Peeler may have been in the game to start a fight that would send both to the stands for game 7...
K.G. was very close to being gone as well...I doubt Stern will step in and suspend him...I think Peeler was the instigator, it did look like the first bow was intentional...but does that give Garnett the right to hit him the next time down the court?
This series has been very entertaining but the Kings are nowhere near the team they were two years ago...
K.G. was very close to being gone as well...I doubt Stern will step in and suspend him...I think Peeler was the instigator, it did look like the first bow was intentional...but does that give Garnett the right to hit him the next time down the court?
This series has been very entertaining but the Kings are nowhere near the team they were two years ago...
Sam Cassell tries to control the ball with Doug Christie causing havoc.
May 16, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Chris Webber guaranteed a Game 7, and the Sacramento star got all kinds of help in making it happen.
Mike Bibby had 16 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and three steals despite foul trouble and the energetic Kings used an inspired effort on both ends of the floor to survive elimination, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-87 in Game 6 of their second-round series Sunday.
The deciding Game 7 is Wednesday night in Minneapolis.
Peja Stojakovic finally found his shot, scoring 22 points and swishing a long 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer that gave Sacramento the momentum in another testy affair between these teams. Webber had 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Doug Christie had 16 points and sparked a strong defensive effort against league MVP Kevin Garnett and company, and Sacramento just plain outhustled the Wolves to loose balls and rebounds.
Latrell Sprewell scored 27 points and Garnett added 19, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves, who are trying to reach their first Western Conference finals. Sam Cassell scored 16 points before fouling out with 2:32 left, and he was hit with a technical afterward for arguing. Cassell had to be held back from an official by teammate Ervin Johnson.
The Kings were fired up from the start, jumping out to a big lead early and calmly weathering a 17-0 run by Minnesota late in the first quarter. After losing to Minnesota at Arco Arena in three straight games this season -- including 114-113 in OT in Game 3 -- Sacramento has won its last two at home to stay in the series.
Kings guard Anthony Peeler was ejected with 13.5 seconds left in the third after throwing an elbow at Garnett. Peeler had also elbowed Garnett on the previous possession, then Garnett stuck his elbow into Peeler's chest when the Kings came down on offense late in the third quarter.
Garnett was still grimacing from the previous hit when Peeler struck him again and immediately got thrown out. Peeler and Garnett have been sparring all series.
Garnett also received a technical and went to the bench. The fans then started throwing glow sticks used for pregame festivities onto the court. Vlade Divac lightly shoved a Minnesota assistant coach during the scuffle but was quickly pushed away.
Peeler got a hug from Divac, then waved at his bench before leaving the court.
The first elbow thrown by Peeler was similar to the hit teammate Brad Miller took in the midsection in a collision with Minnesota guard Darrick Martin in Friday's Game 5. Martin fell, and as he lay face-down on the floor, Miller pushed him hard in the back. Both players were tossed.
Miller was fined $10,000 by the NBA on Sunday for an obscene gesture toward fans following his ejection, then went out and scored 17 points, grabbed seven rebounds and made five assists off the bench.
While the T-Wolves took better care of the ball than in Game 4 here Wednesday when they made 24 turnovers, Sacramento's defense made it hard for Minnesota to find a consistent rhythm.
Constantly trying to play catch-up -- Sacramento led by as many as 16 early in the fourth quarter -- didn't allow Minnesota to relax on offense.
Sprewell, who had 34 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Friday's 86-74 Game 5 victory, attacked the basket and looked to shoot every time he touched the ball early, scoring 12 points in the first period. He was held to two second-quarter points.
Neither team went to free-throw line in the first quarter, with the first free throw coming 6:22 before halftime.
Bibby was whistled for his fourth foul with 9:01 left in the third and the officials began calling a tighter game after letting the little things early.
Sacramento made nine of its first 12 shots to build a 19-11 lead before a 17-0 run gave the Timberwolves a 30-24 lead after one quarter. The Kings shot 60 percent in the first half on the way to a 57-44 halftime lead.
They shot 50 percent after making just 33 percent of their shots in Game 5.
Notes
There was talk Kings G Bobby Jackson might return for the Kings, but Jackson watched in street clothes. He has a slight abdominal tear and hasn't played in the postseason. ... Recently retired baseball slugger Greg Vaughn, a Sacramento native, was among the celebrities in attendance. ... Fan Warren Givens spent his 96th birthday at the game.
AP NEWS
Peeler really blew it today. He will be suspended for 2 games one this year one one next.
