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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12550044p-13405226c.html
It's Bibby to the rescue
His last-second shot helps the Kings avoid a loss to the road-bested Clippers.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, March 12, 2005
In a quiet moment, Mike Bibby will tell you.
During a loud moment, he'll also tell you.
This is what he does. He takes and makes clutch shots.
However, this is a bit ridiculous even for him.
For the first time in his life, Bibby made a game-winning shot for the second consecutive game in the last second - this one a 22-footer just right of the top of the key - to give the Kings a 113-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night at Arco Arena before a sellout crowd of 17,317.
He scored a game-high 28 points, 10 of which came during the game's final 5:11, added a game-high 12 assists during a 41-minute, one-turnover performance.
The game featured 23 lead changes and 13 ties. It had to leave the Clippers (27-35) wondering exactly what it is they must do to win in this building. They outshot the Kings (55.8 percent to 52.9 percent); out-rebounded them (40-30) and out-assisted them (27-21) to come away with nothing. The Clippers have lost 14 straight games at Arco and a league-high 12 straight games decided by three points or less.
Kings coach Rick Adelman knew good luck had been on his side for the second straight night.
"At least he didn't use the glass this time," the coach said referring to Bibby's 33-foot heave Tuesday night that beat the Memphis Grizzlies at the buzzer. "I told him to make it go straight in and that's what he did."
What Bibby did was help the Kings shake off a relative avalanche of turnovers (six in the last eight minutes after three in the first 39:15). That included one by Kenny Thomas with 14 seconds on the clock and the Kings up 111-110. Clippers small forward Bobby Simmons had missed a corner jump shot Thomas rebounded just as he saw Peja Stojakovic open on the right sideline.
Unfortunately, Thomas led Stojakovic too far with the pass and Clippers guard Rick Brunson beat him to it. With a foul to give, the Kings neither used it nor defended Brunson well in the open court who assisted Simmons on a layin with 4.9 seconds left for a 112-111 Clippers lead.
Bibby said he was not tremendously discouraged during the time out, perhaps because he knew he was going to get the ball.
Adelman said he did not have much decision-making to do.
"Put the ball in his (Bibby's) hands!" the coach said. "I am not stupid even though a lot of people think I am, but I knew he was going to have the ball."
That the Kings were in position to win the game really came down to Thomas, Bibby and Corliss Williamson, who scored a season-high 22 points in just 22 minutes off the bench. Thomas had 12 points and nine rebounds, but also a block of a dunk attempt by Clippers swingman Quenton Ross with 1:06 left and his team up 108-106.
The Kings were that close because Bibby had knocked the ball away from Brunson on L.A.'s previous possession, taken a pass from Williamson and scored on a driving layin. He'd missed the free throw after drawing a foul on Corey Maggette (a team-high 26 points), but the best must have been saved for last.
"I just wanted to make sure I got the ball," said Bibby, who came wide open to receive the inbounds pass from Cuttino Mobley (21 points) in part because someone grabbed Ross' jersey. "I didn't want to go inside and get beaten up, so I'm thinking jump shot." Said Maggette of Bibby, "He is a hell of a player and he's the core of this team. He's the backbone of this team. ... and the last two times he hit game-winning shots."
It's Bibby to the rescue
His last-second shot helps the Kings avoid a loss to the road-bested Clippers.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, March 12, 2005
In a quiet moment, Mike Bibby will tell you.
During a loud moment, he'll also tell you.
This is what he does. He takes and makes clutch shots.
However, this is a bit ridiculous even for him.
For the first time in his life, Bibby made a game-winning shot for the second consecutive game in the last second - this one a 22-footer just right of the top of the key - to give the Kings a 113-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night at Arco Arena before a sellout crowd of 17,317.
He scored a game-high 28 points, 10 of which came during the game's final 5:11, added a game-high 12 assists during a 41-minute, one-turnover performance.
The game featured 23 lead changes and 13 ties. It had to leave the Clippers (27-35) wondering exactly what it is they must do to win in this building. They outshot the Kings (55.8 percent to 52.9 percent); out-rebounded them (40-30) and out-assisted them (27-21) to come away with nothing. The Clippers have lost 14 straight games at Arco and a league-high 12 straight games decided by three points or less.
Kings coach Rick Adelman knew good luck had been on his side for the second straight night.
"At least he didn't use the glass this time," the coach said referring to Bibby's 33-foot heave Tuesday night that beat the Memphis Grizzlies at the buzzer. "I told him to make it go straight in and that's what he did."
What Bibby did was help the Kings shake off a relative avalanche of turnovers (six in the last eight minutes after three in the first 39:15). That included one by Kenny Thomas with 14 seconds on the clock and the Kings up 111-110. Clippers small forward Bobby Simmons had missed a corner jump shot Thomas rebounded just as he saw Peja Stojakovic open on the right sideline.
Unfortunately, Thomas led Stojakovic too far with the pass and Clippers guard Rick Brunson beat him to it. With a foul to give, the Kings neither used it nor defended Brunson well in the open court who assisted Simmons on a layin with 4.9 seconds left for a 112-111 Clippers lead.
Bibby said he was not tremendously discouraged during the time out, perhaps because he knew he was going to get the ball.
Adelman said he did not have much decision-making to do.
"Put the ball in his (Bibby's) hands!" the coach said. "I am not stupid even though a lot of people think I am, but I knew he was going to have the ball."
That the Kings were in position to win the game really came down to Thomas, Bibby and Corliss Williamson, who scored a season-high 22 points in just 22 minutes off the bench. Thomas had 12 points and nine rebounds, but also a block of a dunk attempt by Clippers swingman Quenton Ross with 1:06 left and his team up 108-106.
The Kings were that close because Bibby had knocked the ball away from Brunson on L.A.'s previous possession, taken a pass from Williamson and scored on a driving layin. He'd missed the free throw after drawing a foul on Corey Maggette (a team-high 26 points), but the best must have been saved for last.
"I just wanted to make sure I got the ball," said Bibby, who came wide open to receive the inbounds pass from Cuttino Mobley (21 points) in part because someone grabbed Ross' jersey. "I didn't want to go inside and get beaten up, so I'm thinking jump shot." Said Maggette of Bibby, "He is a hell of a player and he's the core of this team. He's the backbone of this team. ... and the last two times he hit game-winning shots."
