LMM
Starter
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11936011p-12823059c.html
Kings Garden fodder no more
Maurice Evans keys a strong defensive effort to defeat the Knicks.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, January 5, 2005
NEW YORK - None of the current Kings had defeated the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden, and for a while Tuesday, it looked as if this time it would be easy.
Then it looked as if a seven-game Kings losing streak at the Garden would reach eight.
But after losing a 16-point second-quarter lead, the Kings eventually used their poise and a better defensive effort in the fourth quarter for a 105-98 victory before a sellout crowd.
Sacramento won its third straight game, fourth consecutive road game and eighth in its past nine away from home by putting five players in double figures. Chris Webber led the way with 22 points, Peja Stojakovic scored 21, and Mike Bibby added 19 points and seven assists.
The Kings benefited greatly from a strong performance by swingman Maurice Evans, who scored a career-high 16 points and played the game's final 15 minutes in place of shooting guard Doug Christie.
Kings coach Rick Adelman said he stayed with Evans down the stretch because he was playing well and doing a solid job defensively on Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury.
The Knicks guard had torched the Kings for 17 of his game-high 26 in the third quarter in leading New York to four-point leads twice in the period.
But the Kings put together a 10-2 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to turn a 77-73 deficit into an 83-79 advantage and never trailed in the fourth quarter.
Marbury, who was 7 of 10 from the field during the third quarter when the Knicks outscored the Kings 36-25, went 0 for 4 from the field in the fourth and scored just one point.
Adelman was pleased to see his team begin its four-game, five-night trip with a victory. Sacramento plays in Toronto tonight.
"I stayed with Maurice because he was making Marbury work," Adelman said. "He was able to stay in front of him and made him earn every point. We felt good with the matchup of Mike (Bibby) on (Allan) Houston. It was a good test for Maurice, except for the technical."
Evans picked up a technical for what was announced by the public-address announcer as hanging on the rim.
"I felt comfortable the whole night," said Evans, who scored 10 points during his first nine minutes in the first half. "I was able to get a couple of easy baskets, and I think that makes a world of difference sometimes."
Evans said his name was mentioned as a defensive matchup against Marbury before the game. Evans showed the savvy of a veteran after the game when a local reporter asked him to talk about stopping Marbury.
"I wouldn't say I stopped him," said the 6-foot-5 Evans, who made 7 of 9 field goals while matching a career high of 27 minutes of action. "I was just able to keep my feet moving, and I think maybe my length bothered him."
Marbury may have been speaking about himself as much as his team when he said: "We exerted so much energy in the third quarter that we didn't have anything left for the fourth quarter." Webber, who made two huge jumpers in the game's final 90 seconds, added a team-high 11 rebounds. The Kings also were aided greatly by 10 rebounds in 14 minutes from backup center Greg Ostertag.
Kings Garden fodder no more
Maurice Evans keys a strong defensive effort to defeat the Knicks.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, January 5, 2005
NEW YORK - None of the current Kings had defeated the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden, and for a while Tuesday, it looked as if this time it would be easy.
Then it looked as if a seven-game Kings losing streak at the Garden would reach eight.
But after losing a 16-point second-quarter lead, the Kings eventually used their poise and a better defensive effort in the fourth quarter for a 105-98 victory before a sellout crowd.
Sacramento won its third straight game, fourth consecutive road game and eighth in its past nine away from home by putting five players in double figures. Chris Webber led the way with 22 points, Peja Stojakovic scored 21, and Mike Bibby added 19 points and seven assists.
The Kings benefited greatly from a strong performance by swingman Maurice Evans, who scored a career-high 16 points and played the game's final 15 minutes in place of shooting guard Doug Christie.
Kings coach Rick Adelman said he stayed with Evans down the stretch because he was playing well and doing a solid job defensively on Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury.
The Knicks guard had torched the Kings for 17 of his game-high 26 in the third quarter in leading New York to four-point leads twice in the period.
But the Kings put together a 10-2 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to turn a 77-73 deficit into an 83-79 advantage and never trailed in the fourth quarter.
Marbury, who was 7 of 10 from the field during the third quarter when the Knicks outscored the Kings 36-25, went 0 for 4 from the field in the fourth and scored just one point.
Adelman was pleased to see his team begin its four-game, five-night trip with a victory. Sacramento plays in Toronto tonight.
"I stayed with Maurice because he was making Marbury work," Adelman said. "He was able to stay in front of him and made him earn every point. We felt good with the matchup of Mike (Bibby) on (Allan) Houston. It was a good test for Maurice, except for the technical."
Evans picked up a technical for what was announced by the public-address announcer as hanging on the rim.
"I felt comfortable the whole night," said Evans, who scored 10 points during his first nine minutes in the first half. "I was able to get a couple of easy baskets, and I think that makes a world of difference sometimes."
Evans said his name was mentioned as a defensive matchup against Marbury before the game. Evans showed the savvy of a veteran after the game when a local reporter asked him to talk about stopping Marbury.
"I wouldn't say I stopped him," said the 6-foot-5 Evans, who made 7 of 9 field goals while matching a career high of 27 minutes of action. "I was just able to keep my feet moving, and I think maybe my length bothered him."
Marbury may have been speaking about himself as much as his team when he said: "We exerted so much energy in the third quarter that we didn't have anything left for the fourth quarter." Webber, who made two huge jumpers in the game's final 90 seconds, added a team-high 11 rebounds. The Kings also were aided greatly by 10 rebounds in 14 minutes from backup center Greg Ostertag.