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Kings get one on the road
Sacramento looks like old self, rebounds from Seattle debacle
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, November 14, 2004
PHOENIX - After the Kings' 113-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night, Doug Christie was making a hasty departure from the locker room when he started to play around with the English language.
"I felt a lot better," Christie, hampered by tender foot tissue, said after playing a season-high 34 minutes and contributing 10 points, six assists, four steals and two blocked shots. "That felt almost Kings-ish, if that even is a word." OAS_AD('Button20');
A word it is not, but a feeling it certainly is. And following a 30-point loss at Seattle in which the Kings' effort and mental toughness easily could have been questioned, Christie's description was accurate.
It also applied to the way coach Rick Adelman shortened his rotation. Basically, he used just seven players, with Matt Barnes receiving an eight-minute run. But each of those seven players produced and played intelligently at each end of the court as the Kings won their first road game after four losses.
Brad Miller, who had 14 points and seven rebounds, hit the game's biggest shot. His 21-footer from the top of the key gave Sacramento a 112-109 lead with 24.9 seconds left.
Chris Webber led the Kings in scoring (28 points) and rebounding (10) and was solid all night from the field, making 12 of 23 shots. His partners in shooting woe entering the game, Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson, also played major roles.
Stojakovic made 8 of 15 shots, including 4 of 7 three-point attempts, on the way to 23 points. He entered the game shooting 34.6 percent from the field and 19.4 percent from three-point range.
"I figured out that at some point my shots were going to start to fall," Stojakovic said. "I mean, I've really been shooting poorly. That's not me. But it's also about our team and how we play. When we move the ball and people, that is the way we have to play."
Jackson, playing primarily with the team's core unit, sank 5 of 9 shots for 10 timely points.
"Yeah, I felt more comfortable playing with the guys who have been here," Jackson said. "It's nothing against the young guys. They just have to learn the offense and learn how we play, and we have to learn how they play."
The Kings put up more familiar offensive numbers, shooting 49.4 percent (43 of 87), including 46.7 percent (7 of 15) from three-point range. They also made 90.9 percent (20 of 22) of their free throws. And at the other end, they forced 17 turnovers that they converted into 21 points.
Forced turnovers usually reveal the amount of energy and activity the Kings exert. Without such energy, even lights-out shooting might not be enough against a good team.
"We were so much better offensively than we have been," Adelman said after the Kings never let the high-scoring Suns gain a double-digit lead. "When we play better offensively, we don't have to be as good defensively. And that's good, because we're not that great of a defensive team. But if we move the ball and play well offensively as a team, that's how we stay in games."
Still, the Suns (4-2) made the Kings sweat at the end. Christie missed 1 of 2 free throws and the chance to give Sacramento a three-point advantage with 12.8 seconds left. But good looks at jump shots by Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson did not fall for Phoenix in the final four seconds.
Adelman's reserves could receive a chance to play tonight against Denver at Arco Arena. Despite the back-to-back set, the coach brought only Jackson, Darius Songaila and Barnes, in a cameo, off the bench.
"I was planning on playing Matt more," Adelman said, "but Peja got it going, and I wanted him to keep his rhythm. He needs to get going, and we have to start getting some momentum. The young guys can play (tonight), but we needed to get this game."
Webber said the victory was satisfying. "It felt a lot better," he said. "The way we were in a groove, we saw it coming."
Kings get one on the road
Sacramento looks like old self, rebounds from Seattle debacle
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, November 14, 2004
PHOENIX - After the Kings' 113-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night, Doug Christie was making a hasty departure from the locker room when he started to play around with the English language.
"I felt a lot better," Christie, hampered by tender foot tissue, said after playing a season-high 34 minutes and contributing 10 points, six assists, four steals and two blocked shots. "That felt almost Kings-ish, if that even is a word." OAS_AD('Button20');
A word it is not, but a feeling it certainly is. And following a 30-point loss at Seattle in which the Kings' effort and mental toughness easily could have been questioned, Christie's description was accurate.
It also applied to the way coach Rick Adelman shortened his rotation. Basically, he used just seven players, with Matt Barnes receiving an eight-minute run. But each of those seven players produced and played intelligently at each end of the court as the Kings won their first road game after four losses.
Brad Miller, who had 14 points and seven rebounds, hit the game's biggest shot. His 21-footer from the top of the key gave Sacramento a 112-109 lead with 24.9 seconds left.
Chris Webber led the Kings in scoring (28 points) and rebounding (10) and was solid all night from the field, making 12 of 23 shots. His partners in shooting woe entering the game, Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson, also played major roles.
Stojakovic made 8 of 15 shots, including 4 of 7 three-point attempts, on the way to 23 points. He entered the game shooting 34.6 percent from the field and 19.4 percent from three-point range.
"I figured out that at some point my shots were going to start to fall," Stojakovic said. "I mean, I've really been shooting poorly. That's not me. But it's also about our team and how we play. When we move the ball and people, that is the way we have to play."
Jackson, playing primarily with the team's core unit, sank 5 of 9 shots for 10 timely points.
"Yeah, I felt more comfortable playing with the guys who have been here," Jackson said. "It's nothing against the young guys. They just have to learn the offense and learn how we play, and we have to learn how they play."
The Kings put up more familiar offensive numbers, shooting 49.4 percent (43 of 87), including 46.7 percent (7 of 15) from three-point range. They also made 90.9 percent (20 of 22) of their free throws. And at the other end, they forced 17 turnovers that they converted into 21 points.
Forced turnovers usually reveal the amount of energy and activity the Kings exert. Without such energy, even lights-out shooting might not be enough against a good team.
"We were so much better offensively than we have been," Adelman said after the Kings never let the high-scoring Suns gain a double-digit lead. "When we play better offensively, we don't have to be as good defensively. And that's good, because we're not that great of a defensive team. But if we move the ball and play well offensively as a team, that's how we stay in games."
Still, the Suns (4-2) made the Kings sweat at the end. Christie missed 1 of 2 free throws and the chance to give Sacramento a three-point advantage with 12.8 seconds left. But good looks at jump shots by Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson did not fall for Phoenix in the final four seconds.
Adelman's reserves could receive a chance to play tonight against Denver at Arco Arena. Despite the back-to-back set, the coach brought only Jackson, Darius Songaila and Barnes, in a cameo, off the bench.
"I was planning on playing Matt more," Adelman said, "but Peja got it going, and I wanted him to keep his rhythm. He needs to get going, and we have to start getting some momentum. The young guys can play (tonight), but we needed to get this game."
Webber said the victory was satisfying. "It felt a lot better," he said. "The way we were in a groove, we saw it coming."
