Kings’ Reserves Put Lakers in Peril

From the brink of clinching to the edge of elimination.

The Lakers, who needed to win one of two games at Sacramento to finish off the Kings, instead lost at Arco Arena, 101-88, sending the series back to Los Angeles for a winner-take-all game at Staples Center.

As they had in Game 3, the Kings crackled with energy and swarmed the Lakers all over the court.

After falling behind by double digits early because of poor shooting, the Lakers chipped away at the Kings in the second half. But Chris Webber, Vlade Divac and the rest of the Kings came up with plays to halt any Laker run.

O’Neal had 25 points and 16 rebounds and Bryant scored 32 points, but the Laker reserves again offered little help--the Kings’ reserves outscored the Lakers’, 42-8.

Tony Delk and Predrag Stojakovic scored seven points in the first 2:07 of the fourth quarter and the Kings opened an 80-68 lead. But Bryant and O’Neal combined for six points to cut the lead to 84-76 with 6:15 to play.

But that was it--Jon Barry made a three-point basket, Webber knocked a ball loose from Bryant and finished with a fast-break dunk and suddenly the series was tied, 2-2.

IN QUOTES

“They failed--not just ‘jury’s out,’ they failed in their first test. But this team doesn’t have to do anything but win their home games to win the championship. That’s the reality.”

PHIL JACKSON,

Laker coach

*

“It would have been so easy to quit the other day. It would’ve been so easy to lose and start our vacation and say we lost to some good guys. But we’re going back to L.A.”

CHRIS WEBBER,

King forward

THE SERIES

Series tied, 2-2