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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Chris Webber picked up a stat sheet from the chair in front of his locker. Three seconds later, his
eyes bulged.
|  | | Chris Webber had a huge game for the Kings. 28 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, six steals. |
As Webber could attest, it was a night of mind-blowing statistics and impressive milestones for the Sacramento Kings.
Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points, and Webber had 28 points, 12
assists and 10 rebounds as the Kings reclaimed first place in the
Pacific Division on Tuesday night with a 125-109 victory over the
Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
With Webber and Stojakovic leading the way, Sacramento's high-powered offense shot a team-record 65.4 percent. The Kings were at their best in the first quarter, when they made their first 14 shots and scored 46 points -- four off the NBA record and the most since the franchise moved to Sacramento.
Webber and Jason Williams had 11 points apiece in the first as the Kings used their trademark crisp passing to get open jumper after open jumper, much to the delight of a deafening Arco Arena crowd.
"That was incredible, but we've almost been able to do that kind of thing before," said Webber, who got his 14th career triple-double. "It was a fun game."
The Kings didn't miss a shot until Vlade Divac rolled a layup off the rim with 2:06 left in the quarter -- and Divac followed his own miss with another score. Sacramento finished the quarter 17-of-19 from the field while taking a 17-point lead.
"I don't feel like talking much after that," Houston coach
Rudy Tomjanovich said. "Let me say this -- that's about as good a
performance as I've ever played against. They were phenomenal, and
I have so much respect for them, but I don't feel like talking."
Sacramento won its sixth straight home game to begin a stretch in which they'll play seven of eight games at Arco Arena. The win pushed the Kings (45-21) a half-game ahead of the Lakers (45-22) in the division standings and gave them the most victories in a season since the team moved to Sacramento.
"It means a lot when you're able to do something that hasn't been done before," Webber said.
Webber got a rebound with seven seconds to play that finished his triple-double. He also had six steals, and he got a Gatorade shower from Stojakovic while he waited to do a television interview after the game.
"Everybody did a great job of passing the ball to the open man
and hitting it when they had an easy shot," Stojakovic said.
"That's one of the best games we've ever played."
Divac, who went 10-for-11 from the field, had 21 points and nine
rebounds. Williams added 11 points and 10 assists as the Kings
coasted until a late Houston rally cut the lead to 10 points midway
through the fourth quarter.
The Kings' starters re-entered the game and put it away, with Divac scoring seven points. Webber said the late action was tough on his sore ankle, but he wasn't hurt.
"I'm disappointed the way it ended, but the way it started, I
don't think we can shoot the ball much better than that,"
Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "It's a good way to start off
this homestand, getting a win against a team that has been playing
really well."
The Kings swept the season series with Houston for the first
time since 1979-80 while improving to an NBA-best 27-5 at home.
The Rockets shot 53 percent and managed to stay close despite
the Kings' dizzying offensive show. Both teams shot so well that
they both produced season-lows in rebounds -- 32 for Sacramento and
26 for Houston.
Leading scorer Steve Francis was ejected for the Rockets, who
lost for just the fifth time in 21 games. Cuttino Mobley had 30
points as Houston dropped to 1½ games behind Minnesota for the
Western Conference's final playoff spot.
Francis, who scored 16 points, got his first technical late in
the first quarter for arguing with referee Bernie Fryar. He was
ejected in the opening minute of the second half when referee Bill
Kennedy apparently interpreted Francis' excited gestures after a
dunk as taunting.
Both teams thought the ejection was unjustified, with Mobley saying, "I'm going to hold my tongue. I'm so mad right now, I really don't feel like talking."
Game notes
San Francisco 49ers receiver Terrell Owens sat in the front
row. ... Referee Tommy Nunez mistakenly gave the ball to the Kings
instead of the Rockets to begin the fourth quarter. Jason Williams
was nearly to midcourt before Nunez realized his mistake. ... Walt
Williams didn't dress for the Rockets with a bruised right hand.
All 11 Houston players in uniform scored at least three points. ...
Webber's 12 assists were one short of his career high.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
Sacramento Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 110
Cleveland 75
New Jersey 104
Vancouver 90
Toronto 102
Indiana 81
Orlando 103
Chicago 95
Portland 96
Dallas 88
Phoenix 105
Washington 91
Utah 84
Detroit 79
LA Clippers 88
Philadelphia 77
Sacramento 125
Houston 109
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