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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11792597p-12677284c.html
Seems like old times
With little interest in playing defense - or playing, for that matter - the Kings are humbled by the Lakers.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, December 17, 2004
When Kings coach Rick Adelman brings in his deep, deep reserves with 4:49 left in the fourth quarter, there's something dramatically positive happening or incredibly, horribly negative.Strike one for the latter Thursday night as the Kings put forth a defensive performance so horrid one had to question whether they really cared about winning.
The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of every Kings miscue and lapse and constant disdain for helping each other at the defensive end and rolled over the Kings 115-99 at Arco Arena before a disappointed sellout crowd of 17,317 as well as a national cable television audience.
The Maloof family, sitting five deep at courtside, left the contest early as did many of the fans, who amazingly didn't shower the court with boos.
Everyone had just watched the Kings worst home loss since March 2, 1998 when the San Antonio Spurs won 116-95. That defeat concluded a seven-game losing streak and was part of a 3-26 season ending stretch.
This one was much more surprising and far more shocking because the Kings have been such a strong home team.
Adelman said he showed patience by not inserting his subs a few minutes earlier.
"I was getting ready to do that at the six-minute mark," the coach said.
He said his team had not played well in its past two road victories, and said Thursday night, he viewed the same level of performance, just against a much better team.
"At both ends of the court we played very similar to what we did in the last two games of the trip that we won," Adelman said. "Thursday) We played a better team who was more aggressive and took it at us."
From Lamar Odom to Kobe Bryant to Tierre Brown to Jumaine Jones and Brian Cook, the Lakers either put the ball on the floor and ran around what often appeared to be an invisible defense or stood on the perimeter and took passes from those who did penetrate and stuck one jumper after another.
"It was a tremendous win for us after a disappointing loss (Tuesday night) up in Seattle," said L.A. coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who described the game as the biggest win of the season after watching his team score a season-high point total.
The Kings (15-7) had a brief two-game winning streak halted by what Adelman somewhat accurately described as a Lakers (13-9) 'layup drill.' Los Angeles, which was led by Bryant's 31-point, six-rebound, 12-assist performance, shot 55.4 percent from the field, its second-highest of the season. That percentage also was the highest the Kings have allowed this season.
In the third quarter, Bryant scored 16 points, made six of seven field-goal attempts and assisted on three baskets as the Lakers took advantage of the Kings' abysmal defense.
Kings forward Chris Webber did not play in the fourth quarter and clearly wanted to re-enter the game. However, Adelman said there was no use and he was right. The Kings entered the fourth trailing 92-71 and never reduced the deficit to fewer than the final margin.
"We played so (badly) in this game that we really have to look at the film to see what we were doing," Webber said.
Said Bobby Jackson, who with Darius Songaila, showed more fight and aggressiveness than any of their teammates, "When you shoot the ball like that, and don't guard anybody, that's what happens."
A partisan Kings crowd gave former Kings center Vlade Divac a standing ovation when he entered the game following a time out with 2:25 left in the first quarter. He was guarded by Webber, who said 'Welcome back,' when the two met down near the baseline
Seems like old times
With little interest in playing defense - or playing, for that matter - the Kings are humbled by the Lakers.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, December 17, 2004
When Kings coach Rick Adelman brings in his deep, deep reserves with 4:49 left in the fourth quarter, there's something dramatically positive happening or incredibly, horribly negative.Strike one for the latter Thursday night as the Kings put forth a defensive performance so horrid one had to question whether they really cared about winning.
The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of every Kings miscue and lapse and constant disdain for helping each other at the defensive end and rolled over the Kings 115-99 at Arco Arena before a disappointed sellout crowd of 17,317 as well as a national cable television audience.
The Maloof family, sitting five deep at courtside, left the contest early as did many of the fans, who amazingly didn't shower the court with boos.
Everyone had just watched the Kings worst home loss since March 2, 1998 when the San Antonio Spurs won 116-95. That defeat concluded a seven-game losing streak and was part of a 3-26 season ending stretch.
This one was much more surprising and far more shocking because the Kings have been such a strong home team.
Adelman said he showed patience by not inserting his subs a few minutes earlier.
"I was getting ready to do that at the six-minute mark," the coach said.
He said his team had not played well in its past two road victories, and said Thursday night, he viewed the same level of performance, just against a much better team.
"At both ends of the court we played very similar to what we did in the last two games of the trip that we won," Adelman said. "Thursday) We played a better team who was more aggressive and took it at us."
From Lamar Odom to Kobe Bryant to Tierre Brown to Jumaine Jones and Brian Cook, the Lakers either put the ball on the floor and ran around what often appeared to be an invisible defense or stood on the perimeter and took passes from those who did penetrate and stuck one jumper after another.
"It was a tremendous win for us after a disappointing loss (Tuesday night) up in Seattle," said L.A. coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who described the game as the biggest win of the season after watching his team score a season-high point total.
The Kings (15-7) had a brief two-game winning streak halted by what Adelman somewhat accurately described as a Lakers (13-9) 'layup drill.' Los Angeles, which was led by Bryant's 31-point, six-rebound, 12-assist performance, shot 55.4 percent from the field, its second-highest of the season. That percentage also was the highest the Kings have allowed this season.
In the third quarter, Bryant scored 16 points, made six of seven field-goal attempts and assisted on three baskets as the Lakers took advantage of the Kings' abysmal defense.
Kings forward Chris Webber did not play in the fourth quarter and clearly wanted to re-enter the game. However, Adelman said there was no use and he was right. The Kings entered the fourth trailing 92-71 and never reduced the deficit to fewer than the final margin.
"We played so (badly) in this game that we really have to look at the film to see what we were doing," Webber said.
Said Bobby Jackson, who with Darius Songaila, showed more fight and aggressiveness than any of their teammates, "When you shoot the ball like that, and don't guard anybody, that's what happens."
A partisan Kings crowd gave former Kings center Vlade Divac a standing ovation when he entered the game following a time out with 2:25 left in the first quarter. He was guarded by Webber, who said 'Welcome back,' when the two met down near the baseline
