Kings beat Timberwolves, tie series 2-2
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-13 14:20

Sacramento Kings' Doug Christie, left front, Mike Bibby, left rear, and Anthony Peeler celebrate during a time-out against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of an NBA Western Conference semifinal series Wednesday, May 12, 2004, in Sacramento, Calif. The Kings won 87-81. [AP]

Chris Webber scored a playoff-high 28 points and Brad Miller added 20 to lead the Sacramento Kings to an 87-81 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night in Game 4 of their second-round matchup.

Though every basket was a grind, the Kings gritted their teeth and tied the series.

Mike Bibby had 15 points and a playoff-best 12 assists for the Kings. Webber scored six points over the final 3:20, quashing the Timberwolves' hopes for a third straight last-minute victory.

Game 5 is Friday night in Minnesota, where the clubs split the first two games of the series. Game 6 is back in Sacramento on Sunday.

Except for Webber's six straight baskets to start the game, nothing came easily for either team. It was nearly the opposite of Minnesota's thrilling 114-113 overtime win two nights earlier, as both teams struggled to make easy shots and committed countless boneheaded turnovers.

Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 21 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who made 24 turnovers while losing in Sacramento for the first time in four games this season. Minnesota's Big Three — Garnett, Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell — combined to shoot 17-for-48 as both teams' defenses dominated.

With the Kings' victory, all four of the NBA's second-round playoff series are tied at two games apiece — but only this series featured two road wins in this home-dominated postseason.

Led by Webber's outside shooting and strong team defense, the Kings jumped to a 17-point lead in the first half. But nothing is easy in this series: Minnesota quickly made a 19-6 run that included 11 straight points, and the Wolves briefly tied it late in the third quarter.

Peja Stojakovic, the NBA's second-leading scorer in the regular season, had yet another terrible shooting game, missing eight of his first nine shots and rarely asserting himself in the Kings' offense. Stojakovic, Bibby and Doug Christie combined to shoot 7-for-31 for the game, getting just one basket in the fourth quarter.

But Webber carried the Kings in perhaps his best game of the playoffs. Though most of his points came from the outside to draw Garnett away from the paint, he played strong defense, grabbed eight rebounds and also got a dramatic dunk in the final minutes.

Bibby made up for his 4-for-12 shooting with his best playmaking of the series despite Sprewell's defense. He also hit all six of his free throws, leading Sacramento's 22-of-25 performance from the line.

Cassell had 15 points and six assists for the Timberwolves, while Sprewell had 13 points. The rest of the roster managed just 34 points.

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