LMM
Starter
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14028588p-14860768c.html
Kings notes: Fighting a cold, Bibby stays hot
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, December 31, 2005[/B]
Mike Bibby would prefer not to feel as if he's about to cough up his left lung, thank you.
But as serious colds go, this one hasn't been completely unkind. He's still standing, for one thing.
The Kings guard put together his second consecutive monster game, resulting in two cherished victories to give the season some hope heading into the new year. He warded off a case of the pregame hacks - and a lot of in-game hacks by Boston Celtics defenders determined to slow him down with pressure even on inbounds plays.
Bibby scored 33 points and had 10 assists in the 116-112 victory at Arco Arena on Friday night. Those totals are fresh off his season-high 38 points and 10 assists in defeating the first-place Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
Bibby didn't stick around after the game, showering, then hustling home for some sack time.
"Mike's setting the tempo," teammate Kenny Thomas said. "He's putting us on his back, and we're following him. I have the utmost confidence in him. I know Mike is going to do whatever he has to do."
Said Boston's Ricky Davis: ''Bibby played tough; he had an incredible game. He shot the lights out of the ball. We tried different rotations on him, but nothing seemed to work.''
Hot and cold -The Celtics rallied with the long ball in the third quarter, hitting 7 of 11 three-point shots to tie an Arco opponent record high for a quarter in scoring 37 total points, the most yielded by Sacramento in a period this season. Davis and Paul Pierce combined for five of those shots in their personal 1-2 clinic.
In the fourth quarter, heavier legs told a different story. Boston made just 1 of 9, with Pierce and Davis a combined 1 for 8, from long range.
Peja update -Peja Stojakovic sat out his second consecutive game with a troublesome right groin strain. The Kings forward said he can run up and down the floor but any time he accelerates or tries to jump, he feels a twinge. He expects to be game-ready Tuesday at home against the Philadelphia 76ers.
In the meantime, Stojakovic sits and stews at the action that unfolds in front of him, mindful a little rest is better than rushing things. He sat out the final three regular-season games last season to rest his groin and had a productive playoff series against Seattle.
"On game days, when I don't play, I don't feel right (mentally) because I'd rather be playing,'' he said. "For every athlete, injuries are the worst. We're dependent on our bodies. Thank goodness I don't have anything serious. I'm hoping for better luck for 2006.''
Grade checking -NBA national writer Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com issued report cards for the first quarter of the season. He handed out only two F grades, one for the New York Knicks and one for the Kings. The Detroit Pistons were the only team to earn an A (actually an A-plus). Incidentally, Boston earned a C-minus; never mind its 11-16 record entering Friday's action.
All-Star updates -The next batch of All-Star results as voted by fans are in, with little love for the Kings.
No Kings are listed among the top 10 Western Conference forwards, with Tracy McGrady of Houston leading the way at the position with a little more than 1 million votes. Bibby is ninth among 10 guards with 116,061 votes; Kobe Bryant of the Lakers leads the pack with about 1.2 million. Brad Miller is sixth among centers with 100,319 votes. Yao Ming of Houston leads that position with about 1.3 million.
NUMBERS
10: Number of seasons since the Celtics last won at Arco Arena.
106: Number of points for the Kings' starters - a season high.
SOUND BITES
"I am just trying to inch my way up. I'm not trying to go for 30 or I'll probably never have one again."
Kings notes: Fighting a cold, Bibby stays hot
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, December 31, 2005[/B]
Mike Bibby would prefer not to feel as if he's about to cough up his left lung, thank you.
But as serious colds go, this one hasn't been completely unkind. He's still standing, for one thing.
The Kings guard put together his second consecutive monster game, resulting in two cherished victories to give the season some hope heading into the new year. He warded off a case of the pregame hacks - and a lot of in-game hacks by Boston Celtics defenders determined to slow him down with pressure even on inbounds plays.
Bibby scored 33 points and had 10 assists in the 116-112 victory at Arco Arena on Friday night. Those totals are fresh off his season-high 38 points and 10 assists in defeating the first-place Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
Bibby didn't stick around after the game, showering, then hustling home for some sack time.
"Mike's setting the tempo," teammate Kenny Thomas said. "He's putting us on his back, and we're following him. I have the utmost confidence in him. I know Mike is going to do whatever he has to do."
Said Boston's Ricky Davis: ''Bibby played tough; he had an incredible game. He shot the lights out of the ball. We tried different rotations on him, but nothing seemed to work.''
Hot and cold -The Celtics rallied with the long ball in the third quarter, hitting 7 of 11 three-point shots to tie an Arco opponent record high for a quarter in scoring 37 total points, the most yielded by Sacramento in a period this season. Davis and Paul Pierce combined for five of those shots in their personal 1-2 clinic.
In the fourth quarter, heavier legs told a different story. Boston made just 1 of 9, with Pierce and Davis a combined 1 for 8, from long range.
Peja update -Peja Stojakovic sat out his second consecutive game with a troublesome right groin strain. The Kings forward said he can run up and down the floor but any time he accelerates or tries to jump, he feels a twinge. He expects to be game-ready Tuesday at home against the Philadelphia 76ers.
In the meantime, Stojakovic sits and stews at the action that unfolds in front of him, mindful a little rest is better than rushing things. He sat out the final three regular-season games last season to rest his groin and had a productive playoff series against Seattle.
"On game days, when I don't play, I don't feel right (mentally) because I'd rather be playing,'' he said. "For every athlete, injuries are the worst. We're dependent on our bodies. Thank goodness I don't have anything serious. I'm hoping for better luck for 2006.''
Grade checking -NBA national writer Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com issued report cards for the first quarter of the season. He handed out only two F grades, one for the New York Knicks and one for the Kings. The Detroit Pistons were the only team to earn an A (actually an A-plus). Incidentally, Boston earned a C-minus; never mind its 11-16 record entering Friday's action.
All-Star updates -The next batch of All-Star results as voted by fans are in, with little love for the Kings.
No Kings are listed among the top 10 Western Conference forwards, with Tracy McGrady of Houston leading the way at the position with a little more than 1 million votes. Bibby is ninth among 10 guards with 116,061 votes; Kobe Bryant of the Lakers leads the pack with about 1.2 million. Brad Miller is sixth among centers with 100,319 votes. Yao Ming of Houston leads that position with about 1.3 million.
NUMBERS
10: Number of seasons since the Celtics last won at Arco Arena.
106: Number of points for the Kings' starters - a season high.
SOUND BITES
"I am just trying to inch my way up. I'm not trying to go for 30 or I'll probably never have one again."
Kevin Martin
Joking about establishing his second career high for points in as many games
Joking about establishing his second career high for points in as many games
