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Pair of Kings Hold Trump Cards
LOS ANGELES, March 19 (Ticker) -- The Sacramento Kings have been used to getting fourth-quarter heroics from Mike Bibby. This time, Cuttino Mobley delivered in the fourth quarter and Bibby struck in overtime.
Mobley scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and Bibby's two overtime baskets were the difference as the Kings posted a 111-107 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
It was Sacramento's ninth consecutive victory over the Clippers and 14th in the last 15 meetings. The win also ended a four-game road losing streak for the Kings.
"We've been lucky against the Clippers in the last two games," Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "Mike hit that shot at the buzzer at our place (on March 11) and tonight we made some big shots again. It's nothing about the Clippers, it always happens like that with some teams."
"It's very frustrating," said Clippers forward Elton Brand, who scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds. "They seem to hit big shots time and time again against us."
With Los Angeles leading, 86-76, with just under five minutes left in regulation, Mobley sparked a 17-6 run with three 3-pointers, a long jumper and two free throws to give Sacramento its first lead, 93-92, with 1:40 left.
"I was just trying to be aggressive," Mobley said. "Me and Mike, we want the ball in our hands. When I get it going like that, I want it no matter where I am on the court. I'm not trying to sound cocky, but you have to have confidence. Basketball is 90 percent confidence."
"Mobley was terrific tonight," Adelman said. "He brought us back. He gave us a chance to win."
The Kings held a 101-98 lead before a 3-pointer by Bobby Simmons with 10.4 seconds left forced overtime. Simmons scored 19 points.
The contest was knotted at 105-105 when Bibby connected on a layup and runner on consecutive possessions for a four-point lead with 2:23 remaining. Bibby finished with 19 points for Sacramento, which never was headed thereafter.
Corey Maggette scored 28 points for Los Angeles but failed on late drives in both regulation and overtime. In the waning seconds of regulation, Maggette drove down the middle but was denied by Brian Skinner, who appeared to commit a foul.
"There was a little contact, but there was no foul," Skinner said. "He was trying to score, I was trying to stop him."
With the Clippers down, 109-107, with five seconds to go, Maggette again drove toward the basket and again met resistance from Skinner, who forced a bad shot that sealed Los Angeles' fate.
"I'm not going to say anything that's going to get me fined," Maggette said. "I was fouled both times and they weren't called."
Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy thought the Clippers played well enough to win, but made some crucial mistakes down the stretch that cost them the victory.
"We let Bibby get that open shot in overtime," Dunleavy said. "We were supposed to trap him at the top, but didn't do it. It's a tough loss. We didn't do a good enough job when Mobley got a hot hand. They have three guys who can really stroke it -- (Peja) Stojakovic, Mobley and Bibby. They hit some incredible shots. Not many people can make those kinds of shots."
Stojakovic scored 24 points, 17 of them in the second and third quarters when the Kings were trying to stay close to the Clippers, who led by as many as 12 points.
Sacramento increased its lead to one game over the Houston Rockets for the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.
"We just keep talking (about) winning as many games as possible," Adelman said. "We are just going to the playoffs, and wherever we end up, we think we can be competitive."
Pair of Kings Hold Trump Cards
LOS ANGELES, March 19 (Ticker) -- The Sacramento Kings have been used to getting fourth-quarter heroics from Mike Bibby. This time, Cuttino Mobley delivered in the fourth quarter and Bibby struck in overtime.
Mobley scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and Bibby's two overtime baskets were the difference as the Kings posted a 111-107 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
It was Sacramento's ninth consecutive victory over the Clippers and 14th in the last 15 meetings. The win also ended a four-game road losing streak for the Kings.
"We've been lucky against the Clippers in the last two games," Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "Mike hit that shot at the buzzer at our place (on March 11) and tonight we made some big shots again. It's nothing about the Clippers, it always happens like that with some teams."
"It's very frustrating," said Clippers forward Elton Brand, who scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds. "They seem to hit big shots time and time again against us."
With Los Angeles leading, 86-76, with just under five minutes left in regulation, Mobley sparked a 17-6 run with three 3-pointers, a long jumper and two free throws to give Sacramento its first lead, 93-92, with 1:40 left.
"I was just trying to be aggressive," Mobley said. "Me and Mike, we want the ball in our hands. When I get it going like that, I want it no matter where I am on the court. I'm not trying to sound cocky, but you have to have confidence. Basketball is 90 percent confidence."
"Mobley was terrific tonight," Adelman said. "He brought us back. He gave us a chance to win."
The Kings held a 101-98 lead before a 3-pointer by Bobby Simmons with 10.4 seconds left forced overtime. Simmons scored 19 points.
The contest was knotted at 105-105 when Bibby connected on a layup and runner on consecutive possessions for a four-point lead with 2:23 remaining. Bibby finished with 19 points for Sacramento, which never was headed thereafter.
Corey Maggette scored 28 points for Los Angeles but failed on late drives in both regulation and overtime. In the waning seconds of regulation, Maggette drove down the middle but was denied by Brian Skinner, who appeared to commit a foul.
"There was a little contact, but there was no foul," Skinner said. "He was trying to score, I was trying to stop him."
With the Clippers down, 109-107, with five seconds to go, Maggette again drove toward the basket and again met resistance from Skinner, who forced a bad shot that sealed Los Angeles' fate.
"I'm not going to say anything that's going to get me fined," Maggette said. "I was fouled both times and they weren't called."
Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy thought the Clippers played well enough to win, but made some crucial mistakes down the stretch that cost them the victory.
"We let Bibby get that open shot in overtime," Dunleavy said. "We were supposed to trap him at the top, but didn't do it. It's a tough loss. We didn't do a good enough job when Mobley got a hot hand. They have three guys who can really stroke it -- (Peja) Stojakovic, Mobley and Bibby. They hit some incredible shots. Not many people can make those kinds of shots."
Stojakovic scored 24 points, 17 of them in the second and third quarters when the Kings were trying to stay close to the Clippers, who led by as many as 12 points.
Sacramento increased its lead to one game over the Houston Rockets for the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.
"We just keep talking (about) winning as many games as possible," Adelman said. "We are just going to the playoffs, and wherever we end up, we think we can be competitive."
