Kings’ Jackson Stands in the Way at Finish

Sacramento King guard Bobby Jackson stands 6 feet 1; Laker guard Kobe Bryant is 6-7.

Even given the inflation that invariably happens whenever the heights and weights of professional athletes are listed, Jackson versus Bryant rates as a mismatch of considerable proportions.

With time running out and the Kings clinging to a one-point lead, Jackson found himself alone on Bryant. The bench player, energetic though he has been for the Kings, was up against perhaps the league’s best player.

Jackson would later say he relishes such challenges, although facing Bryant in that situation probably wasn’t his ideal one-on-one matchup.

“Imagine being on an island by yourself with one of the best players in the league,” Jackson said. “And he’s hot. And he’s got 30 points.”

With a frenzied crowd poised for something dramatic, the little-known substitute stood his ground. The superstar missed.

Jackson and the Sacramento Kings came away 92-91 winners against Bryant and the Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday at Arco Arena. The Kings lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, and can finish the Lakers in Game 6 on Friday at Staples Center.

Bryant scored 30 points; Jackson four.

Bryant made 11 shots; Jackson two.

Bryant did not score with Jackson hounding him after Doug Christie fouled out with 3:14 remaining. Christie had been dogging Bryant’s heels for most of Game 5, playing him about as closely as possible, but he went to the bench after hacking Rick Fox with the score tied, 85-85.

King Coach Rick Adelman could have turned to Hedo Turkoglu, a 6-8 small forward, to check Bryant in the closing minutes. Adelman could have assigned Peja Stojakovic, a 6-9 swingman, to shadow Bryant.

Or Adelman could have put Mike Bibby, only 6-1, on Bryant.

He picked Jackson instead.

Bryant would make only one more shot, an 11-foot fallaway that gave the Lakers an 89-88 lead with 2:09 remaining, but Jackson had been picked off on the play.

The Kings would take a 92-91 lead on Bibby’s jump shot with 8.2 seconds remaining. The Lakers still had plenty of time to counter, although with center Shaquille O’Neal fouled out, their options were somewhat limited.

As expected, the Lakers got the ball in Bryant’s hands.

Stationed along the right sideline, Bryant was forced far from the basket. Jackson knew he had only one chance against Bryant and that was to push him away from the low block.

“Willpower,” Jackson said.

The Lakers and Kings retreated, leaving Bryant and Jackson to settle matters. Jackson reached in and punched the ball away from Bryant, who recovered it almost immediately. Bryant then rushed a last-second jumper toward the basket that was off target, falling into Stojakovic’s waiting hands at the buzzer.

“I wanted him to make a tough shot,” Jackson said. “I tried to push him out [on the perimeter]. I wanted to make sure he didn’t get the easy jumper he loves. If he had gotten in the paint, it would have been over.”

Bravado plays a big part of Jackson’s game. He is a confident player, particularly so given his rather unremarkable NBA career.

The Kings are his third team since the Seattle SuperSonics took him with the 23rd pick in the 1997 draft.

“I love situations like that,” he said. “I want to be on their best offensive player. I know one guy is not going to stop anyone in this league. You’ve got to bother him [Bryant]. I tried to knock the ball loose and get a hand in his face. It was a tough shot. It almost went in.

“It was the best defense I could have played.”