KMAX: Sports

Kings 107, SuperSonics 85

By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) The Seattle SuperSonics' late-season desperation was no match for the Sacramento Kings' everyday precision.

Chris Webber had 20 points and seven assists, and Peja Stojakovic scored 18 points as Sacramento stayed in the hunt for the Western Conference's top seed, beating the Sonics 107-85 Tuesday night.

Mike Bibby scored 15 points as the Kings won their fifth straight and improved to an NBA-best 33-6 at home despite returning from a six-game East Coast road trip hours earlier. The Kings won easily, even though the Sonics' faint playoff hopes hinge on every game.

``Everybody I talked to last night was just about dead, but they still came in here and gave a great effort,'' Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. ``After a long trip, this is the one you worry about, but we were very good.''

Sacramento clinched its second straight Pacific Division title last week and while the Mavericks and the Spurs battle each other atop the standings, the Kings are quietly edging closer to the top.

With another visit to the Los Angeles Lakers coming up on Thursday, Sacramento is within one game of Dallas and San Antonio for the West's top seed.

``We're looking at the standings and wondering about where we're going to end up, but it's not a big deal,'' Stojakovic said. ``We know that if we win our last four games, we've got a chance to get past everybody. That would be great, but it won't matter a lot when the playoffs start.''

Predrag Drobnjak also scored 22 points for the Sonics, who lost despite their lengthy streak of strong play since acquiring Ray Allen.

``We knew how important this game was, and they still had a pretty easy time,'' said Allen, who scored 22 points. ``That's the way it is here. They're just a really good team at home. If you don't do the little things to spoil their runs, they're going to feed off all the mistakes that you make.''

With five games left, Seattle (38-39) is in 10th place in the Western Conference, three games behind eighth-place Phoenix after the Suns' victory over Denver.

Still, Seattle coach Nate McMillan couldn't be very angry at his team.

``They are a talented team, and we had no answers for the amount of offensive weapons that they have,'' McMillan said. ``Defensively, the Kings can take us out of what we want to do. That team is just a very good team.''

In their first home game since March 27, the Kings followed up a 5-1 road trip with their third straight victory over the Sonics.

The Kings are completely healthy for the first lengthy stretch of the season, and coach Rick Adelman is trying different lineup combinations. Ten players got significant minutes against the Sonics, with reserves Bobby Jackson, Jim Jackson and Hedo Turkoglu hitting 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as Sacramento maintained a comfortable lead.

``What I'm trying to do is give people a chance to play,'' Adelman said. ``I look at these last games as a chance to do lots of things we need to do before the playoffs. It's going to be difficult to play 10 guys in a playoff game, so I'm doing what I can to keep everybody sharp.''

Beginning a stretch of six games against playoff contenders in nine days, the Sonics shot 37 percent in the first three quarters and never got close enough to threaten.< ^Notes:@ Stojakovic on Vlade Divac's new clean-shaven look: ``He looks younger. He probably wants the Kings to sign him for six more years. I think he's going to try to play forever. He's trying to catch Robert Parish.'' ... Bibby tied the franchise record for consecutive free throws, hitting his 41st straight during the Kings' 10-2 run in the second quarter. Bibby, who hasn't missed a free throw since March 20, matched the record set by Oscar Robertson in 1964. ... Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, looking a good deal heavier than he did in his playing days, sat in the front row.

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