No excuses

Despite C-Webb's absence, plenty of blame to go around

1) Try to keep Chris Webber from getting hurt.

2) If he does get hurt, make sure it’s not in the conference semifinals.

3) Don’t blame the loss on Nos. 1 and 2.

As hard as the Kings tried not to use Webber’s absence as an excuse after Saturday night’s heartbreaking, season-ending Game 7 loss to the Mavs, they couldn’t help it.

"He’s the key to this team, obviously," center Vlade Divac said as his teammates quietly dressed and packed their belongings after another playoff exit. "You play all year long with a guy... It makes it difficult, definitely."

No doubt the Kings missed Webber. Without their MVP candidate on the floor, Sacramento was unable to play the double-barrel, high-low game that sets up its potent offense. They were not able to rebound nearly as effectively.

In turn, the Mavs were able to go more often with their smallball lineup (hello, Nick Van Exel!). "When they have [Divac and Webber] out there, we can’t go small," Mavs veteran Walt Williams said. "When Chris went out, we could go small and that’s when we’re at our best."

Even Mavs coach Don Nelson admitted afterward that once Webber went down with a knee injury in Game 2, "it was anybody’s series." But the worst mistake the Kings could make now is to write this defeat off to Webber’s absence.

For if one looks closely at Sacramento’s collapse Saturday -- and at other times in the series -- some old bad habits keep popping up. And they have little or nothing to do with Webber not being in uniform. Glaring defensive lapses. Failure to get back in transition. Blown rotations. And lots of missed open shots in clutch moments by star players.

Even taking into account Webber’s absence, the Kings really didn’t look much like a championship-caliber team Saturday night. Whether it was Doug Christie missing all six of his shots, Hedo Turkoglu giving Dirk Nowitzki way too much room on his jumper or the whole Sacramento team falling asleep on an inbounds play to start the fourth quarter (leading to a Michael Finley layup ... and one), they made too many silly mistakes.

For a while Saturday night it was hard to remember which was the team that gave up 115 layups and dunks in last year’s series. As the Kings kept letting the Mavs get free downcourt, the ghosts of last year’s Game 7 collapse to the Lakers could be heard amid the Thunderstix and roar of American Airlines Center.

Keep in mind, Webber hasn’t exactly proven himself as a big-game performer yet.

Sacramento’s NBA title dreams are far from over. Keon Clark and Jim Jackson are its only significant free agents. Webber said Saturday he intends to have offseason surgery on his knee and should be back on the court by training camp.

But if Sacramento thinks all it needs is a healthy Webber to win a title, Saturday’s Game 7 film should convince it otherwise. Yes, his absence made a huge difference. But the rest of the Kings need to forget their bad luck, look in the mirror and work on the little things that make a champion.

Live in a C-Webb of pity, and they’ll find themselves trapped like a spider.

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

 

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