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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13967245p-14801328c.html
Kings catch fire, stop slump
Behind Bonzi Wells' 31 points, Sacramento posts season highs in points and shooting percentage.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 11, 2005
SEATTLE - There was no collapse this time.
The only lying down was by Bonzi Wells, who was stretched out on the floor near the Kings' bench with an aching back. In obvious discomfort late in the third quarter, he gave all impressions that a return against the Seattle SuperSonics - not to mention a much-needed win - was hardly a sure thing.
Only seconds later, Wells was hitting a 22-footer from the left side, then another from 19 feet on the next possession, cool and collected in ways unseen from these Kings of late. With a 22-point lead here in cloud country, the black Kings cloud that lingered for so long was finally on its way.
The five-game losing streak ended with a 123-104 win at KeyArena on Saturday night that featured nearly everything that was missing before. The Kings resisted all temptation to let up at all the wrong times, starting and finishing quarters as their monstrous lead never shrunk below 16 points in the fourth quarter. They answered the lingering bench question by showing no need for one, as the starters combined for a startling 110 points. And it didn't hurt that the Sonics came in as the league's worst defensive unit, allowing 103.8 points per game.
But all was well, most of all, because of Wells. The Kings shooting guard finished with a season-high 31 points, hitting 13 of 22 shots. The Kings shot a season-high 58.1 percent and registered a season high in points to go with 30 assists - only the second time this season they had 30 or more.
"Twenty-two (shots)? Don't tell Mike (Bibby)," Wells said. "My teammates were looking for me. They knew I had a hot hand today. I just finally hit my shots. It was just my day today, and I know tomorrow it'll be someone else's day."
In truth, it was anyone's day who wore those still-funky gold uniforms. Bibby contributed 24 points, making 3 of 4 three-pointers. Peja Stojakovic had his best game since his shooting hand was reinjured in this building Nov. 20, when he scored 25 first-half points, went scoreless in the second half after the injury and missed the next three games. He finished with 23 points, hitting 8 of 14 overall and 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. Power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 17 points and seven rebounds, while center Brad Miller had 15 points and 10 assists.
"Offensively we played so well, just moved the ball and found people," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "They came out, were resilient tonight. I think the more the game went on, the more confident we got. Now we'll see if we can maintain it."
The Sonics came in the hotter squad by far, winners of four of five and having won 26 of their last 33 games against the Kings in Seattle. The Kings' playoff opponent from last season's first round had won six of the last eight meetings against the Kings, including the postseason.
But two nights removed from the Houston humbling in which they gave up a 14-point third-quarter lead, the Kings led 62-57 at halftime. A 6-1 spurt to end the second quarter was a change in trends, when a Bibby 15-footer was followed by a Kings steal and a Stojakovic layup, and the Kings' cylinders were aflame. They opened the third quarter on a 26-7 run, hitting 9 of 12 shots while the Sonics missed 15 of 18 to push the lead to 88-64.
The Sonics - who have spent much of the season in search of a third scorer - went back on that very same hunt. Shooting guard Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis combined for 41 points, the only starters to score more than 10 points. Seattle shot 43.7 percent from the field.
"We gave them a lot of confidence tonight," Seattle coach Bob Weiss said. "Bonzi Wells was constantly finding the free spots underneath the rim - four offensive rebounds for him in the first half. And when you do that, you create easy buckets, set a pace for yourself." A pace the Kings hope has changed.
Kings catch fire, stop slump
Behind Bonzi Wells' 31 points, Sacramento posts season highs in points and shooting percentage.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 11, 2005
SEATTLE - There was no collapse this time.
The only lying down was by Bonzi Wells, who was stretched out on the floor near the Kings' bench with an aching back. In obvious discomfort late in the third quarter, he gave all impressions that a return against the Seattle SuperSonics - not to mention a much-needed win - was hardly a sure thing.
Only seconds later, Wells was hitting a 22-footer from the left side, then another from 19 feet on the next possession, cool and collected in ways unseen from these Kings of late. With a 22-point lead here in cloud country, the black Kings cloud that lingered for so long was finally on its way.
The five-game losing streak ended with a 123-104 win at KeyArena on Saturday night that featured nearly everything that was missing before. The Kings resisted all temptation to let up at all the wrong times, starting and finishing quarters as their monstrous lead never shrunk below 16 points in the fourth quarter. They answered the lingering bench question by showing no need for one, as the starters combined for a startling 110 points. And it didn't hurt that the Sonics came in as the league's worst defensive unit, allowing 103.8 points per game.
But all was well, most of all, because of Wells. The Kings shooting guard finished with a season-high 31 points, hitting 13 of 22 shots. The Kings shot a season-high 58.1 percent and registered a season high in points to go with 30 assists - only the second time this season they had 30 or more.
"Twenty-two (shots)? Don't tell Mike (Bibby)," Wells said. "My teammates were looking for me. They knew I had a hot hand today. I just finally hit my shots. It was just my day today, and I know tomorrow it'll be someone else's day."
In truth, it was anyone's day who wore those still-funky gold uniforms. Bibby contributed 24 points, making 3 of 4 three-pointers. Peja Stojakovic had his best game since his shooting hand was reinjured in this building Nov. 20, when he scored 25 first-half points, went scoreless in the second half after the injury and missed the next three games. He finished with 23 points, hitting 8 of 14 overall and 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. Power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 17 points and seven rebounds, while center Brad Miller had 15 points and 10 assists.
"Offensively we played so well, just moved the ball and found people," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "They came out, were resilient tonight. I think the more the game went on, the more confident we got. Now we'll see if we can maintain it."
The Sonics came in the hotter squad by far, winners of four of five and having won 26 of their last 33 games against the Kings in Seattle. The Kings' playoff opponent from last season's first round had won six of the last eight meetings against the Kings, including the postseason.
But two nights removed from the Houston humbling in which they gave up a 14-point third-quarter lead, the Kings led 62-57 at halftime. A 6-1 spurt to end the second quarter was a change in trends, when a Bibby 15-footer was followed by a Kings steal and a Stojakovic layup, and the Kings' cylinders were aflame. They opened the third quarter on a 26-7 run, hitting 9 of 12 shots while the Sonics missed 15 of 18 to push the lead to 88-64.
The Sonics - who have spent much of the season in search of a third scorer - went back on that very same hunt. Shooting guard Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis combined for 41 points, the only starters to score more than 10 points. Seattle shot 43.7 percent from the field.
"We gave them a lot of confidence tonight," Seattle coach Bob Weiss said. "Bonzi Wells was constantly finding the free spots underneath the rim - four offensive rebounds for him in the first half. And when you do that, you create easy buckets, set a pace for yourself." A pace the Kings hope has changed.
