Mar

10

Udrih’s Late Free Throws Help Kings Edge Lakers 114-113

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under Main 

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000a19.jpg?????????????

I am willing to bet that the Minnesota Timberwolves wished that they had kept current Sacramento Kings guard Beno Udrih; in what was a close, hard-fought contest between the Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, Udrih made 2 clutch free throws with 4 seconds left, enabling Sacramento to escape Staples Center Sunday night with a 114-113 victory.

The Lakers didn’t shoot bad at all (47.7%), but the Kings shot a bit better (55%); perhaps turnovers are what kept Sacramento in the game more than anything else as Los angeles turned the ball over 20 times.? From the onset, defense wasn’t either team’s calling card; Sacramento’s Fernando Garcia drained a 3-pointer 4 minutes into the second quarter, which began a 17-5 run by the Kings that was capped by another 3 by Garcia with 4:06 left in the first half, giving Sacramento a 58-45 lead; the Kings would enter halftime with a 71-60 lead.

Behind by 11 midway through the third quarter, Los Angeles closed the gap as the Kings went without a score for a stretch of 4:18.? The Lakers’ Derek Fisher made a jumper which narrowed their deficit to 86-85 with 2:53 left in the period; fast forwarding to the fourth quarter, a layup by Los Angeles’ Pau Gasol with 15 seconds left in the game gave the Lakers a 113-112 lead, but a foul by Sasha Vujacic put Udrih on the line with 4 ticks left on the clock.? Udrih made both free throws, which set up the final possession for the Lakers; the Kings watched nervously as the ball went to the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant.? Bryant’s 18-footer hit the rim, sealing the game for Sacramento.

Sacramento’s leading scorer was Udrih with 25 points, 2 rebounds, 1o assists and a steal, while Kevin Martin scored 21 with 4 rebounds and an assist; Ron Artest added 17 with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals and a blocked shot, while Garcia chipped in with 15 - including 3 treys - with an assist, a steal and a blocked shot.? Spencer Hawes had his best game as a King as he scored 14 with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 4 blocked shots.

Los Angeles was led by Bryant with 26 with 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, while Gasol scored 25 with 7 rebounds, 9 assists, a steal and 2 blocked shots; Lamar Odom added 16 with?10 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocked shots, while Vujacic from off the bench chipped in 15 with 2 rebounds, an assist and a steal.? Sacramento (28-35) now flies to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Thursday, while Los Angeles (44-19) travels north to Canada to take on the Toronto Raptors Tuesday.???



Comments

Leave a Reply