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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13911194p-14749614c.html
[FONT=verdana,geneva,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Kings notes: What slump? Bibby has been sizzling lately
by Sam Amick
The proverbial zone can play tricks on the mind.
It can put players like Mike Bibby back in his typical can't-miss mode, as it has for the last 11 days. And, apparently, it can fog the memory a bit, too.
The Kings point guard indicated with a straight face Friday night that he doesn't remember having a slump, doesn't remember spending most of a month watching his shot go awry.
"I don't even think I was ever was in (a slump)," Bibby said after the Kings defeated Toronto 106-104 at Arco Arena.
But the numbers don't lie. And if it wasn't a slump, it was - at least - very un-Bibby. Bibby shot 36.2 percent overall in eight preseason games, including a 1-for-11 outing against Phoenix on Oct. 26. His struggles continued in the regular season, as he shot 36.9 percent and averaged just 12.5 points per game in the first seven games.
Ever since, it has been Bibby at his best. In a stretch that began with a 25-point showing against Utah on Nov. 15, Bibby has been twice as good, averaging 25 points in the last six games while hitting 52 of 104 shots (50 percent) and 15 of 36 three-pointers.
He has back to his clutch self as well, hitting late-game three-pointers against Seattle, San Antonio and Toronto. Not coincidentally, the Kings have won four of their last six games, winning twice in three tries without small forward Peja Stojakovic (sprained hand).
"Without Peja, we all have to step up and try to do a little more," shooting guard Bonzi Wells said. "Mike's definitely stepped up. He's carrying us, and he's our leader."
Which was, by the way, the original plan. Bibby entered this season wanting to lead like never before and make his first All-Star team. He is one of four Kings on the All-Star ballot, joined by power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, center Brad Miller and Stojakovic. And in a Western Conference loaded with quality lead men, Bibby re-entered the conversation with his latest surge. Entering Saturday, Bibby was the second highest- scoring point guard in the West, trailing San Antonio's Tony Parker (21.2 points per game) and ahead of MVP Steve Nash in Phoenix (17.7), New Orleans/Oklahoma City rookie Chris Paul (17.0), the Los Angeles Clippers' Sam Cassell (16.3) and Golden State's Baron Davis (15.2).
Bibby has the lowest assists average in the bunch with 4.2 per game.
If Bibby maintains his recent All-Star pace, Kings coach Rick Adelman gladly will forget how the season started. "Now he's looking like the Mike that we remember," Adelman said.
Go figure - The Kings are the only team in the NBA to have a shooting guard (Wells) leading in rebounds (8.5) and a center (Miller) leading in assists (6.3). While Miller dishing from the high post is nothing new, Wells' production on the glass is. Former King Doug Christie never tallied more than 5.4 rebounds per game in a Sacramento season, while his replacement - Cuttino Mobley - provided 3.9 with the Kings last season. Overall, the Kings are the sixth-worst rebounding team.
"Some guys rebound the ball, but he goes out and gets it," Adelman said.
"He reminds me of an awful lot of a guy I played with in (Utah coach) Jerry Sloan, who was the best rebounding guard I ever saw. Jerry, wherever he was on the court, had a great sense of where the ball was going to hit, where was coming out, and he pursued it. And Bonzi's the same way. He watches the ball and goes and gets it."
The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
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[FONT=verdana,geneva,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Kings notes: What slump? Bibby has been sizzling lately
by Sam Amick
The proverbial zone can play tricks on the mind.
It can put players like Mike Bibby back in his typical can't-miss mode, as it has for the last 11 days. And, apparently, it can fog the memory a bit, too.
The Kings point guard indicated with a straight face Friday night that he doesn't remember having a slump, doesn't remember spending most of a month watching his shot go awry.
"I don't even think I was ever was in (a slump)," Bibby said after the Kings defeated Toronto 106-104 at Arco Arena.
But the numbers don't lie. And if it wasn't a slump, it was - at least - very un-Bibby. Bibby shot 36.2 percent overall in eight preseason games, including a 1-for-11 outing against Phoenix on Oct. 26. His struggles continued in the regular season, as he shot 36.9 percent and averaged just 12.5 points per game in the first seven games.
Ever since, it has been Bibby at his best. In a stretch that began with a 25-point showing against Utah on Nov. 15, Bibby has been twice as good, averaging 25 points in the last six games while hitting 52 of 104 shots (50 percent) and 15 of 36 three-pointers.
He has back to his clutch self as well, hitting late-game three-pointers against Seattle, San Antonio and Toronto. Not coincidentally, the Kings have won four of their last six games, winning twice in three tries without small forward Peja Stojakovic (sprained hand).
"Without Peja, we all have to step up and try to do a little more," shooting guard Bonzi Wells said. "Mike's definitely stepped up. He's carrying us, and he's our leader."
Which was, by the way, the original plan. Bibby entered this season wanting to lead like never before and make his first All-Star team. He is one of four Kings on the All-Star ballot, joined by power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, center Brad Miller and Stojakovic. And in a Western Conference loaded with quality lead men, Bibby re-entered the conversation with his latest surge. Entering Saturday, Bibby was the second highest- scoring point guard in the West, trailing San Antonio's Tony Parker (21.2 points per game) and ahead of MVP Steve Nash in Phoenix (17.7), New Orleans/Oklahoma City rookie Chris Paul (17.0), the Los Angeles Clippers' Sam Cassell (16.3) and Golden State's Baron Davis (15.2).
Bibby has the lowest assists average in the bunch with 4.2 per game.
If Bibby maintains his recent All-Star pace, Kings coach Rick Adelman gladly will forget how the season started. "Now he's looking like the Mike that we remember," Adelman said.
Go figure - The Kings are the only team in the NBA to have a shooting guard (Wells) leading in rebounds (8.5) and a center (Miller) leading in assists (6.3). While Miller dishing from the high post is nothing new, Wells' production on the glass is. Former King Doug Christie never tallied more than 5.4 rebounds per game in a Sacramento season, while his replacement - Cuttino Mobley - provided 3.9 with the Kings last season. Overall, the Kings are the sixth-worst rebounding team.
"Some guys rebound the ball, but he goes out and gets it," Adelman said.
"He reminds me of an awful lot of a guy I played with in (Utah coach) Jerry Sloan, who was the best rebounding guard I ever saw. Jerry, wherever he was on the court, had a great sense of where the ball was going to hit, where was coming out, and he pursued it. And Bonzi's the same way. He watches the ball and goes and gets it."
The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
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