(My Sportsbook) - Over the last couple seasons the scary-deep
Sacramento Kings haven't needed their franchise player to carry the load. But in a supposed breakthrough year for the Kings, Chris Webber is stepping up for his battered teammates.
Webber missed three games early in the season with strained lower abdominal muscles, but rushed back to provide some stability to a sagging squad.
Webber has led the Kings in scoring in each of the last four games and five of the past six. Not coincidentally, Sacramento has won four of its past five contests.
On Sunday against Orlando, Webber netted 24, but his biggest points came with 1.5 seconds left.
The Magic managed to tie the game at 99-99 with 4.6 seconds left, as Darrell Armstrong stole an inbounds pass before Pat Burke tipped in a Mike Miller miss.
Sacramento then called a timeout to draw up a game-winning shot. Bobby Jackson inbounded the ball to Webber at the top of the key and the forward knocked down the long jumper, lifting Sacramento to victory.
"Coach [Rick Adelman] drew up the [last play] where the guys split up and either I hand the ball off to Bobby [Jackson] or I shoot the ball myself," said Webber, who also had 10 rebounds. "Both of the defenders followed Bobby, and I was fortunate I hit the shot. I didn't think about driving to the hoop because I knew we only had a few seconds on the clock.
"When coach called the play, I really felt good about it. I knew I was going to take the shot. And it felt good going in. We have used that play many times. It is kind of like what we did last year when Bibby hit the winning shot."
The win was huge for the Kings since they were coming off a setback to Pacific Division-leading Seattle on Friday.
Webber's late-game heroics were also an encouraging sight for the Kings. The forward's career has been hampered by poor performances in the clutch, from his dreaded time-out call with Michigan in 1993 to his lack of assertion in the waning moments of NBA playoff games.
Still, legends are not made in the regular season.
