good when it left my hand," Bibby said of his final launch, "and then the further away it got from me, the worse it was."
The Kings appeared to be in a trance until the Sonics established their largest lead, 63-42, with 8:49 remaining in the third quarter. Sacramento treaded water for the next few minutes and still trailed 67-50 with five minutes left. Adelman then turned to 7-foot-2, 280-pound Greg Ostertag for some muscle and power in the middle, and things began turning in Sacramento's favor.
The Kings outscored the Sonics 14-3 in the final 4:42 of the third quarter to get within 70-64 entering the fourth. Miller joined Ostertag on the floor, and the Sonics could no longer use their strength around the basket. Miller played five minutes spanning the third and fourth quarters, and the Kings closed within 72-68 when Miller passed to Stojakovic for a layin with 9:35 to play.
That was eight minutes for Miller, and Adelman did not play him anymore, leaving the center angry on the bench.
Ultimately, Miller's availability for the rest of this best-of-seven series was much more important in Adelman's mind.
"I was frustrated because I couldn't go back in the game," said Miller, who finished with seven points, four rebounds and three assists. "But we had a plan going into the game, and we were just trying to work me back in.
"(The leg) felt a little tight, but I rode the bike in the third quarter before I went back into the game, and it loosened up."
If the game's opening sequence wasn't Adelman's worst fear, it was something extremely close. Kenny Thomas passed up an opportunity off the opening tip to attack 6-1 Luke Ridnour, then missed a jump shot that was a worse opportunity than he would have had originally. Stojakovic grabbed the long rebound and shot a 14-foot airball jumper.
Then it became worse at the other end. Ridnour missed a jump shot that Evans rebounded. Ray Allen missed a jumper and saved the carom from going out of bounds by throwing it back over his head. Ridnour missed a three-pointer, but James rebounded. He missed a four-footer but finally put the Kings out of their misery by following in his own shot.
Five shots, four misses, four Seattle offensive rebounds and the crowd going nuts.
The rest of the first quarter didn't go much better for the Kings, who were fortunate to trail only 30-22 at the period's end. As has been the case on the road the past month, the Kings shot poorly in the first half (16 for 49, 32.7 percent) and created a deficit. Bibby was 0 for 9, Thomas 2 for 7 and Mobley was 3 for 8. That's not going to get it done.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12780837p-13631756c.html
Kings fall short after trailing by 21 points
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 24, 2005
SEATTLE - Perspective allowed the Kings to see only a positive Saturday night after their 87-82 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series at KeyArena.
That meant focusing on the return of Brad Miller, who hadn't played since Feb. 27 because of a left leg fracture.
It meant remembering they shrank a 21-point third-quarter deficit to one point, 83-82, on Cuttino Mobley's three-pointer with 42.4 seconds left.
And it meant watching Peja Stojakovic deliver 24 points and Mobley 22 while Mike Bibby endured the worst shooting night of his career.
Bibby, who did not practice all week after injuring his left foot Monday against Utah, made just 1 of 16 shots, went 0 for 6 on three-point attempts and scored three points.
After establishing himself as the team's best clutch player, Bibby clearly had his pride wounded by the dismal performance.
"If I didn't hit that one rainbow over Jerome (James) ... ," he said. "I've had some bad games before, maybe a 1 for 8. But I just didn't feel like myself."
Combine Bibby's troubles with Bobby Jackson's 0-for-7 shooting, and Sacramento was missing some serious production.
"But with all the things that happened," coach Rick Adelman said, "we had a chance after getting down so far. Obviously, we've got a lot of stuff to work on."
After Mobley's three-pointer, former Kings center James took a pass from Antonio Daniels and capped his career playoff night with a basket that gave him 17 points and put Seattle ahead 85-82 with 25 seconds left. Mobley then missed a three-pointer from the right wing, and Bibby airballed another three, and that was it for Sacramento.
"I thought it was good when it left my hand," Bibby said of his final launch, "and then the further away it got from me, the worse it was."
The Kings appeared to be in a trance until the Sonics established their largest lead, 63-42, with 8:49 remaining in the third quarter. Sacramento treaded water for the next few minutes and still trailed 67-50 with five minutes left. Adelman then turned to 7-foot-2, 280-pound Greg Ostertag for some muscle and power in the middle, and things began turning in Sacramento's favor.
The Kings outscored the Sonics 14-3 in the final 4:42 of the third quarter to get within 70-64 entering the fourth. Miller joined Ostertag on the floor, and the Sonics could no longer use their strength around the basket. Miller played five minutes spanning the third and fourth quarters, and the Kings closed within 72-68 when Miller passed to Stojakovic for a layin with 9:35 to play.
That was eight minutes for Miller, and Adelman did not play him anymore, leaving the center angry on the bench.
Ultimately, Miller's availability for the rest of this best-of-seven series was much more important in Adelman's mind.
"I was frustrated because I couldn't go back in the game," said Miller, who finished with seven points, four rebounds and three assists. "But we had a plan going into the game, and we were just trying to work me back in.
"(The leg) felt a little tight, but I rode the bike in the third quarter before I went back into the game, and it loosened up."
If the game's opening sequence wasn't Adelman's worst fear, it was something extremely close. Kenny Thomas passed up an opportunity off the opening tip to attack 6-1 Luke Ridnour, then missed a jump shot that was a worse opportunity than he would have had originally. Stojakovic grabbed the long rebound and shot a 14-foot airball jumper.
Then it became worse at the other end. Ridnour missed a jump shot that Evans rebounded. Ray Allen missed a jumper and saved the carom from going out of bounds by throwing it back over his head. Ridnour missed a three-pointer, but James rebounded. He missed a four-footer but finally put the Kings out of their misery by following in his own shot.
Five shots, four misses, four Seattle offensive rebounds and the crowd going nuts.
The rest of the first quarter didn't go much better for the Kings, who were fortunate to trail only 30-22 at the period's end. As has been the case on the road the past month, the Kings shot poorly in the first half (16 for 49, 32.7 percent) and created a deficit. Bibby was 0 for 9, Thomas 2 for 7 and Mobley was 3 for 8. That's not going to get it done.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12780837p-13631756c.html