http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/
8044143p-8979821c.html
Kings can run the 2-minute offense
Thanks to Peja Stojakovic's clutch three-pointer and execution down the
stretch, Sacramento turns a close game into a comfortabl
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Sunday, January 4, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- With the game on the line, the Kings came through Saturday.
They made all the plays down the stretch against the Los Angeles Clippers
on the way to a 116-109 victory in front of a Clippers season-high crowd
of 18,252 at Staples Center.
Peja Stojakovic, the league's second-leading scorer, converted a huge three
-pointer from the right wing with 1:54 left to give the Kings the lead for
good just after the Clippers had taken a 104-103 lead on a jumper from Peja
Drobnjak.
Mike Bibby led all scorers with 24 points, including six free throws in the
game's final minute. Meanwhile, Kings guard Doug Christie registered season
highs in points (22) and assists (10) as the Kings improved to 22-8 overall
and 6-6 on the road in their first game of 2004. The Kings shot
exceptionally well -- nearly 60 percent through three quarters before
falling to 43 of 78 (55.1 percent) for the game. However, their inability
to rebound against the young, athletic Clippers (13-16) nearly cost them.
Los Angeles scored 28 second-chance points on 15 offensive rebounds.
Drobnjak came off the bench to lead the Clippers with 22 points.
Drobnjak was no surprise to Stojakovic and center Vlade Divac, as Drobnjak
teamed with the two Kings on the Yugoslavian national team that won the
2002 World Championship.
"Drobnjak came in and was really a factor," Kings coach Rick Adelman said.
"I thought we were making an All-Star out of him for a while there. He
knocked down shots and went to the hoop when they needed him.
"But especially in the first half, they killed us on the offensive boards.
And we talked (Friday) and (Saturday) about how they lead the league in
second-chance points. But we were able to execute down the stretch well
enough to get the win."
Drobnjak scored 11 points during a back-and-forth fourth quarter but also
was part of a mix-up that allowed Stojakovic's game-turning three-pointer.
Sacramento ran a play to free Stojakovic, and he emerged unguarded on the
right side of the floor.
"I got a good screen, finally," said Stojakovic, laughing about the pick he
received from forward Brad Miller that freed him for a pass from Christie
and the 106-104 lead. "In the first half and the third quarter, I couldn't
get free. But the big guys （including Drobnjak） got stuck underneath the
basket."
Miller, who again committed two early fouls but finished with 11 points
and a game-high 11 rebounds, followed a missed three-point attempt by the
Clippers on the following possession with a layup. It was Christie's final
assist, and the pass couldn't have been easier.
"I think when you have a mix-up like that, and a shooter like Peja gets so
wide open like he did on the play before, it makes the defense really react
to him," Christie said. "Brad was just so wide open, I was just hoping he
wasn't going to step out of bounds because he was underneath the basket."
Said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy： "The last two minutes of the game hurt
us. We need to play better down the stretch. The Kings know how to execute
because they've been there before."
Notes -- Adelman said he was more disappointed in the reaction of veteran
Tony Massenburg after being blocked on successive shots by Clippers forward
Elton Brand in the fourth quarter than the non-calls by officials.
Following the second block, Massenburg returned to the defensive end of the
court and was whistled for two quick technical fouls and the accompanying
automatic ejection by veteran referee Joey Crawford with 10:48 left in the
game.
Said Adelman, who dislikes technical fouls, especially in close games：
"Brand looked like he had his hand on top of the ball on both plays. It
looked like two great plays on his part. But regardless of what is called,
it's uncalled for to give up two points in a close game like that."
Massenburg, who had nine points and six rebounds in 20 minutes, was
unavailable for comment following the game.
* The wind-chill, yes, wind-chill in Southern California was in the high
30s. And it felt almost as cold in the arena.
Said Crawford to the stat crew, "Hey, think you could call up and get
them to make it a little colder in here?"
Said Stojakovic, "It was freezing in there. I was shooting free throws,
and I couldn't feel the ball."
* Swingman Gerald Wallace missed Saturday's game and likely will not return
to the team until Monday because of a death in his family.
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Wallace的家中似乎有了不幸的消息......節哀順變...
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