Kings Don’t Need to Be the Reel Deal

The Sacramento Kings finally won a game in this first-round series because they stopped playing like the Sacramento Kings.

The behind-the-back passes and quick three-point shots got Jason Williams what he deserved--a place on the bench in the fourth quarter--and a return to the fundamentals brought about what the basic stuff usually does: a victory in the playoffs.

“All the things you have to do to win a game like this, we did,” Sacramento Coach Rick Adelman said after the Kings took Game 3 from the Lakers, 99-91, Sunday. “We defended them fairly well, we rebounded, we executed. I couldn’t be more proud of our team.”

Sometimes you need to get more simple in order to advance. Hey, if Jim Carrey could skip the slapstick antics and play it straight in “The Truman Show,” the Kings could do this.

So they made a determined effort to go inside, with Chris Webber going to work on the Laker power forwards.

They changed up defensively, sending a big man Kobe Bryant’s way when he tried to make his moves in the first half.

They exhibited patience on offense, letting the plays unfold until the best shot presented itself.

Remember, these are the Kings we’re talking about.

“We can play that way,” Sacramento reserve Tony Delk said. “We’ve just got to be smart on the court.”

When was the last time an opposing coach was asked about the key to a Sacramento victory and the first thing he mentioned was defense?

It happened Sunday, when interior defense topped Phil Jackson’s compliment list for the way the Kings played.

This might take some getting used to, like the first time Al Sharpton changed out of those sweats and into a suit.

Usually, if the Kings ain’t scoring, they ain’t winning.

The Kings averaged 110.1 points in their 44 victories this season, surpassing the century mark 40 times in those games. Their average in their 38 losses was 99.0--which happened to be the winning number Sunday.

Their shooting percentage stayed in the .330 range for much of the game Sunday and fast-break chances were at a minimum.

“Our guys hung in there,” Adelman said. “They stayed with it.”

Sometimes the Kings make the highlight shows with plays that don’t even result in a basket-- because the attempts looked just that nice.

Aside from a telling first-half play when Webber refused to settle for a jump shot and drove past A.C. Green for a dunk, not much of what the Kings did would even make the qualifying rounds for the next batch of “I Love This Game” commercials.

The defining moment of the game was the type of thing that usually only draws attention if the player making it has dyed hair and tattoos.

It came two minutes into the fourth quarter. Webber missed, Delk grabbed the rebound. When Webber missed another shot, Delk got that rebound too. The ball wound up in Predrag Stojakovic’s hands and he drilled a three-pointer.

That gave the Kings the lead for the first time all afternoon, and they were on their way to a 21-8 run.

The Lakers could have used a guy like Delk on Sunday, someone to take care of all the odd jobs. He had five rebounds--all on the offensive end--and scored 11 points. Adelman called him the Kings’ most consistent player for the three games, and he was right.

If Stojakovic could have played like this in the first two games, the course of the series might be different.

He scored 19 points Sunday after producing a total of six in Games 1 and 2. To be fair, he has injured ligaments in his right thumb. But most of the problem was in his head.

“We talked to Peja [Stojakovic] about how they were defending him, how he had to be more active,” Adelman said. “I thought he was much more active tonight. We moved the ball better, we found him when he was open.”

He made the open threes and tough baseline shots while falling out of bounds. He cut backdoor for a dunk and scored inside.

He isn’t known for his defense, but in keeping with the theme of the day he played his part in holding Glen Rice to five-for-13 shooting.

Webber was the star, however with 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

He and Divac are two of the best passing big men in the NBA, and they finally showed why Sunday with some nice interior feeds to each other.

Webber could have played up the fact that media members and even Laker players questioned Sacramento’s heart after the Lakers humbled them, 113-89, in Game 2. But why? “During the game, none of that helps you,” he said. “Right now, I’m really learning it’s just about preparation and execution.”

The Lakers looked a little agitated when the game slipped away in the fourth quarter Sunday, and now they have a couple of days to be uncomfortable about a series that this time was extended by their own poor play, and not television.

The Sacramento fans have a chance to build on the frenzied state they reached in the fourth quarter, after initially falling a few decibels short in the face of the overwhelming challenge the Lakers posed.

Webber was asked if he believes in momentum.

“I’m a believer in reality,” Webber said. “Reality is that we just beat a good team, and they’re going to be mad when they come in Tuesday, so we’d just better be ready to play again.”

Reality is that the Kings just showed they can play like a real postseason team. As difficult as it might be to believe.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at his e-mail address: j.a.adande@latimes.com