ESPN article (Stein) about the series

[OutletPass]

Monday, April 26, 2004

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

DALLAS -- The best seven-man rotation in basketball is down to six. Those six, furthermore, include maybe one or two guys who can claim to be fully healthy. Peja Stojakovic, right, has trouble scoring against long defenders like Josh Howard. Trouble?

When the healthiest guy has a sickly shot, to go with all of his teammates' ailments, most definitely. It's deep trouble for the Sacramento Kings. Peja Stojakovic arrives for Game 4 in Dallas on Monday night having missed 16 of his last 20 3-point attempts, which arguably qualifies as the biggest upset so far in these suspenseless playoffs. The Mavericks just played their two best defensive games of the season, back-to-back, but they're not foolish enough to claim that they're forcing all those misses out of one of the league's most feared marksmen.

It's true that length bothers Stojakovic, and that the Mavericks -- relying on lanky rookies Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels to share Peja duties with Michael Finley -- are longer defensively on the perimeter than they used to be. Yet something else is happening here. A few things, actually.

A. The greatest fears of Kings diehards are playing out. Stojakovic was undeniably an MVP candidate through 60 games, but he's still struggling to adapt to his new role as the No. 2 option, even though Chris Webber is already two months into his comeback. Ball movement has been a problem throughout those two months, and Stojakovic has gradually lost some aggressiveness. Example: He took only one shot in Saturday's second half.

B. Of perhaps greater concern, kindred spirit Vlade Divac is averaging only 19 minutes per game in this series, having been repeatedly small-balled off the court by the speedy little Mavs. Using their Serbian telepathy, Vlade goes out of his way to find Peja cutting backdoor to the hoop or flaring to the 3-point line off screens. Because Divac is on the court less, Stojakovic is getting the ball less.

C. Of perhaps greatest concern, Sacramento's locker room doesn't feel like the most harmonious place these days. Chemistry has always been one of the Kings' greatest attributes, but you don't see it oozing from this group. The stress created by injuries and the Kings' freefall late in the regular season -- and, quite possibly, the pressure stemming from past playoff failures -- is palpable.

Winning the first two games at home, after a 4-8 slide to close the regular season, apparently wasn't a lasting tonic. To wit: Said Mike Bibby, when asked to explain how Stojakovic could wind up with only nine shots and seven in a playoff game: "I think he missed a few shots and stopped shooting."

“ You can't guarantee a shot going in -- all you can do is measure a man's heart. ”
— Chris Webber
Added Webber, when asked if he's worried about Peja's total of just 20 points from Games 2 and 3: "I think you've got to ask him. For me to speak on it, I really don't know. I'll tell you one thing, though. I knew Michael Finley was going to play well (in Game 3 after struggling in the first two games). You can't guarantee a shot going in -- all you can do is measure a man's heart. I hope the effort will be there."

Webber walked off before it could be clarified whether he was referring Stojakovic specifically or the whole team. If it was Peja alone, you'd have to classify that as a shot at Peja, which is obviously the last thing the Kings' need.

Stojakovic, mind you, is beating himself up plenty. He didn't go to sleep until 4 a.m. after Saturday's loss and a soul-searching meal with Divac. He is vowing to be more aggressive and more active, as Sacramento hopes to re-establish its famed ability to carve up opponents on the weak side.

"I'm not frustrated," Stojakovic insists. "But I know I need to play better."

The other Kings would be wise to do anything they can to help him, too, Webber and Bibby especially. These aren't the Kings of 2002, who could lose Stojakovic to an ankle injury in Game 3 and still dust the Mavs in five. Webber (knee), Bibby (hip) and Brad Miller (elbow and ankle) are all playing hurt, and Bobby Jackson remains out for the postseason with an abdominal injury until he decides he simply can't take sitting any longer. Divac is a creaky 36 on his best days, and the reduction in playing time can't be helping his conditioning.

All of which makes it pretty clear that the Kings have to hope Peja's disappearance in this latest Game 3 was merely temporary. Without the passing and cutting and shredding that usually starts with Vlade and Peja, the Kings stand around and force shots and get rather easy to guard. Even for the Mavericks.

If it continues, you'll be hearing as much about the downward direction of the Kings' ever-closing Window Of Opportunity as their manpower shortage.

[kingrex]

The Kings issues may not bite them in this series against Dallas, but no way are the Kings getting far if they continue to play this poorly.

The Kings and the Mavs are playing at an equally low level, and neither will go very far in the playoffs if they keep playing they way they have.

[OutletPass]

Absolutely, Kingrex.

At this level of play, I wouldn't give either team much of a chane in the next round.

This is the most horrific series that I've seen the Mavs involved in for a long while.

[kingrex]

Originally posted by: OutletPass
Absolutely, Kingrex.

At this level of play, I wouldn't give either team much of a chane in the next round.

This is the most horrific series that I've seen the Mavs involved in for a long while.

I'm not sure how much of your post is hyperbole, but I wouldn't say that it's "the most horrific series". I seem to remember a series against the Utah Jazz that was extremely chippy and just as ugly if not more so.

[OutletPass]

Agreed. That was 8 series ago in 2001.

FYI, the Mavs shot 43.1, 40.6, 48.6, 46.2 and 39.7 in the series while the Jazz shot 41.3, 47.8, 45.9, 38.5, 39.2. Everyone can judge for themselves which series was uglier from an offensvie pointof view.

I'll say this one.

[Mavs Rule]

Any series you win coming back from 2-0 down can't be too ugly.

[dude1394]

You wanted defense you got defense. Actually it's sort of ugly but there was a whole lotta' drama out there last night.