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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/11527380p-12429446c.html
It takes agonizing three quarters, but Kings finally shoot straight
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, November 22, 2004
On the pretty scale of 1 to 10, this one was a pure negative.The Kings have endured their shooting woes this early season before catching fire, and then they slogged through Sunday night's dreary affair with the Milwaukee Bucks for three quarters before finally shooting straight. Sacramento was able to make 55.6 percent of its attempts in the fourth for an 88-79 grinder of a win.
The Kings not rebounding is one thing. It has often been the frustrating norm.
The Kings not shooting well up and down the starting lineup is a rarity and a crusher for a motion shooting bunch that features two of the best marksmen in the game in Peja Stojakovic and Mike Bibby.
"We missed a lot of shots, had airballs, in-and-outs, everything," Kings forward Chris Webber said. "It was just as ugly playing it as it was watching it. I was one of the reasons - we were all the reasons - why it was so hard. A lot of times you might shoot well early in the season and then shoot poorly in the playoffs. That's part of the cycle. Believe me, shooting is never a concern for the Kings. We were still good enough to win.
"We've lost games this year because of laziness and (rebounding), but the shooting will usually always be there."
It wasn't early, for either side.
The Bucks made just 35.6 percent of their shots with the Kings a hair better at 36.6.
Webber said the key is to keep playing, keep competing, keep shooting. Webber kept the green light on, ignoring an 0 for 6 first period to finish 7 of 22 for 18 points. And he remained versatile even when his shots sailed wide or hammered off the iron, collecting 14 rebounds and five assists to remain with Kevin Garnett of the Timberwolves the only players in the NBA to average 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per contest this season.
"You have to keep playing your game," Webber said. "You don't want to mess with your flow. If Peja misses eight in a row and he stops taking the open shot, it's going to mess up our flow."
Darius Songaila and Brad Miller were about the only Kings to find any measure of shooting success, and both bangers did their work inside, a much more reliable distance than 20 feet. Miller and Songaila combined to make 6 of 7 shots in the fourth, including Miller scoring on a drive and on a three-point play to push the Kings safely ahead 74-67 with 2:56 to play.
Miller and Songaila had 16 and eight points, respectively.
"We weren't making jump shots, and the only way to stop the bleeding was to go inside," Songaila said.
But the Kings will live or die, in the long run, with the jumper.
Stojakovic had 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting, including firing one off the side of the backboard in the first. But his marksmanship rallied the Kings in the fourth. Bibby came in shooting 48 percent, which was better than last season when he averaged a career-high 18.4 points. He made 3 of 12 shots for 12 points.
The guard said off nights happen, and he offered a simple remedy for today in practice.
"We'll shoot a lot," he said.
It takes agonizing three quarters, but Kings finally shoot straight
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, November 22, 2004
On the pretty scale of 1 to 10, this one was a pure negative.The Kings have endured their shooting woes this early season before catching fire, and then they slogged through Sunday night's dreary affair with the Milwaukee Bucks for three quarters before finally shooting straight. Sacramento was able to make 55.6 percent of its attempts in the fourth for an 88-79 grinder of a win.
The Kings not rebounding is one thing. It has often been the frustrating norm.
The Kings not shooting well up and down the starting lineup is a rarity and a crusher for a motion shooting bunch that features two of the best marksmen in the game in Peja Stojakovic and Mike Bibby.
"We missed a lot of shots, had airballs, in-and-outs, everything," Kings forward Chris Webber said. "It was just as ugly playing it as it was watching it. I was one of the reasons - we were all the reasons - why it was so hard. A lot of times you might shoot well early in the season and then shoot poorly in the playoffs. That's part of the cycle. Believe me, shooting is never a concern for the Kings. We were still good enough to win.
"We've lost games this year because of laziness and (rebounding), but the shooting will usually always be there."
It wasn't early, for either side.
The Bucks made just 35.6 percent of their shots with the Kings a hair better at 36.6.
Webber said the key is to keep playing, keep competing, keep shooting. Webber kept the green light on, ignoring an 0 for 6 first period to finish 7 of 22 for 18 points. And he remained versatile even when his shots sailed wide or hammered off the iron, collecting 14 rebounds and five assists to remain with Kevin Garnett of the Timberwolves the only players in the NBA to average 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per contest this season.
"You have to keep playing your game," Webber said. "You don't want to mess with your flow. If Peja misses eight in a row and he stops taking the open shot, it's going to mess up our flow."
Darius Songaila and Brad Miller were about the only Kings to find any measure of shooting success, and both bangers did their work inside, a much more reliable distance than 20 feet. Miller and Songaila combined to make 6 of 7 shots in the fourth, including Miller scoring on a drive and on a three-point play to push the Kings safely ahead 74-67 with 2:56 to play.
Miller and Songaila had 16 and eight points, respectively.
"We weren't making jump shots, and the only way to stop the bleeding was to go inside," Songaila said.
But the Kings will live or die, in the long run, with the jumper.
Stojakovic had 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting, including firing one off the side of the backboard in the first. But his marksmanship rallied the Kings in the fourth. Bibby came in shooting 48 percent, which was better than last season when he averaged a career-high 18.4 points. He made 3 of 12 shots for 12 points.
The guard said off nights happen, and he offered a simple remedy for today in practice.
"We'll shoot a lot," he said.
