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Sonics finish off Kings
By Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin
May 4, 2005
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Seattle SuperSonics Jerome James wears a plastic garbage bag as a cape as he celebrates the Sonics 122-118 win over the Sacramento Kings Tuesday, May 3, 2005, in Game 5 of the first round Western Conference playoff at KeyArena in Seattle. The win will allow the Sonics to advance to the next round of the playoffs.
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
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The Sacramento Kings were beaten by the Seattle Super
Sonics in Game 5 of the first round of the NBA
playoffs 122-118 at Key Arena in Seattle, so that
means that the Super Sonics win the series 4-1.
It's expected that the No. 3 seed could beat No. 6,
but it's just the Kings didnt quite seem good enough
in this series. Not only that, they didn't have their
best game in the fourth quarter in losing in the first
round for the first time since 2000.
However, Tuesday night at Key Arena Peja Stojackovic
scored 38 points, Mike Bibby had 33, and the Kings
really played well enough to win, but didn't rebound.
The season ends for Sacramento, a most remarkable
season. The team character has mostly changed, and the
Kings still managed to win 50 games.
Offensively, the Kings squandered oppourtunities, but
it was the boards that made the difference. The game
had very little defense and the Kings were shooting
very well.
At halftime, Seattle was up 60-57. At the end of the
third quarter, Sacramento had a 93-90 lead, but the
Kings could only manage 25 points in the fourth
quarter and the SuperSonics got 32.
Sacramento's Cuttino Mobley was injured in the second
quarter and didn't come back.
On balance, you would have to say this was a very
sucessful season for the Kings. Going into next
season, there won't be too many changes. The big
problem is the Kings are one big guy short and it's
not impossible to fill that need.
The Kings' Maurice Evans guarded Ray Allen of the
Sonics and did a very good job Tuesday night. In
closing, the Kings look like a team, a very good team,
that's in transition.
With some minor adjustments, additions, and
subtractions, next season should be very successful
for the Kings. Kings general manager Geoff Petrie is
poised to make a few moves.
Ken Gimblin and Joe Cronin conclude their coverage of
the 2004-05 Sacramento Kings. Join them behind the mic
when they host Sportstalk on 1430 KVVN San Jose and
1110 KLIB Sacramento weekends.
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