SACRAMENTO VS. LAKERS/ GAME 4 REPORT

FIRST QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 40 LAKERS 20

Highlight reel: Mike Bibby is a fine player and a nice guy, but he had to play only half a game in this quarter. He had to concern himself only on the offensive end because the Lakers fell into another deep hole and didn’t make him work on defense. He had no real assignment because Derek Fisher wasn’t going to do anything in the Lakers’ stagnant offense. This is an old-school thought, but how about setting a hard pick on Bibby? Knock him down, offer him a hand up. For the love of James Naismith, make him work at both ends of the court. At this point, he was working over the Lakers and making it look easy.

Not in the box score: Kobe Bryant’s name with any points next to it. He went scoreless on four shots, including an airball on his first attempt for the second consecutive game. If he still wasn’t right because of the bad burger, perhaps he should have been on the bench in favor of someone who wasn’t ill.

Winning numbers: The Kings’ 15-for-21 shooting (71.4%).

Wrong numbers: The Lakers’ eight-for-27 shooting (29.6%)

Leading scorers: Lakers--Shaquille O’Neal 9, Devean George 5; Kings--Bibby and Vlade Divac 10.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--George and Rick Fox 3; Kings--Hedo Turkoglu 4.*

SECOND QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 65 LAKERS 51

Highlight reel: As if on cue, Bryant snapped to life with his best quarter since dialing room service in his Sacramento hotel room one week ago. The Kings had Doug Christie on him, but it didn’t really matter because Bryant began to move the way he can and shoot the way he can. He wasn’t settling for the first available jumper, but moving with the ball. Catching Bobby Jackson on him, Bryant even freelanced a bit and took the shorter man down low. The Lakers didn’t score because of a poor entry pass to Bryant, but at least there was a sign of life at long last.

Not in the box score: Anyone in a King uniform who can stop Bryant when he’s playing well. Christie has done a fine job against him in the series, but he can’t silence Bryant when Bryant is feeling well and playing well.

Winning numbers: Bryant’s 13 points and six-for-10 shooting.

Wrong number: The Kings’ eight-for-21 shooting (38.1%).

Leading scorers: Lakers--Bryant 13, O’Neal 5; Kings--Bibby 8, Jackson 5.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal and Robert Horry 6; Kings--Turkoglu 6.

*

THIRD QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 80 LAKERS 73

Highlight reel: Bryant had been guarding Bibby off and on in Game 4 and it finally began to pay off. Bibby had to sweat a bit, rather than waltzing around the floor as if without a care in the world. Bibby is the key to all the Kings do with the ball. If he’s huffing and puffing, he’s not able to set the offense as easily. Bryant played him a good deal more physically--a little too physically according to the Kings. But it was just the thing the Lakers needed to start their second-half rally from oblivion.

Not in the box score: The momentum shift was apparent from the opening seconds of the quarter. The question was whether the Lakers were beaten down after falling behind by 24 points. The oft-maligned L.A. crowd was alive and filling Staples Center with noise. It seemed to be pushing the Lakers toward loose balls and rebounds.

Winning number: The Lakers held the Kings to 15 points.

Wrong number: The Kings’ six-for-18 shooting (33.3%).

Leading scorers: Lakers--O’Neal 7, Bryant 6; Kings--Divac 5, Chris Webber 4.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--Horry and O’Neal 4; Kings--Divac 4, Webber 3.

*

FOURTH QUARTER: SACRAMENTO 99 LAKERS 100

Highlight reel: The Kings did all the right things before Horry’s winning three-pointer. Divac cut off a driving Bryant, who missed. The Kings swarmed O’Neal, who missed. Divac slapped the ball out of harm’s way, which is the play to make with time running out. Trouble was it went right to Horry, who swished his 25-footer from almost straightaway with zeros showing on the clock. Given another chance at defending a two-point lead with 11.8 remaining, they could do all the same things and probably have it work out for them in the end.

Not in the box score: The luck factor. Stuff happens. After the game, the Lakers chose to applaud Horry’s clutch shooting. So did the Kings, but with a trace of bitterness. The Kings, to a man, seemed to believe it was a fluke play. Perhaps it was, but it also was the sort of play that could turn a series in the other direction.

Winning numbers: Three for four, Horry’s three-point shooting.

Wrong numbers: For the Kings, it was the Lakers’ 14-7 rebounding edge.

Leading scorers: Lakers--Horry 11, O’Neal and Bryant 6; Kings--Divac 7, Turkoglu and Webber 4.

Leading rebounders: Lakers--O’Neal 6, George and Horry 3; Kings--Christie and Jackson 2.