Chris Webber scored a season-high 37
points and had to know how Bob Sura felt after a costly mistake
that helped the Sacramento Kings win in Cleveland for the first
time in 17 years with a 111-106 victory over the Cavaliers.
Webber made 14-of-22 shots from the floor, all seven of his free
throws and also led Sacramento with 10 rebounds. Jason Williams
had 18 points and a career-high 18 assists as the Kings won in
Cleveland for the first time since March 18, 1984.
"I wasn't aware of it until before the game when someone told me
about it," said Sacramento coach Rick Adelman, who was in his
first year on the sidelines as assistant with Portland in 1984.
"Our team has broke a few of these streaks in the last two
years. I didn't really say anything to them until the end of the
game. I was surprised it was that long."
After Jon Barry hit two free throws to give the Kings a 106-103
with 25 seconds to go, Sura had trouble finding an open man on
the inbounds pass and called time. Cleveland did not have any
timeouts remaining and Barry hit the technical free throw.
"That's our team, when we get rolling we get rolling," Webber
said. "We have so much fun playing together that when we get
down everybody steps up and tries to take over. Cleveland
played a great game and we were lucky to get this one."
Barry, who had all eight of his points in the fourth quarter,
was fouled after the technical and again made the pair to push
the lead to 109-103 with 23 seconds remaining.
Webber committed an identical mistake when he was at the
University of Michigan in the closing seconds of a loss to North
Carolina in the 1993 national championship game.
Sura had 25 points and seven assists and Shawn Kemp added 21
points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland, which has lost three
straight and 10 of its last 11 games.
Kemp made 9-of-18 shots but hit just 3-of-6 free throws. He had
a chance to tie the game, but made only one foul shot and
Cleveland trailed 104-103 with 27 seconds left.
"We had a chance to win again tonight," Kemp said. "I missed
some key free throws down the stretch. It's frustrating but I'll
be OK. The free throws are something I take pride in.
Regardless of what happened out here in the game, I missed one
free throw down the stretch. That's going to bother me a bit."
Sura scored 14 points in the first quarter to help the Cavaliers
grab a 39-31 lead. Cleveland's biggest lead was 50-33 when
Henderson's dunk capped an 8-0 spurt with 8:43 left in the
second quarter. Sacramento closed the period with an 11-4
surge, keyed by a pair of 3-pointer from Williams, and trailed
61-55 at the break.
"He's a young player that's going to be very good," Adelman said
of Williams. "Jason made some huge plays and had 18 assists.
Webber was incredible. He just carried us the whole game. This
was a really good road win."
Webber scored eight points in the third period when Sacramento
outscored Cleveland 23-17 to tie the score, 78-78
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