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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12660813p-13514094c.html
Kings go to reserve tank
With the starters struggling, the backups step up to crush Cavaliers
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, April 2, 2005
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CLEVELAND - Rick Adelman wasn't intentionally trying to teach his starters a lesson during the second quarter of his Kings' 128-109 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. But the coach wouldn't mind if some education did occur.
As it was, the blowout victory helped the Kings take a major step toward clinching an NBA playoff berth. The magic number for doing so is three.
The Kings have a 45-29 record and, combined with Houston's home loss to the New Orleans Hornets, moved into fifth place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Rockets (44-29).
Moreover, Minnesota's road loss to the Phoenix Suns dropped the Timberwolves to 38-35 and decreased the number of games they can win to 47. So a Kings victory over the T-wolves on Sunday at Arco Arena would force Minnesota to have to win out to finagle a tie with Sacramento.
However, Adelman was concerned only about winning Friday's game.
He kept every starter but shooting guard Cuttino Mobley on the sideline after reserves Corliss Williamson, Darius Songaila, Eddie House and Maurice Evans played well during a game-turning second quarter. That group swung the momentum in the Kings' favor with a devastating 41-19 advantage over the Cavaliers.
The starters re-entered the game to start the third quarter and quickly turned a 73-52 halftime lead into a 31-point advantage the Kings held on three different occasions.
Cleveland eventually trimmed the Kings' lead to 115-106 and had a chance to narrow it further. But Anderson Varejao airballed a 12-foot jumper, and Mike Bibby followed with a three-pointer to push the Kings' lead to 12 with 3:33 left.
Varejao then missed a driving attempt on which it appeared he was fouled - with no call - and Bibby stroked another jumper as he was fouled by Sasha Pavlovic with 2:46 left. Bibby hit the free throw to ice the game.
The Kings haven't struggled against Cleveland's defense this season. Before Friday, the Kings' 123 points Jan. 20 were the most scored against the Cavaliers. The Kings' 41 second-quarter points were the most they have scored this season, as were their 73 first-half points.
And neither the season-high scoring or the victory would have come without the huge boost from the bench.
"That second group was just great in the second quarter," Adelman said after the victory over Cleveland, which was playing its fourth game - two of which went into overtime - in five nights. "(The second group) took (the Cavaliers') momentum away, played hard, played together at both ends of the court and changed the game."
For the first time this season, Adelman looked down his bench toward the middle of the second quarter and decided to stay with his reserves. As much as the reserves had played well, it was Adelman's recollection of how his starters had played to open the previous few games that made his decision for him.
"The second group that was on the floor deserved to stay in the game," he said. "They brought us back, and they played extremely well. They just kept going. That's what I told the (starters) at halftime: 'I hope you learned a lesson. Now it's your turn to go out there and control the third quarter.' "Our starters played better in the second half, but we've been doing that."
Kings go to reserve tank
With the starters struggling, the backups step up to crush Cavaliers
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, April 2, 2005
Get the latest news in sacbee.com's Kings Alert newsletter. Sign up here.
CLEVELAND - Rick Adelman wasn't intentionally trying to teach his starters a lesson during the second quarter of his Kings' 128-109 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. But the coach wouldn't mind if some education did occur.
As it was, the blowout victory helped the Kings take a major step toward clinching an NBA playoff berth. The magic number for doing so is three.
The Kings have a 45-29 record and, combined with Houston's home loss to the New Orleans Hornets, moved into fifth place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Rockets (44-29).
Moreover, Minnesota's road loss to the Phoenix Suns dropped the Timberwolves to 38-35 and decreased the number of games they can win to 47. So a Kings victory over the T-wolves on Sunday at Arco Arena would force Minnesota to have to win out to finagle a tie with Sacramento.
However, Adelman was concerned only about winning Friday's game.
He kept every starter but shooting guard Cuttino Mobley on the sideline after reserves Corliss Williamson, Darius Songaila, Eddie House and Maurice Evans played well during a game-turning second quarter. That group swung the momentum in the Kings' favor with a devastating 41-19 advantage over the Cavaliers.
The starters re-entered the game to start the third quarter and quickly turned a 73-52 halftime lead into a 31-point advantage the Kings held on three different occasions.
Cleveland eventually trimmed the Kings' lead to 115-106 and had a chance to narrow it further. But Anderson Varejao airballed a 12-foot jumper, and Mike Bibby followed with a three-pointer to push the Kings' lead to 12 with 3:33 left.
Varejao then missed a driving attempt on which it appeared he was fouled - with no call - and Bibby stroked another jumper as he was fouled by Sasha Pavlovic with 2:46 left. Bibby hit the free throw to ice the game.
The Kings haven't struggled against Cleveland's defense this season. Before Friday, the Kings' 123 points Jan. 20 were the most scored against the Cavaliers. The Kings' 41 second-quarter points were the most they have scored this season, as were their 73 first-half points.
And neither the season-high scoring or the victory would have come without the huge boost from the bench.
"That second group was just great in the second quarter," Adelman said after the victory over Cleveland, which was playing its fourth game - two of which went into overtime - in five nights. "(The second group) took (the Cavaliers') momentum away, played hard, played together at both ends of the court and changed the game."
For the first time this season, Adelman looked down his bench toward the middle of the second quarter and decided to stay with his reserves. As much as the reserves had played well, it was Adelman's recollection of how his starters had played to open the previous few games that made his decision for him.
"The second group that was on the floor deserved to stay in the game," he said. "They brought us back, and they played extremely well. They just kept going. That's what I told the (starters) at halftime: 'I hope you learned a lesson. Now it's your turn to go out there and control the third quarter.' "Our starters played better in the second half, but we've been doing that."