Garnett is obvioulsy fine for game 7.
should be an interesting game WEd night (could they wait a few more days??) I would think Wolves by 10 but who knows.
Garnett is obvioulsy fine for game 7.
should be an interesting game WEd night (could they wait a few more days??) I would think Wolves by 10 but who knows.
They way I saw it was.
-Peeler throws on elbow to the midsection to start it.
-next time down Garnett greets him with a forearm shiver to the chest which wasn't anything to blatant. No to much worse then what happens between big guys often throughout the game
-then Peeler throws a blatant elbow to Garnetts jaw after Garnetts forearm.
IMO both of Peelers offenses were more blatant and violent the Garnetts one offense. Not to mention the Peeler started the altercation. Anyone who thinks the penalty should be equal is a fool.
-Peeler throws on elbow to the midsection to start it.
-next time down Garnett greets him with a forearm shiver to the chest which wasn't anything to blatant. No to much worse then what happens between big guys often throughout the game
-then Peeler throws a blatant elbow to Garnetts jaw after Garnetts forearm.
IMO both of Peelers offenses were more blatant and violent the Garnetts one offense. Not to mention the Peeler started the altercation. Anyone who thinks the penalty should be equal is a fool.
I do not disagree with Sky. Sounds like a likely outcome to me.
However.... who really cares? Time has shown that AGAIN Shaq and the Lake Show will get ANY calls needed to advance and win the championship.
Like I have said here many times... As long as Shaq can stand in the lane and bully everyone around... (Until he retires!) it will be very hard to beat the Lakers.
Also.... Kobe is BY FAR the most gifted scorer in the league... Of course I mean when you let him palm the ball, pin it on his hip, or travel several steps every play.
However.... who really cares? Time has shown that AGAIN Shaq and the Lake Show will get ANY calls needed to advance and win the championship.
Like I have said here many times... As long as Shaq can stand in the lane and bully everyone around... (Until he retires!) it will be very hard to beat the Lakers.
Also.... Kobe is BY FAR the most gifted scorer in the league... Of course I mean when you let him palm the ball, pin it on his hip, or travel several steps every play.
You know I probably never agree with any of Lander's posts, but he is right on the money this time. Well except for implying BoZZi is an idiot. When your tag is Kings #1 you know there is no objectivity at all. I would say blindly loyal vs. idiotic. I think most of it stemmed from game #5 Miller incident. Here is what I saw. Peeler is fronting KG, play is away from them. Feeling KG on his hip, he throws a very hard elbow with obvious bad intentions into KG's solar plexus. Refs saw nothing, knocks the wind out of him and he drops to floor. I think it was just a bait. KG was still standing where he dropped, and Peeler ran back down couty came back again and got right back in KG's face, baiting him again. KG partially fell for it took bait and threw shoulder/elbow into Peeler. That happens on just about every play, down low. Then Peeler escalates and nails KG with a perfect street shot elbow, right on the side of KG's face. If I remember correctly, that is an automatic ejection, and suspension. We all saw what happened, and it was a tit for tat from game #5. What really bothered me, a purist of the game, was Adelhead had to have ordered it. Then the dumass Kings fans started throwing their glow sticks on the court. With the Maloof bros pleading for order, and then threats of automatic arrest, it subsided. The Kings were the best bunch of players for years. Webber is no saint, but he does not thug or cheap shot. The fans were not the only ones who approved of this but Vlade patted him on back and congradulated him. Adelhead also whispered something and smiled. Well, the TWolfs are not about to forget that. And they are one of the dirtiest teams in the league. The Nugget series was very dirty, I posted about how ugly it got. This is even worse. Miller is a white thug. All season long, with many teams, he cheap shots, trips, elbows, whatever. To clean guys, even Duncan. They say he is trying to get into oopponents heads, like putting his hand on KG's face. Peeler, another new King, deliberately try to hurt KG. This gamble to bait him to fight, thus getting suspended backfired. Now the shorthanded Kings without Bobby have no Peeler either. Did you ever see the meanest baddest bully come in your neighborhood, spit in his face, elbow him and smash him upside his head with your elbow? Now they are going to the bully's neighborhood. And with softies like Vlade, CWebb and Peja, Miller will be on his own, without Peeler. I hear the bad Wolf snarling, foaming at the mouth. KG did not take the bait, and Adelhead just gave the Wolfs the ultimate motivation of proving their collective manhood. I thank him for helping out my 17-1 Wolfs. Lakers may blast them, but I should be able to do something hedgewise. Best Wishes...OF
