Versatile Kings Advance to Next Round

If it is defense that wins championships, the Sacramento Kings probably shouldn’t block off a parade route past the California state Capitol just yet.

If championships can be won with scoring, experience, momentum and late-game toughness, the Kings might be closer than most people suspect.

Sacramento eliminated the Mavericks from the playoffs’ first round in five games Thursday night -- an impressively quick resolution to a series that seemed to be a dream matchup for Dallas two weeks earlier. The Kings lost eight of their final 12 games in the regular season, but they were tenacious in three close victories over the Mavs.

“I always thought we were a lot better than the way we finished the season,” All-Star center Brad Miller said. “Hopefully we’ve worked out some of the things that were going wrong. Hopefully we’re just hitting our stride again.”

The Kings won high-scoring games and defensive battles against the Mavericks, showing the same versatility that had them atop the NBA in early February. The closing game was a 119-118 thriller, but the Kings won with several big defensive stops in the final three minutes.

The rest of the NBA is aware of the Kings’ potential at their best, but the Kings hadn’t been close to that for nearly three months. Coach Rick Adelman thought Sacramento finally got close against a determined Dallas squad.

“We just kept coming back and coming back and staying with it,” Adelman said. “We wanted to keep pressure on them, keep playing as hard as we could. It came down to just one shot.”

Though their late-season struggles were a huge setback to the Kings’ title hopes, their veterans have stressed the importance of this trip to the postseason. At the team’s first practice before the playoffs, Chris Webber and Doug Christie addressed the team with messages about fleeting opportunities.

“We all just realize that this could be the last time we’re together,” said Webber, who struggled in the final three games against Dallas after two strong outings. “We’re senior citizens in this league in terms of the time we’ve been together.

“I just wanted to make sure we don’t take anything for granted, because it’s hard to get on a great team in this league. We might not have that luxury forever.”

The Kings have won a playoff series in four straight seasons -- the longest streak in franchise history -- but haven’t won a title since 1951, when they were the Rochester Royals.

In the second round, Sacramento expects to face the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who played Denver on Friday night. Though Kevin Garnett and his powerful supporting cast are no picnic, the Kings match up well with their lineup -- and Sacramento has a valuable advantage in postseason experience.

Christie was the Kings’ most important player against Dallas, providing outstanding defense on several Mavs while averaging 13 points. The veteran guard’s athleticism allows him to defend almost anyone, but he could be particularly valuable against Latrell Sprewell and the Timberwolves’ perimeter players.

Sacramento also expects its superb frontcourt to get back in form. The Kings were forced to match up with Dallas’ small lineup, leaving Vlade Divac on the bench for most of the series, and limiting Miller’s effectiveness.

Divac still is the best at running the Kings’ passing offense, but Miller finally seemed to shake off several nagging injuries with 21 points and six assists in Game 5.

After Adelman left Miller in the game to start the third quarter -- when Divac normally relieves him -- Miller scored 13 points, even hitting a three-pointer as time expired.

The Timberwolves are bigger than Dallas, and Miller can’t wait for the challenge: The Kings’ big offseason acquisition is in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.

“I pretty much want Minnesota,” Miller said. “We’ve had some pretty good battles. We’re just going to go out and have some fun.”