SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- If it is defense that wins
championships, the Sacramento Kings probably shouldn't block off a
parade route past the California state Capitol just yet.
If championships can be won with scoring, experience, momentum
and late-game toughness, the Kings might be closer than most people
suspect.
Sacramento eliminated the Mavericks from the playoffs' first
round in five games Thursday night -- an impressively quick
resolution to a series that seemed to be a dream matchup for Dallas
two weeks earlier. The Kings lost eight of their final 12 games in
the regular season, but they were tenacious in three close
victories over the Mavs.
"I always thought we were a lot better than the way we finished
the season," All-Star center Brad Miller said. "Hopefully we've
worked out some of the things that were going wrong. Hopefully
we're just hitting our stride again."
The Kings won high-scoring games and defensive battles against
the Mavericks, showing the same versatility that had them atop the
NBA in early February. The closing game was a 119-118 thriller, but
the Kings won with several big defensive stops in the final three
minutes.
The rest of the NBA is aware of the Kings' potential at their
best, but the Kings hadn't been close to that for nearly three
months. Coach Rick Adelman thought Sacramento finally got close
against a determined Dallas squad.
"We just kept coming back and coming back and staying with
it," Adelman said. "We wanted to keep pressure on them, keep
playing as hard as we could. It came down to just one shot."
Though their late-season struggles were a huge setback to the
Kings' title hopes, their veterans have stressed the importance of
this trip to the postseason. At the team's first practice before
the playoffs, Chris Webber and Doug Christie addressed the team
with messages about fleeting opportunities.
"We all just realize that this could be the last time we're
together," said Webber, who struggled in the final three games
against Dallas after two strong outings. "We're senior citizens in
this league in terms of the time we've been together.
"I just wanted to make sure we don't take anything for granted,
because it's hard to get on a great team in this league. We might
not have that luxury forever."
The Kings have won a playoff series in four straight seasons --
the longest streak in franchise history -- but haven't won a title
since 1951, when they were the Rochester Royals.
In the second round, Sacramento expects to face the top-seeded
Minnesota Timberwolves, who played an elimination game against
Denver on Friday night. Though Kevin Garnett and his powerful
supporting cast are no picnic, the Kings match up well with their
lineup -- and Sacramento has a valuable advantage in postseason
experience.
Christie was the Kings' most important player against Dallas,
providing outstanding defense on several Mavs while averaging 13
points. The veteran guard's athleticism allows him to defend almost
anyone, but he could be particularly valuable against Latrell
Sprewell and the Timberwolves' perimeter players.
Sacramento also expects its superb frontcourt to get back in
form. The Kings were forced to match up with Dallas' small lineup,
leaving Vlade Divac on the bench for most of the series, and
limiting Miller's effectiveness.
Divac still is the best at running the Kings' passing offense,
but Miller finally seemed to shake off several nagging injuries
with 21 points and six assists in Game 5. After Adelman left Miller
in the game to start the third quarter -- when Divac normally
relieves him -- Miller scored 13 points, even hitting a 3-pointer as
time expired.
The Timberwolves are bigger than Dallas, and Miller can't wait
for the challenge: The Kings' big offseason acquisition is in the
second round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.
"I pretty much want Minnesota," Miller said. "We've had some
pretty good battles. We're just going to go out and have some
fun."