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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12199829p-13064003c.html
Kings notes: Webber urges on his teammates
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, January 31, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS - When the Kings left the Target Center floor victorious Sunday afternoon, they were met in the tunnel by forward Chris Webber, who high-fived every one of his teammates.
Neither Webber nor injured teammate Peja Stojakovic was on the bench during the game. First of all, there isn't much room around the visiting bench in the arena, and secondly, they were receiving treatment for their knee and back, respectively.
Webber joked he was at a gas station near Arco Arena, in reference to leaving the game to beat traffic home after he sprained his right ankle Jan. 23 against the San Antonio Spurs.
"I'll tell you what. This is one of the biggest wins of the year, though," said Webber, who missed his fifth game of the season. "I was in (the locker room and training room) cheering like a fan. I was telling the guys at halftime we were going to win. We looked good out there. I lifted, and then me and Peja watched in here while we got treatment."
On the boards - The Kings, who outrebounded Minnesota 45-44, had lost their previous five regular-season meetings with the T-wolves and been outrebounded by an average of 50 to 38.8 in those contests.
Additionally, the Kings committed just eight turnovers, one more than their season-low of seven Nov. 23 against the Houston Rockets.
Musical chairs for Minnesota - The T-wolves won a playoff series last season for the first time in franchise history and advanced to the Western Conference finals.
Now they are 24-20 and appear to be headed for a serious battle this season just to make the playoffs.
Moreover, coach Flip Saunders is struggling to establish a consistent rotation and has the T-wolves looking like the University of North Carolina Midwest under former coach Dean Smith.
The Hall of Fame coach used to substitute players with amazing frequency - and Saunders is doing the same.
Kings guard Cuttino Mobley said he was wondering about all the substitutions after Saunders used all 12 players, seven of them for at least 20 minutes. "I didn't understand that," Mobley said. "I was just concentrating on us."
Kings notes: Webber urges on his teammates
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, January 31, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS - When the Kings left the Target Center floor victorious Sunday afternoon, they were met in the tunnel by forward Chris Webber, who high-fived every one of his teammates.
Neither Webber nor injured teammate Peja Stojakovic was on the bench during the game. First of all, there isn't much room around the visiting bench in the arena, and secondly, they were receiving treatment for their knee and back, respectively.
Webber joked he was at a gas station near Arco Arena, in reference to leaving the game to beat traffic home after he sprained his right ankle Jan. 23 against the San Antonio Spurs.
"I'll tell you what. This is one of the biggest wins of the year, though," said Webber, who missed his fifth game of the season. "I was in (the locker room and training room) cheering like a fan. I was telling the guys at halftime we were going to win. We looked good out there. I lifted, and then me and Peja watched in here while we got treatment."
On the boards - The Kings, who outrebounded Minnesota 45-44, had lost their previous five regular-season meetings with the T-wolves and been outrebounded by an average of 50 to 38.8 in those contests.
Additionally, the Kings committed just eight turnovers, one more than their season-low of seven Nov. 23 against the Houston Rockets.
Musical chairs for Minnesota - The T-wolves won a playoff series last season for the first time in franchise history and advanced to the Western Conference finals.
Now they are 24-20 and appear to be headed for a serious battle this season just to make the playoffs.
Moreover, coach Flip Saunders is struggling to establish a consistent rotation and has the T-wolves looking like the University of North Carolina Midwest under former coach Dean Smith.
The Hall of Fame coach used to substitute players with amazing frequency - and Saunders is doing the same.
Kings guard Cuttino Mobley said he was wondering about all the substitutions after Saunders used all 12 players, seven of them for at least 20 minutes. "I didn't understand that," Mobley said. "I was just concentrating on us."
