Final
Bibby's 33 points leads Kings past Lakers
Mar 3, 2007 - 8:42 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers had no answer for Mike Bibby.Bibby had 33 points and seven assists and Kevin Martin scored 20 points as the Sacramento Kings posted a 116-108 triumph over Lakers, who had a three-game winning streak ended.
Ron Artest netted 19 points and Corliss Williamson and Shareef Abdur-Rahim each added 12 for Sacramento, which improved to 9-20 away from Arco Arena this season.
The win also helped Sacramento (26-32) pull within two games of the Los Angeles Clippers (28-30) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings.
"We're just taking it one game at a time," Kings coach Eric Musselman said. "The only thing we talked about (Friday) was just the Lakers. We're not really looking at standings. We have to take it one game at a time due to where we are. We are behind the eight ball so to speak so there is no use wondering what other teams are doing. We just have to take."
Bibby connected on 8-of-15 shots, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range, and made 12-of-14 free throws in picking up his second consecutive 30-point outburst. He also grabbed four rebounds.
"We played hard all the way through," Bibby said. "You can't ask for anything more. You have nights like this when you are really shooting well."
Bibby poured in 11 first-quarter points in helping Sacramento open a 37-26 advantage.
"When we move the ball like that and everybody is passing and you are penetrating and kicking the ball out you don't have to force any shots," Bibby said. "Driving and kicking opened it up for everybody."
"It was just a bad defensive performance," Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. "We just have to regroup, get some people back healthy and get some more energy into the lineup."
The Lakers trailed by as many as 21 points at one stage before cutting the deficit to 112-104 when Lamar Odom fed Bryant for a 3-pointer with 1:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.
But Bibby responded 18 seconds later with a pull-up jumper from the left corner to end any hope of a comeback.
Bryant had 30 points and 10 assists and Odom chipped in 26 points and 13 rebounds for Los Angeles, which shot 52 percent (42-of-80) but committed 19 turnovers.
"I think we make one step forward and we make two steps back in that department," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "As soon as you start turning the ball over you can't play defense. You're setting your self up for failure."
"I am frustrated, we can't play defense as a team," Odom said. "We have the athletic ability, height. We should be a much better team."
Lakers center Kwame Brown made his return after missing the last two months with a badly sprained ankle. He finished with just three rebounds and one block in 20 minutes off the bench.
- NBA
SACRAMENTO 116
LA LAKERS 108 FINAL
Mar 3 12:58 AM - NBA
SACRAMENTO 92
LA LAKERS 74 END, 3RD QTR
Mar 3 12:23 AM - NBA
SACRAMENTO 65
LA LAKERS 48 HALFTIME
Mar 2 11:42 PM - NBA
SACRAMENTO 37
LA LAKERS 26 END, 1ST QTR
Mar 2 11:07 PM
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