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Kings-Sixers: 56k | 300k  |
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The Kings (56-22) won five times on a six-game road trip that ended Sunday, losing only to Eastern Conference-leading Detroit. The Pacific Division champions moved within two games of idle Dallas for the league's top record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
Sacramento will play three of its final four games at home, where it owns a 32-6 record.
"I thought it may have been the best and most consistent effort we've had on the trip," Adelman said. "I thought we were tired at the start of the game, but we played a solid game. To win five out of six in this trip and have a chance to win all six is terrific. Hopefully this will us into the last four games and the playoffs."
Adelman raised his record to 600-383 in a career that includes stints with Portland and Golden State.
As the season winds down, the Kings appear to be as healthy as they have been all season. They have won 22 of 27 games since the All-Star break and wore down the injury-plagued 76ers (45-31), who dropped 2 1/2 games behind the New Jersey Nets in the Atlantic Division race.
The Sixers have lost four of their last five home games and also fell one-half game behind Indiana into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Allen Iverson scored 24 points for the Sixers despite playing with a lingering knee injury. He spent the last six minutes on the bench.
"I' just a step slower. I can't bend it the way I want to," Iverson said. "I'm thinking about it a little more than I usually do because I hit the ground so much. I worry about trying to protect the left knee and not protect the other part of my body. It's just frustrating because I've never had a knee injury before."
Iverson, who scored just eight points on 4-of-23 shooting in a loss to Houston on Friday, made 10-of-22 shots Sunday.
Sixers coach Larry Brown dismissed any speculation about sitting his aching superstar with the playoffs approaching. Brown drew a comparison to Michael Jordan, who during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls balked at an attempt by general manager Jerry Krause sit due to an injury.
"That's never going to happen. Michael Jordan and Jerry Krause never became friends. Remember when he told him to sit down?" Brown said. "If he (Iverson) is not going to damage himself, you're not going to sit down.
"These kids today, their whole life is about setting an example and being tough and being out there. As a coach, If they tell me 'Hey, Larry, this kid needs to be out,' I'll win that fight. We got to get to that point. You look at this team and this city. That's what they admire the most. I don't think I'm any different from that."
Iverson, however, did not dismiss the idea.
"I wouldn't be mad about it. I know that he is looking out for me," Iverson said. "I would have to definitely consider it but I'm not going to go down without a fight. If he told me to do something like that, I would know that it would be best for the team."
The injuries did not stop there. Forward Keith Van Horn sat out with a sore foot. Center Derrick Coleman, who started the game with a bruised thigh, was limited to four points but grabbed 12 rebounds. Coleman also suffered a contusion to the left hand, but X-rays were negative and he is listed as day-to-day.
"A lot of guys have injuries right now," Coleman said. "We're just going to try to tough it out."
The Kings took control with an 11-2 run to end the third quarter. Stojakovic had three fast-break layups during the spurt, which ended with Webber sinking an 18-foot jump shot that made it 72-58.
"We wanted to come out and be aggressive in the second half. The third quarter for us has been terrible this trip," Webber said. "We wanted to make guys make decisions with the ball besides Allen."
If Adelman had a concern during the road trip, it was over his ability to hold on to sizable leads in the second half. A second-half collapse at Detroit resulted in the only loss on the trip, and Sacramento lost big leads in wins at Washington and Boston.
In fact, the Kings needed a game-winning 3-pointer by Webber to escape at Boston on Friday night.
There was no giving back by the Kings on Sunday as Sacramento built its lead to 21 points on several occasions in the fourth quarter. The first came on a jumper by Webber that made it 87-66 with 4:48 left.
"I thought through the third and most of the fourth quarter, we played a real solid game at both ends," Adelman said.
Webber added 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Mike Bibby had 14 points for the Kings, including a pair of free throws with 7:47 left in the third quarter that put Sacramento ahead to stay at 50-48.
Bibby had eight points in the first quarter, helping Sacramento jump to a 22-12 lead.
The Kings had a 26-18 lead early in the second quarter, but that was erased by a 9-0 Philadelphia run that included a three-point play by Iverson. Coleman capped the run with a pair of free throws.
The Kings led 44-39 at halftime with the help a 3-pointer by Doug Christie with 28 seconds left in the second quarter.
Iverson had four steals, giving him 212 for the season and tying the club record set by Steve Mix in 1973-74.