http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14244004p-15062662c.html
Kings notes: Abdur-Rahim recalls Nuggets' young star
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 16, 2006
DENVER - On the virtual eve of what Shareef Abdur-Rahim hopes is the end of his infamous streak of playoff-less existence, the Kings forward recalled the irony of the current setting.
Late in the season. In Denver. In need of a win to make the playoffs.
He had been here before.
On April 10, 2004, Abdur-Rahim and the Portland Trail Blazers entered the Mile High City fighting for their playoff lives with the Nuggets. With three games to go, they were tied with the Nuggets and Utah for the eighth spot in the Western Conference, and Denver held the tiebreaker against both.
"Basically, whoever won that game was going to get the spot," said Abdur-Rahim, the nine-year veteran who is first among active players in the postseason-less category and second all-time.
If not for a budding star by the name of Carmelo Anthony, the Trail Blazers would have been on their way. But the rookie from Syracuse scored seven of Denver's last nine points in regulation to force overtime, the final blow a 17-footer that tied it 94-94 with 3.7 seconds left.
He finished with 30 points, scoring six of Denver's 16 points in the extra period as the Nuggets won 110-100 and Abdur-Rahim's postseason drought continued. Denver went on to secure the playoff spot, losing to Minnesota in five games in the first round.
"We were up, and (Portland point guard) Damon Stoudamire got fouled at the end of regulation, and the ref didn't call it," Abdur-Rahim said. "We fought. We were real disappointed, but everybody played hard."
Anthony, of course, has only built on his reputation as a crunch-time master. He is the best clutch shooter in the league over the last three seasons, having hit 10 of the 15 shots he has taken in the last 10 seconds of play to tie or win a game. He has made five game-winning shots this season and eight for his career.
"We needed that one," Anthony said of the 2004 game. "That was one of those games where we weren't trying to lose, they weren't trying to lose, both teams just giving their all out there. It's déjà vu, huh? They want it bad (this time). We want it bad.
"It's going to be tough out there."
More from the irony department - The Kings hadn't had such a crucial game in Denver since April 23, 1995, when they came into town for a winner-take-all game for the final playoff spot.
Despite Mitch Richmond's 32 points, the Kings - coached by Garry St. Jean and seeking their first playoff berth in the last 10 seasons - fell 102-89 as the Nuggets moved on.
A lesson for the kids - Forget the part about free throws potentially deciding the outcome of a game. How about deciding a season? The Kings hold the playoff tiebreaker over ninth-place Utah only because of one night of free-throw futility on the part of the Jazz. In the Kings' 91-89 win at Utah on March 25, the Jazz missed 16 of its 36 free throws, literally giving - or gifting - the Kings a 3-1 series edge in head-to-head matchups. The win becomes all the more important when taking into account each team's conference record, which is the second tiebreaker after head-to-head record. The Jazz is 2 1/2 games behind the Kings in the conference category, though the teams would have been tied - in conference record and overall entering Saturday - with a Jazz win in March.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com
Kings notes: Abdur-Rahim recalls Nuggets' young star
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 16, 2006
DENVER - On the virtual eve of what Shareef Abdur-Rahim hopes is the end of his infamous streak of playoff-less existence, the Kings forward recalled the irony of the current setting.
Late in the season. In Denver. In need of a win to make the playoffs.
He had been here before.
On April 10, 2004, Abdur-Rahim and the Portland Trail Blazers entered the Mile High City fighting for their playoff lives with the Nuggets. With three games to go, they were tied with the Nuggets and Utah for the eighth spot in the Western Conference, and Denver held the tiebreaker against both.
"Basically, whoever won that game was going to get the spot," said Abdur-Rahim, the nine-year veteran who is first among active players in the postseason-less category and second all-time.
If not for a budding star by the name of Carmelo Anthony, the Trail Blazers would have been on their way. But the rookie from Syracuse scored seven of Denver's last nine points in regulation to force overtime, the final blow a 17-footer that tied it 94-94 with 3.7 seconds left.
He finished with 30 points, scoring six of Denver's 16 points in the extra period as the Nuggets won 110-100 and Abdur-Rahim's postseason drought continued. Denver went on to secure the playoff spot, losing to Minnesota in five games in the first round.
"We were up, and (Portland point guard) Damon Stoudamire got fouled at the end of regulation, and the ref didn't call it," Abdur-Rahim said. "We fought. We were real disappointed, but everybody played hard."
Anthony, of course, has only built on his reputation as a crunch-time master. He is the best clutch shooter in the league over the last three seasons, having hit 10 of the 15 shots he has taken in the last 10 seconds of play to tie or win a game. He has made five game-winning shots this season and eight for his career.
"We needed that one," Anthony said of the 2004 game. "That was one of those games where we weren't trying to lose, they weren't trying to lose, both teams just giving their all out there. It's déjà vu, huh? They want it bad (this time). We want it bad.
"It's going to be tough out there."
More from the irony department - The Kings hadn't had such a crucial game in Denver since April 23, 1995, when they came into town for a winner-take-all game for the final playoff spot.
Despite Mitch Richmond's 32 points, the Kings - coached by Garry St. Jean and seeking their first playoff berth in the last 10 seasons - fell 102-89 as the Nuggets moved on.
A lesson for the kids - Forget the part about free throws potentially deciding the outcome of a game. How about deciding a season? The Kings hold the playoff tiebreaker over ninth-place Utah only because of one night of free-throw futility on the part of the Jazz. In the Kings' 91-89 win at Utah on March 25, the Jazz missed 16 of its 36 free throws, literally giving - or gifting - the Kings a 3-1 series edge in head-to-head matchups. The win becomes all the more important when taking into account each team's conference record, which is the second tiebreaker after head-to-head record. The Jazz is 2 1/2 games behind the Kings in the conference category, though the teams would have been tied - in conference record and overall entering Saturday - with a Jazz win in March.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com
