http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12199828p-13063999c.html
No Sunday rest for these Kings
They win without two stars
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, January 31, 2005
Mike Bibby runs into Minnesota Timberwolves guard Troy Hudson during the second quarter in Minneapolis Sunday. Bibby was called for an offensive foul.
MINNEAPOLIS - Before Sunday, only once in 502 games - Christmas 2003, to be exact - had the Kings lined up with Peja Stojakovic and Chris Webber both unavailable.
So it made sense the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had defeated the Kings in a seven-game Western Conference semifinal series last season and won five straight regular-season contests over them spanning two seasons, might be stricken with overconfidence.
But the Kings, who used only their starters during the second half, shook off the absence of Webber (swollen left knee) and Stojakovic (back spasms) with a tight and aggressive defense, solid rebounding, pinpoint ballhandling and a three-pronged offensive attack to surprise the T-wolves 94-84 at Target Center.
Center Brad Miller continued his fine play with game highs of 27 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Kings, while guards Cuttino Mobley and Mike Bibby added 23 and 21 points, respectively.
"It's not an understatement to say that was a heck of a win," said Kings coach Rick Adelman, who used all 10 of his available players during the first half. "We just kept talking about how we had to compete, and we had a lot of guys play well."
Darius Songaila stepped in for Webber at power forward and consistently made 16-to 18-foot jumpers, mostly off opportunities created by pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop plays by Bibby. Songaila sent groans through the crowd every time he made a per-imeter shot en route to 12 points. The steady second-year pro also had six rebounds.
Matt Barnes started his third consecutive game in place of Stojakovic, tied career highs in minutes (39) and rebounds (10) and did a solid job defensively.
Mobley and Bibby started slowly at the offensive end. Mobley had an upset stomach that prompted Adelman to remove him in the first quarter so he could see a doctor. However, Mobley said he never thought about sitting down and scored 15 of his points in the second half.
"They wanted me to just chill out," Mobley said. "But this was no time to chill out. We had too many dudes out already. If you ain't hurt, ain't no reason to chill. Better to play sick than not play it at all."
Bibby missed all eight of his attempts in the first half, when he scored only two points.
Moreover, he picked up a technical foul from official Bill Kennedy while the teams were leaving the floor at the half. Bibby took the floor to start the third quarter proclaiming his drought wouldn't last long after listening to a heckler behind the Kings' bench.
Bibby scored 19 points during the second half, prompting Barnes to return to the press table following a timeout and tell the heckler, "You got him started, you got him started," while slamming his hand down on the cushion atop the table.
"I wasn't going to take those five guys out in the second half," Adelman said. "I played everybody in the first half, but once we got into it, I felt those guys were our best chance, and I didn't want to give (the T-wolves) a chance to have a six-or eight-point spurt and then try to bring guys back.
"I thought we could finish the game with the people we had, and if I needed to take timeouts, then I would. Some of those guys coming off the bench hadn't even practiced, so we were better off having the five guys, four and Cuttino, who have been around."
The T-wolves, led by Kevin Garnett's 21 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, had won five straight games but were dominated in the third quarter.
That the Kings were within seven points to start the third was enough for Adelman. The Kings, who had season lows of nine made free throws and 50 percent shooting from the line, missed 6 of 10 during the first quarter. That's also when Mobley and Bibby were a combined 1 of 10 from the field.
"I thought we were fine," said Adelman, whose team was tied 20-20 entering the second quarter. "But it looked like if they had gotten the first spurt of the second half, we might have been done. But we got the first spurt."
The Kings outscored the T-wolves 31-17 in the third to take control, prompting boos from the crowd.
Here's how life on the Kings is after winning two of three games on this road trip: Michael Bradley was talking about how poorly he played during his six minutes, when he missed both of his shot attempts (one was blocked) and committed a foul. Said an overhearing Mobley: "Shoot, he's talking about (himself). Mike was 0 for 8, and I was 0 for 100. You can't just dwell on that. You're going to get out of it."
