Reasons to be cheerful

Kings can't be counted out of this series just yet

SACRAMENTO -- Chris Webber talked trash to the crowd. Hedo Turkoglu skipped down court after burying a 3-pointer. Mike Bibby literally clipped his fingernails on the bench.

It all looked so easy for the Kings during the first half of Sunday’s Game 4 against the Lakers. Led by Bibby and Webber, Sacramento dominated L.A. with an impressive performance that featured precise execution, crisp ball movement and aggressive defense. It added up to a 65-51 halftime lead -– and a growing sense that the Lakers’ three-peat hopes were in serious danger.

Then, suddenly, the magic returned for L.A.: Samaki Walker buried a 34-foot prayer at the halftime horn (although replays showed it shouldn’t have counted). Kobe Bryant ignited his team’s defense. Shaquille O’Neal hit six consecutive free throws. With the stage set, Robert Horry provided the final miracle with a game-winning 3-pointer at the horn that gave the Lakers a 100-99 victory and evened the series at 2-all.

Predictably, the Kings reacted by downplaying the loss and insisting they would bounce back Tuesday night in Game 5. "We feel we have the better team," Webber said.

Maybe. Maybe not. But here are three reasons Webber and the Kings should still be confident:

L.A.’s 3-point shooting: Whether it’s the Kings’ defense or just their own poor shooting, the Lakers have hit a dismal 25-of-96 (26 percent) from 3-point range. Lakers assistant coach Tex Winter said before Game 4 that the Lakers were simply missing open shots. He also partly blamed the officials, claiming the Kings are tapping the elbows of L.A. shooters as they follow through. "They’re going for [the elbow] instead of putting a hand in the face," Winter says.

Either way, the Lakers need Derek Fisher (3-of-19), Rick Fox (1-of-7), Lindsey Hunter (4-of-16) and Devean George (3-of-15) to start hitting some shots and make the Kings pay for sagging on Shaq, or they have no chance. As long as the Kings continue to close out on the perimeter, however, it won’t be easy.

Shaq doesn’t look right: Normally a reliable scorer inside, Shaq has been missing an inordinate number of bunnies. And we’re not just talking about that gator-armed botched layup just before Horry’s 3-pointer in Game 4. Clearly bothered by Vlade Divac’s long arms and clever positioning, Shaq can’t seem to get the ball to go down as much. While his teammates often can slide in for offensive rebounds (the Lakers had a 25-8 edge there in Game 4), they have not been able to finish. Shaq’s foot injury -- and resulting lack of practice time with the team –- seem to be catching up to him in this aspect of his game.

And his frustration seems to be growing, as when he head-locked Bibby for his fourth foul in Game 4 seconds after drawing contact (but no call) on a missed shot at the other end.

Kobe can’t do it all: While Bryant had success slowing Bibby and cutting off his passing angles in the second half of Game 4, he can take on that assignment only in stretches if the Lakers expect him to also produce his usual numbers offensively. Still weakened by food poisoning, Bryant needed an IV in the locker room after Game 4.

Meanwhile, the Kings will surely make adjustments to lessen Bryant’s impact, such as getting Doug Christie into the post against 6-foot-1 Derek Fisher to make him pay for the mismatch. Finally, the refs probably won't allow Bryant and the rest of the Lakers to get as physical with Bibby, especially with two of the next three possible games at Arco Arena.

The Kings’ success against L.A. through much of the series has been no fluke. Bibby is exploiting the Lakers on the pick-and-roll, pulling Shaq out of the lane and finding Webber for wide-open 15-foot jumpers. Meanwhile, Divac and Christie are doing as well one-on-one defensively against Shaq and Kobe, respectively, as any duo in the league.

Provided the Kings don’t get physically worn out under coach Rick Adelman’s seven-man rotation, they still have ample reason to think they can overcome their heartbreaking loss and be back to their preening, skipping and fingernail-clipping.

Between the first quarter of Game 1 and early in the second quarter of Game 4, they outscored the Lakers by 50 points (326-276). They feel the Lakers have used up their one magic bullet. Besides, the Nets bounced back from their devastating loss to the Celtics, didn’t they?

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com.Click here to send Marty a question or comment.

 

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