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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12704328p-13556777c.html
Kings notes: Adelman has 2 more goals
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 10, 2005
The playoffs are a sure thing now for the Kings, and with five games left, coach Rick Adelman says he has two regular-season goals.
"I told them a week ago to see if we could finish above .500 on the road and win 50 games," Adelman said Friday night after his team clinched its seventh straight playoff berth with its victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. "That would be pretty darned good with everything that has gone on this (season)."
Adelman has used 20 different starting lineups this season after never having to use more than 13 in any of his previous five seasons. In fact, Adelman used only 18 starting lineups combined during the previous two.
The victory over Portland gave Sacramento (47-30) a 19-19 road record with three away games remaining - in Los Angeles (Friday) against the Lakers, in Phoenix (Saturday) and in Salt Lake City (April 18) against the Jazz.
First, though, are the Lakers at Arco Arena this afternoon, and Adelman says he wants to test a few combinations.
"I think I'm more likely - instead of how I did (Friday night) and left Mike (Bibby) in there the whole second half - to play the other guys," the coach said. "I've got to play those other guys and see who is going to play in the playoffs and which way we'll go.
"I'll play Corliss (Williamson) behind Peja (Stojakovic) and also at the four (power forward) spot and Kenny (Thomas) maybe, too, just so we can find out how we can play against whoever we play. I want to try and evaluate it and play different combinations of people.
"But you've still got to play to win. I'm not going to just sit guys down and play them half games."
Miller looks forward to Monday - Brad Miller's fractured left fibula will be re-examined Monday, and if the healing is complete, he'll likely be cleared to increase workouts. Miller injured his leg on March 12 and was told it would be four to six weeks before he would be healthy enough to rehabilitate for a return to action.
Miller has been shooting standstill before games for the past week and has walked around the court comfortably enough for assistant coach Pete Carril to remark that he was encouraged.
Miller missed six games with a left calf contusion before fracturing his leg and has not played since Feb. 27.
Cat strikes best late - Kings shooting guard Cuttino Mobley refers to himself as a "fourth-quarter" player, but in the 38 games he's played with Sacramento, the second half has been his playtime as far as accuracy.
Mobley has shot just 40.9 percent overall and 32.9 percent from three-point range in the first halves of games. In the second halves, Mobley, who clearly enjoys taking and making big shots, has shot 49.8 percent from the field, including 50.5 percent from long distance.
Even more important than percentages is when Mobley scores.
For instance, Friday night against Portland, he was just 1 of 3 from three-point range, but the make gave the Kings a six-point lead midway through the fourth.
Et cetera - The Kings clinched their playoff berth this season with five games remaining.
That's the first time they've done so with fewer than double-digit games remaining since the 1999 lockout season, when they did so with two games left in the 50-game campaign.
* Sacramento's 27-10 advantage in second-chance points against Portland tied its largest margin of the season. In the 22 games since Brian Skinner, Thomas and Williamson joined the Kings, Sacramento has held an advantage in second-chance points in 15 contests. Take that with a grain of salt. That stat also is somewhat reflective of how many shots are missed and made by each team.
Sacramento is 11-6 since losing the last three games of the six-game East Coast trip on which the aforementioned players were acquired. * The Kings averaged 111 points in the 11 victories and 94.7 points in the losses. Conversely, the opposition averaged 100.7 in the Kings' wins and 106.5 in the losses.
Kings notes: Adelman has 2 more goals
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 10, 2005
The playoffs are a sure thing now for the Kings, and with five games left, coach Rick Adelman says he has two regular-season goals.
"I told them a week ago to see if we could finish above .500 on the road and win 50 games," Adelman said Friday night after his team clinched its seventh straight playoff berth with its victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. "That would be pretty darned good with everything that has gone on this (season)."
Adelman has used 20 different starting lineups this season after never having to use more than 13 in any of his previous five seasons. In fact, Adelman used only 18 starting lineups combined during the previous two.
The victory over Portland gave Sacramento (47-30) a 19-19 road record with three away games remaining - in Los Angeles (Friday) against the Lakers, in Phoenix (Saturday) and in Salt Lake City (April 18) against the Jazz.
First, though, are the Lakers at Arco Arena this afternoon, and Adelman says he wants to test a few combinations.
"I think I'm more likely - instead of how I did (Friday night) and left Mike (Bibby) in there the whole second half - to play the other guys," the coach said. "I've got to play those other guys and see who is going to play in the playoffs and which way we'll go.
"I'll play Corliss (Williamson) behind Peja (Stojakovic) and also at the four (power forward) spot and Kenny (Thomas) maybe, too, just so we can find out how we can play against whoever we play. I want to try and evaluate it and play different combinations of people.
"But you've still got to play to win. I'm not going to just sit guys down and play them half games."
Miller looks forward to Monday - Brad Miller's fractured left fibula will be re-examined Monday, and if the healing is complete, he'll likely be cleared to increase workouts. Miller injured his leg on March 12 and was told it would be four to six weeks before he would be healthy enough to rehabilitate for a return to action.
Miller has been shooting standstill before games for the past week and has walked around the court comfortably enough for assistant coach Pete Carril to remark that he was encouraged.
Miller missed six games with a left calf contusion before fracturing his leg and has not played since Feb. 27.
Cat strikes best late - Kings shooting guard Cuttino Mobley refers to himself as a "fourth-quarter" player, but in the 38 games he's played with Sacramento, the second half has been his playtime as far as accuracy.
Mobley has shot just 40.9 percent overall and 32.9 percent from three-point range in the first halves of games. In the second halves, Mobley, who clearly enjoys taking and making big shots, has shot 49.8 percent from the field, including 50.5 percent from long distance.
Even more important than percentages is when Mobley scores.
For instance, Friday night against Portland, he was just 1 of 3 from three-point range, but the make gave the Kings a six-point lead midway through the fourth.
Et cetera - The Kings clinched their playoff berth this season with five games remaining.
That's the first time they've done so with fewer than double-digit games remaining since the 1999 lockout season, when they did so with two games left in the 50-game campaign.
* Sacramento's 27-10 advantage in second-chance points against Portland tied its largest margin of the season. In the 22 games since Brian Skinner, Thomas and Williamson joined the Kings, Sacramento has held an advantage in second-chance points in 15 contests. Take that with a grain of salt. That stat also is somewhat reflective of how many shots are missed and made by each team.
Sacramento is 11-6 since losing the last three games of the six-game East Coast trip on which the aforementioned players were acquired. * The Kings averaged 111 points in the 11 victories and 94.7 points in the losses. Conversely, the opposition averaged 100.7 in the Kings' wins and 106.5 in the losses.
