 |
| |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|||||||||||
|
Notebook Kings used to playing without WebberPosted: Saturday May 10, 2003 10:02 PMSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- No player has been indispensable this season for the Sacramento Kings, who have used 13 different lineups. So the prospect of playing without Chris Webber wasn't a foreign experience for the Kings as they prepared to play Game 3 against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night at Arco Arena. Webber was one of many key players who lost playing time this season. He missed 15 games during the regular season. The Kings went 10-5 in his absence. "Our players have gone about their business in situations like this," Kings assistant coach John Wetzel said. "They dont miss a beat. This has happened to us in the past. It helps that our players know we can still win." Having Webber out of the lineup doesnt make the Mavericks any more confident as they enter back-to-back games this weekend in the semifinals of the Western Conference. "I think it could be even tougher without Webber," said Mavericks forward Eduardo Najera, who guarded Webber in Game 1 when he scored 24 points. "Everyone will be more aggressive for the Kings. They will be tougher to guard, everyone will be trying to step it up." Known as someone who likes to force teams to make lineup changes on the fly, Dallas coach Don Nelson is not quite sure what to expect in matching wits with Rick Adelman of Sacramento. "You can't really anticipate what its going to mean," Nelson said. "Their team is certainly deeper than we are. We will do some things differently and Im sure they will, too."
On the Van Exel watchA dangerous streak shooter with much confidence, the Mavericks' Nick Van Exel burned the Kings repeatedly during their 132-110 loss in Game 2. The veteran guard came off the bench and proved unstoppable, leading all scorers with 36 points. Van Exel made 14 of 19 shots, including 5 of 8 from 3-point territory. "He is hard to stop, he just has so much confidence in his shot," Kings reserve guard Bobby Jackson said. "You have to get him early and take him out of his game. We need to make him take tough shots." Jackson expects to spend some time chasing the flashy guard, who can shoot from long range and has a fair post-up game. Van Exels running floaters in the lane are often deadly. "We have to make him work at the defensive end," Jackson said. "I guarantee you its not going to be like last game for him. He had way too many open shots. He might be wearing my number on his back this game."
No sleep for the coachesAlthough back-to-back playoff games have been rare during the last few years, Wetzel has experienced them in the past and knows what to expect. "It means I will probably be staying up until 3 a.m. preparing for Sunday's game," Wetzel said. Although playoff regulars for the last four years, since coming to Sacramento the Kings have never played on consecutive days prior to this weekend. The last time was in the 1981 playoffs against the Houston Rockets when the Kings called Kansas City home. "Its not necessarily a concern," Kings forward Keon Clark said. "Its something weve done all year. It always helps to be at home when you are doing it. Were just hoping its a good two-day home stand." |
|
|||||||||
| |||||||||||
