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Slump grows for weary Kings
After losing for the sixth time in the past seven games, Sacramento will finally catch a break.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, February 17, 2005
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - When you're not going well, the best game to play is none at all.
That's the Kings' situation after yet another crunch-time disappearing act in a 96-85 loss to the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night at Continental Airlines Arena.
Sacramento (33-20) limped into the All-Star break with its sixth loss in the last seven games and seventh in 10 games so far this month.
"We have to take these four days off and get energized," coach Rick Adelman said. "We have to get back on track.
"I think, No. 1, we've got to get some organization offensively so we know what we're doing. Hopefully, we'll be able to have a good practice Monday after the time off. There were a number of times when I wanted to call a play and couldn't because Cuttino (Mobley) didn't know it because we haven't been able to practice."
Adelman said he thought his team ran out of energy in the fourth quarter. That's when the Nets took command with a 14-2 run for a 92-80 lead with 4:39 to go.
Statistically, the Kings began fading in the third quarter, when they made only 7 of 19 shots. Four of those baskets were by Mike Bibby, who hit 10 of 17 shots and scored a game-high 25 points.
In the first half, Sacramento put up good shooting numbers, making 22 of 42 and leading 47-44 at halftime. But even that was misleading, because the Kings let a 13-point second-quarter lead slip away.
New Jersey (23-30) rallied behind Nenad Krstic, a Vlade Divac protégé, who scored 14 of his career-high 18 points in the first half.
Bibby and Maurice Evans, who scored all 10 of his points during his first seven-minute first-half stint, really were the Kings' only consistent scoring threats. Mobley scored 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, but neither Chris Webber nor Brad Miller had any good fortune offensively.
Webber, who made only 14 of 44 shots in the previous two games, had similar trouble against the Nets. His first two shots were all net, but he finished only 6 of 20 for 12 points.
Miller, who had sparkled offensively in virtually every game during the past month, hit just two shots and scored just eight points.
The fourth quarter was a debacle for the Kings, who hit their first two shots but wound up making only 5 of 20. In the final few minutes, they hoisted three-point attempts hoping to strike gold. Instead, they found iron.
Meanwhile, Vince Carter, who had been held in check very well by Matt Barnes and Evans, began using his quickness to break down defenders. Carter then passed to Kidd (19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 64th triple double), newly acquired Clifford Robinson and Travis Best for three-pointers.
Kidd made 2 of 3 three-pointers, Best sank his only attempt, and Robinson made 1 of 2 in the fourth, while the Kings went 0 for 6 from long range.
"They had three or four different people making threes, and they broke the game open," Adelman said. "We just didn't have any answers. I thought we were sluggish."
Both teams played on the road Tuesday night, so fatigue was no disadvantage. The disadvantage for the Kings on Wednesday was that there was a game.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12376757p-13232746c.html
After losing for the sixth time in the past seven games, Sacramento will finally catch a break.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, February 17, 2005
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - When you're not going well, the best game to play is none at all.
That's the Kings' situation after yet another crunch-time disappearing act in a 96-85 loss to the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night at Continental Airlines Arena.
Sacramento (33-20) limped into the All-Star break with its sixth loss in the last seven games and seventh in 10 games so far this month.
"We have to take these four days off and get energized," coach Rick Adelman said. "We have to get back on track.
"I think, No. 1, we've got to get some organization offensively so we know what we're doing. Hopefully, we'll be able to have a good practice Monday after the time off. There were a number of times when I wanted to call a play and couldn't because Cuttino (Mobley) didn't know it because we haven't been able to practice."
Adelman said he thought his team ran out of energy in the fourth quarter. That's when the Nets took command with a 14-2 run for a 92-80 lead with 4:39 to go.
Statistically, the Kings began fading in the third quarter, when they made only 7 of 19 shots. Four of those baskets were by Mike Bibby, who hit 10 of 17 shots and scored a game-high 25 points.
In the first half, Sacramento put up good shooting numbers, making 22 of 42 and leading 47-44 at halftime. But even that was misleading, because the Kings let a 13-point second-quarter lead slip away.
New Jersey (23-30) rallied behind Nenad Krstic, a Vlade Divac protégé, who scored 14 of his career-high 18 points in the first half.
Bibby and Maurice Evans, who scored all 10 of his points during his first seven-minute first-half stint, really were the Kings' only consistent scoring threats. Mobley scored 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, but neither Chris Webber nor Brad Miller had any good fortune offensively.
Webber, who made only 14 of 44 shots in the previous two games, had similar trouble against the Nets. His first two shots were all net, but he finished only 6 of 20 for 12 points.
Miller, who had sparkled offensively in virtually every game during the past month, hit just two shots and scored just eight points.
The fourth quarter was a debacle for the Kings, who hit their first two shots but wound up making only 5 of 20. In the final few minutes, they hoisted three-point attempts hoping to strike gold. Instead, they found iron.
Meanwhile, Vince Carter, who had been held in check very well by Matt Barnes and Evans, began using his quickness to break down defenders. Carter then passed to Kidd (19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 64th triple double), newly acquired Clifford Robinson and Travis Best for three-pointers.
Kidd made 2 of 3 three-pointers, Best sank his only attempt, and Robinson made 1 of 2 in the fourth, while the Kings went 0 for 6 from long range.
"They had three or four different people making threes, and they broke the game open," Adelman said. "We just didn't have any answers. I thought we were sluggish."
Both teams played on the road Tuesday night, so fatigue was no disadvantage. The disadvantage for the Kings on Wednesday was that there was a game.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12376757p-13232746c.html
