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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) – Rack up another one for the Comeback Kings.
|  | | Kings forward Predrag Stojakovic, front, battles Tony Delk for a loose ball. |
With Chris Webber scoring 24 of his 41 points in the second
half, Sacramento erased a 28-point second-quarter deficit and beat
the Phoenix Suns 100-89 Wednesday night.
"I don't believe we are ever out of a game," Kings coach Rick
Adelman said. "We've got a lot of guys who compete. We've got a
lot of offensive firepower. When we get active, we can shave a lead
in a hurry. You saw it tonight."
The 28-point rally was the biggest in the NBA this season,
surpassing Sacramento's comeback from a 24-point deficit to beat
Miami 101-97 on Dec. 10.
"Just believing in each other," Webber said. "At halftime, we
said, `If we're going to lose, we're going to go out fighting.'
That was our only thought process, not to come back and win but to
go back and make sure they knew they had a fight on their hands."
The Suns led 64-40 at the half, when Kevin Johnson was added to
the Ring of Honor at America West Arena and had his No.
7 uniform retired. What followed was by far the largest collapse in
Phoenix's franchise history as Sacramento outscored the Suns 60-25
in the second half.
"We basically stayed in the locker room in the second half,"
the Suns' Shawn Marion said.
Webber, playing for the second night in a row after missing 10
games with a sprained left ankle, was the catalyst of the comeback,
even though he said his ankle was 75 to 80 percent of normal. He
was 11-for-14 from the field in the second half -- 17-for-30 for the
game -- and finished with 14 rebounds in 43 minutes.
Adelman said he kept asking Webber if he needed a rest, and the
big forward said no.
"Hey, let me live off the adrenalin and feel the pain on the
way back," Webber said.
Vlade Divac added 16 points, 11 in the second half, for the
Kings, who are 3-0 against the Suns this season. Hidayet Turkoglu
scored 13, including three 3-pointers.
Marion scored 23 for Phoenix but was 0-for-5 from the field with
two points in the second half. Rodney Rogers added 19 points and
Cliff Robinson 14.
Inconsistency has been a trademark of the Suns this season, and
they took it to extremes this time.
"In the first half, it was one of our best defensive
performances," Phoenix coach Scott Skiles said, "and it was
followed by one of our worst in the second half."
As the lead evaporated, Skiles didn't call a timeout. He said
later that he feels a team doesn't build character if a coach is
always bailing it out with a timeout.
The Kings, with Webber scoring 16, outscored Phoenix 30-9 in the
third to cut their deficit to 73-70 entering the final quarter.
A 10-2 run against the listless Suns put Sacramento up 82-77 on
consecutive baskets by Scot Pollard. Sacramento eventually led by
as many as 17 as boos rained down on the home team.
Marion, with an array of short jumpers, made 10 of his first 11
shots and was 10-for-12 for 21 points in the first half.
Mario Elie, who had 10 points in the first half, sank a
3-pointer to cap an 11-0 run that put Phoenix up 42-20 with 9:23 to
go in the half.
Marion's breakway stuff after a Sacramento turnover gave the
Suns their biggest lead, 60-32, with 3:22 remaining until the
break. Rogers' basket at the halftime buzzer made it 64-40.
The Kings scored the first 12 points of the third quarter and
cut it to 64-52 on Webber's 19-footer with 7:56 left in the period.
The Suns boosted their lead to 70-52, then Sacramento mounted an
18-2 run that reduced the lead to 72-70 on Webber's two free throws
with 7.7 seconds left in the quarter.
Game notes
Predrag Stojakovic banged his left knee and went to the
sidelines with 6:31 to go in the second quarter. X-rays were
negative but he did not return. ... Jason Kidd had 10 of his 13
assists at halftime. ... Phoenix tied a season high with 64 points
in the first half, then set a season low with nine points in the
third quarter. ... The Suns made 11 of 40 shots in the second half,
the Kings 25 of 41. ... Phoenix's previous biggest blown lead was
20 against Philadelphia on Feb. 24, 1998.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Sacramento Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
Favorite Sun: K.J.'s No. 7 retired in halftime ceremony
RECAPS
Milwaukee 101
Boston 94
New York 79
Indiana 75
Philadelphia 102
New Jersey 94
Houston 104
Atlanta 98
Washington 88
Cleveland 83
Dallas 93
Miami 86
Orlando 112
Detroit 102
Sacramento 100
Phoenix 89
Utah 86
Seattle 82
LA Lakers 97
Toronto 85
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