SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Going into Tuesday's Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, here's the most important thing for the Sacramento Kings to remember: learn to forget.

Forget tying an NBA record for blowing the biggest lead after the first quarter (20 points) in Sunday's 100-99 loss. Forget scoring 65 points in the first half, and just 34 in the second half. And forget the incredible sequence that led to Robert Horry hitting a game-winning 3-pointer right before the buzzer that evened the series at two games and, essentially, saved the Lakers' season.

	Can Kobe Bryant, bottom, keep up with Mike Bibby for four quarters?

A fluke play turned into a clutch shot by a big-game performer. But here's why the Lakers won the game: They were relentless on the offensive glass. In grabbing 25 offensive rebounds, the Lakers got 32 second-chance points -- including the final offensive rebound by Shaquille O'Neal that indirectly led to Horry's last-second heroics.

"We took 97 shots to their 78 and we had 25 offensive rebounds to their eight," Lakers forward Rick Fox said. "That's where all those extra shots came from."

Chris Webber, who was averaging a team-leading 11.1 rebounds a game in the playoffs before Sunday, had just six in Game 4 -- or one less than Fox. Vlade Divac was averaging 9.4 rebounds before Sunday but had seven in Game 4 -- or two less than Devean George. In their desperation to get back into the game, the Lakers became the more aggressive team while the Kings were tentative.

"We have to do a better job of keeping them off the boards," Kings coach Rick Adelman said.

The Kings were hoping for a Game 5 return by Peja Stojakovic, the team's second-leading scorer who sprained his ankle in the third game of the Dallas series and has missed six straight games. Stojakovic worked out for three hours on Monday, but he did not practice. He's listed as doubtful for Tuesday's game, and Adelman is now hopeful that Stojakovic will be ready for Friday's Game 6 at Staples Center.

"Every day, he's getting better," Adelman said. "I think by Friday he will be OK. We almost accomplished a 3-1 lead without Peja, and we're 2-2, so that's good."

A bigger worry for the Kings than Stojakovic is how to get point guard Mike Bibby on track if the Lakers decide to defend him full-time with Kobe Bryant. Bibby scored 18 points in the first half -- 14 in the first 17 minutes -- as he continued to scorch the Lakers' combination of Derek Fisher and Lindsey Hunter.

	“	We're disappointed we lost. But we feel good in the fact we have a lot better ball we can play. ”
		— Chris Webber

Bryant, on Saturday, told Lakers coach Phil Jackson that he'd like a shot at Bibby, even if it meant sacrificing his offense. The move worked as Bibby scored just three second-half points with Bryant all over him.

"Defensively is where I really wanted to provide the spark," Bryant said. "We were a little lethargic defensively. I felt like that's where we needed our energy boost."

Even with Bryant's success, defending Bibby for four quarters might be too big of a challenge. The Kings felt that Bryant, who had five fouls, might have gotten away with being a little bit too aggressive with his defense.

"There was a lot of grabbing and holding that they let get away," Kings reserve guard Bobby Jackson said. "There's no way they should be allowed to do that (to Bibby) and not get called for it."

The Kings didn't get the call, and Webber understands.

"I'm a firm believer you have to take it away from the champion to earn respect," Webber said. "We're almost on an even playing field, and that's what we want."

"We're disappointed we lost," Webber added. "But we feel good in the fact we have a lot better ball we can play."

Jerry Bembry is general editor (NBA) at ESPN The Magazine. He can be reached at Jerry.Bembry@espnpub.com.