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haha! maybe that's why he did the crab dance.. mike just loves to shut hecklers up.. i say if he has a bad game, put a heckler behind the kings bench
No Sunday rest for these Kings
They win without two stars
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, January 31, 2005
Mike Bibby runs into Minnesota Timberwolves guard Troy Hudson during the second quarter in Minneapolis Sunday. Bibby was called for an offensive foul.
MINNEAPOLIS - Before Sunday, only once in 502 games - Christmas 2003, to be exact - had the Kings lined up with Peja Stojakovic and Chris Webber both unavailable.
So it made sense the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had defeated the Kings in a seven-game Western Conference semifinal series last season and won five straight regular-season contests over them spanning two seasons, might be stricken with overconfidence.
But the Kings, who used only their starters during the second half, shook off the absence of Webber (swollen left knee) and Stojakovic (back spasms) with a tight and aggressive defense, solid rebounding, pinpoint ballhandling and a three-pronged offensive attack to surprise the T-wolves 94-84 at Target Center.
Center Brad Miller continued his fine play with game highs of 27 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Kings, while guards Cuttino Mobley and Mike Bibby added 23 and 21 points, respectively.
"It's not an understatement to say that was a heck of a win," said Kings coach Rick Adelman, who used all 10 of his available players during the first half. "We just kept talking about how we had to compete, and we had a lot of guys play well."
Darius Songaila stepped in for Webber at power forward and consistently made 16-to 18-foot jumpers, mostly off opportunities created by pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop plays by Bibby. Songaila sent groans through the crowd every time he made a per-imeter shot en route to 12 points. The steady second-year pro also had six rebounds.
Matt Barnes started his third consecutive game in place of Stojakovic, tied career highs in minutes (39) and rebounds (10) and did a solid job defensively.
Mobley and Bibby started slowly at the offensive end. Mobley had an upset stomach that prompted Adelman to remove him in the first quarter so he could see a doctor. However, Mobley said he never thought about sitting down and scored 15 of his points in the second half.
"They wanted me to just chill out," Mobley said. "But this was no time to chill out. We had too many dudes out already. If you ain't hurt, ain't no reason to chill. Better to play sick than not play it at all."
Bibby missed all eight of his attempts in the first half, when he scored only two points.
Moreover, he picked up a technical foul from official Bill Kennedy while the teams were leaving the floor at the half. Bibby took the floor to start the third quarter proclaiming his drought wouldn't last long after listening to a heckler behind the Kings' bench.
Bibby scored 19 points during the second half, prompting Barnes to return to the press table following a timeout and tell the heckler, "You got him started, you got him started," while slamming his hand down on the cushion atop the table.
"I wasn't going to take those five guys out in the second half," Adelman said. "I played everybody in the first half, but once we got into it, I felt those guys were our best chance, and I didn't want to give (the T-wolves) a chance to have a six-or eight-point spurt and then try to bring guys back.
"I thought we could finish the game with the people we had, and if I needed to take timeouts, then I would. Some of those guys coming off the bench hadn't even practiced, so we were better off having the five guys, four and Cuttino, who have been around."
The T-wolves, led by Kevin Garnett's 21 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, had won five straight games but were dominated in the third quarter.
That the Kings were within seven points to start the third was enough for Adelman. The Kings, who had season lows of nine made free throws and 50 percent shooting from the line, missed 6 of 10 during the first quarter. That's also when Mobley and Bibby were a combined 1 of 10 from the field.
"I thought we were fine," said Adelman, whose team was tied 20-20 entering the second quarter. "But it looked like if they had gotten the first spurt of the second half, we might have been done. But we got the first spurt."
The Kings outscored the T-wolves 31-17 in the third to take control, prompting boos from the crowd.
Here's how life on the Kings is after winning two of three games on this road trip: Michael Bradley was talking about how poorly he played during his six minutes, when he missed both of his shot attempts (one was blocked) and committed a foul. Said an overhearing Mobley: "Shoot, he's talking about (himself). Mike was 0 for 8, and I was 0 for 100. You can't just dwell on that. You're going to get out of it."
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haha! maybe that's why he did the crab dance.. mike just loves to shut hecklers up.. i say if he has a bad game, put a heckler behind the kings bench
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