Lakers one game from elimination

Posted 7:18AM on Wednesday 29th May 2002 ( 22 years ago )

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - For Mike Bibby, it was a chance to make the big shot. For Kobe Bryant, much more experienced in these matters, it was another misfire. And this time, there was no Robert Horry to rescue the Los Angeles Lakers. Bibby, emerging as a star in his first visit to the playoffs, made a 22-footer with 8.2 seconds remaining Tuesday night to give the Sacramento Kings to a 92-91 victory and a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. When Bryant's potential winner from the right corner hit the rim and bounced away, the Kings drew within one win of their first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1951. And the two-time defending champion Lakers, winners of 13 titles since that time, are one loss from elimination. Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles. Game 7, if necessary, will be Sunday at Arco Arena. Bibby was freed for the winning shot by a screen from Chris Webber that knocked Derek Fisher to the floor. ``I told Chris that if he handed the ball out to me, I was going to make it,'' said Bibby, who scored 23 points. ``I think there are a lot of people on this team who could have taken the last shot.'' ``This is my first year here,'' he added. ``I'm just happy to be here.'' Bibby, who spent his first three NBA seasons with the hapless Vancouver Grizzlies, came to Sacramento 11 months ago in a trade for Jason Williams. ``In the huddle Mike said he wanted to shoot it,'' said Webber, who had 29 points and 13 rebounds. ``We all have confidence in Mike. I just wanted to get a piece of Fisher.'' The Lakers countered by getting the ball to Bryant, as expected. Closely guarded by the smaller Bobby Jackson, Bryant let fly from the right corner with one second left. The shot wasn't close. ``I knew he'd try to spin baseline - it's his favorite move,'' Jackson said. ``I was thinking, 'Please miss. Please, please miss.' He's a great player. He doesn't miss many shots.'' Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal each missed as time was running out in Game 4 before Horry's 3-pointer gave the Lakers a 100-99 victory to even the series. Horry wasn't open this time. Webber said there was no way he was going to leave him alone. ``I was just trying to shoot over (Jackson) and the shot went long,'' said Bryant, who scored 30 points. ``We'll take the one-point defeat, go home and win the next game.'' Sacramento seemed to be in good shape when O'Neal fouled out with 3:22 left; Bibby drew the big man's sixth foul on a drive down the lane. The Kings took an 88-87 lead on a free throw by Webber with 2:23 to play, but a jumper by Bryant 14 seconds later and two free throws by Samaki Walker with 59.3 seconds left put the Lakers on top by three. Bibby made two free throws with 46.6 seconds to go and Vlade Divac blocked a shot by Bryant 17 seconds later to set the stage for the biggest shot of Bibby's life. And the biggest in the history of the Kings - at least to date. After the ball was tipped out of bounds with 11.4 seconds left, the Kings called time. Coach Rick Adelman diagrammed the play: Bibby inbounded to Webber, who handed the ball back and set the screen on Fisher. When it worked, the fans at Arco Arena went wild. When the game was over, Divac blew kisses to the crowd. Team owner Gavin Maloof ran across the court, leaped onto the scorer's table and kept pumping his fist as the deafening volume increased. The Lakers looked grim as they entered their locker room, aware of the task at hand. ``I got a couple silly fouls called and fouled out of the game,'' O'Neal said quietly. When asked if they were legitimate calls, O'Neal smiled and replied: ``You tell me? What I think doesn't count.'' Horry was more direct. ``It really hurts when you get some questionable foul calls down the stretch,'' he said. ``Unfortunately, we just didn't get the breaks.'' O'Neal shot 14-of-18 in scoring 28 points - all in the first and third quarters. Usually in double figures in free-throw attempts, he missed his only try from the line and had just seven rebounds. The Lakers haven't faced a playoff elimination game since the 2000 conference finals, when they rallied from a 75-60 deficit with 10 1/2 minutes remaining to beat Portland 89-84 in Game 7. ``We're one game from being eliminated. We've been there before,'' Horry said. ``We still have our confidence. We'll be all right.'' NOTES: O'Neal and Bryant each drew his fourth foul early in the third quarter, and the Kings quickly extended a 51-46 halftime lead to 10 points - largest in the game for either team. But the Lakers went on a 19-8 run to finish the period for a 74-73 lead. ... Neither team led by more than five points in the fourth quarter. ... O'Neal made his final eight shots before fouling out. He played six minutes in the final period without taking a shot. ... The return of Peja Stojakovic, who missed six games with a sprained ankle, didn't help the Kings much. Rick Fox, who struggled in the previous two games, held Stojakovic to two points while scoring 16. But Stojakovic had six rebounds in 18 minutes.

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