PG MIKE BIBBY
On Thursday, a
Sacramento Bee column argued the Kings have
Mike Bibby and a bunch of maybes. That's often been the case over the last two seasons, during which Bibby has emerged as Sacramento's rock. Unlike two of his fellow starters, Bibby has never been an All-Star - he was a difficult omission this year, when he was the second-best point guard in the Western Conference but only Steve Nash was chosen for the team - but there has been no one more consistent or reliable for the Kings. After starting all 82 games in 2003-04, Bibby started 80 times this year, one of his two misses coming in the final game of the season as he rested with Sacramento already locked into a series with the Sonics. Bibby last failed to score double-figures on Jan. 15, a streak of 46 games. During February, with the Kings battered by injuries, Bibby gave a taste of what he might be able to do if he played on a team with fewer scoring options, averaging 26.0 points while shooting 49.4% from the field and 43.0% from downtown. Offensively, Bibby is the complete package. He can get to the lane and finish or kick out to a shooter, shoot the spot-up three, shoot off the dribble, run the offense … pretty much everything except post up. Defensively, Bibby is a little more dubious, and the Kings hardly shut down point guards. Bibby has a reputation as a prime-time performer after he averaged 20.3 points per game during the Kings run to Game 7 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals, but while Bibby certainly doesn't shrink from the spotlight, his rep is probably overblown.
SG CUTTINO MOBLEY
18-14 when they traded
Cuttino Mobley to Sacramento on Jan. 10, the Orlando Magic won just 18 games without him against more than twice as many losses (32). Obviously, the Magic's collapse from a likely playoff team to the lottery was about more than just Mobley, but Orlando's performance should be construed as evidence of his value. A lot of the talk about Mobley throughout his career has focused on the things he doesn't do - he's a weak rebounder, not a terrific ballhandler and occasionally an indifferent defender - as opposed to what he does do, and that is put points on the board. With Sacramento, Mobley averaged 17.8 points per game to rank third on the team. When the Kings are completely healthy, that number will come down, but Mobley has enjoyed the open shots his teammates have gotten him, shooting 42.4% from 3-point range (he was even hotter in Orlando and finished the season at 43.9%, good for third in the NBA). Mobley has improved defensively to the point that Sacramento should feel comfortable using him against
Ray Allen; while Mobley will never be a stopper, the Kings defense wasn't really any worse with Mobley in the lineup than All-Defense regular
Doug Christie. On offense, Mobley is much more potent, and the Sonics have to rotate out to him defensively and force him to put the ball on the floor, a situation in which he's not nearly as comfortable.
PG BOBBY JACKSON
A healthy
Bobby Jackson will be a huge addition to the Kings during the playoffs. Jackson missed 57 games after tearing a ligament in his left wrist late in December and undergoing surgery. Jackson returned for Wednesday's season finale against Phoenix and played 16 electric minutes, scoring 15 points, grabbing six rebounds and handing out five assists. The 2002-03 NBA Sixth Man Award winner, Jackson is instant offense off the bench, averaging 27.0 points per 48 minutes this season. 6-1 and lightning fast, Jackson makes a living in the lane, attempting a quarter of his shots in close. Ideally, you want to make Jackson beat you from the perimeter - he's only a 34.4% 3-point shooter, though he was over 37% the last two seasons - but keeping him in front of you is very difficult. Jackson is not a true point guard, and the Kings may be better off with him and Bibby paired in the backcourt and Jackson able to focus on scoring. Defensively, Jackson might be just as much of a factor, as he hounds opposing point guards. Statistically, Jackson
was lights-out defensively this season. A worrisome note for Sonics fans: The Kings were 18-7 with Jackson in the lineup, which projects to a 59-win season.
G EDDIE HOUSE
Presumably the only player in the NBA Playoffs to be waived twice this season,
Eddie House was claimed by the Kings following Jackson's injury. It was a fitting pickup, since House provides Jackson-like production, though he's nowhere near as effective. A huge scorer at Arizona State, where he scored 61 points in a double-overtime game, House has never had an NBA position. At 6-1, he's too short to play shooting guard, but he's not a good enough distributor to play the point. Even at point guard, House is a subpar defender. With the Kings, House has kept his turnovers in check and shot the lights out from downtown (28-for-62 from 3, 45.2%), making him productive in limited minutes behind Bibby. Jackson's return to the lineup would seem to leave House out of the lineup, but Sacramento Coach
Rick Adelman has hinted he might use a small lineup of Jackson and House at times.
SG MAURICE EVANS
Undrafted out of Texas in 2001,
Maurice Evans hooked on with the Minnesota Timberwolves and played in 10 games as a rookie. After that, it was overseas for two seasons. A longshot to make the Kings roster, Evans beat out second-round pick Ricky Minard and a couple of players Sacramento was high on, David Bluthenthal and Courtney Alexander, to make the roster and emerge as the top reserve swingman early in the season. Evans averaged 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds, shooting 44.2% from the field. Evans has good size and is the Kings best defensive option against shooting guards. He could also play some small forward in this series, depending on how quickly
Peja Stojakovic returns to the lineup. But Evans is one of the few Kings players opponents can leave open with relatively little fear (32.9% on 3-pointers).
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