Leave it to 71-year-old Kings assistant coach Pete Carril to sum up Friday night's 106-102 Game 6 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.
"You can't beat City Hall," Carril said while the Kings slowly walked out of their locker room, believing their chance for advancement to the NBA Finals on this night had been blocked by the questionable officiating of Dick Bavetta, Bob Delaney and Ted Bernhardt.
Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal scored a game-high 41 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to tie the best-of-seven Western Conference finals series that now comes down to Sunday's Game 7 at Arco Arena that will begin at 4:30 p.m.
The Kings believed they had reason to wonder after watching the Lakers shoot 27 free throws (21 made) in the fourth quarter. L.A. made just 5 of 13 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter and just one during the game's final 6:51.
Granted, trailing by three points, the Kings intentionally committed three fouls during the final 19.8 seconds in an attempt to stop the clock and get two misses from the Lakers.
On second thought, maybe the Kings began to foul intentionally after O'Neal's basket at the 6:51 mark.
Down the stretch, though, Kobe Bryant (31 points) made all four of his free throws, and Robert Horry made the second of two with just 2.4 seconds left.
The Lakers entered this game attempting just 22.4 free throws per game during the previous five contests of the series. Overall, they attempted 40 Friday and to their credit, made 34 for a championship-style percentage of 85 percent in a game they had to win.
Sacramento made 18 of 25 free-throw attempts, 7 of 9 of which came during the fourth that featured four lead changes and five ties.
Kings coach Rick Adelman couldn't hide his disappointment after watching backup center Scot Pollard, then starting center Vlade Divac foul out of the game.
Pollard picked up his fifth and sixth (disqualifying) fouls with 11:48 and 11:34, respectively, remaining in the game.
Divac, who had been on the bench with four fouls at that point, re-entered the game and picked up his fifth with 8:29 left before fouling out with 2:56 left in the contest.
When Divac picked up his fifth foul, Kings forward Chris Webber mouthed to the center, "We're going to get (bleeped)."
Adelman said he would not use the description "jobbed" to capture the night's occurrences.
"I just feel sorry for our team because they did everything they could to win the game," Adelman told the media. "They did. It's just a shame, a real shame."
Adelman also pointed out the pride he had in his team.
"Our big guys get 20 fouls (actually 24 Friday night), and Shaq gets four?" said Adelman. "You tell me how the game went. It's just the way it is. Obviously, (the Lakers) got the game called the way they wanted it called.
"But I'll tell you what, our guys played their tails off, and they still had a chance to win. I give them credit. We're not going away Sunday."
The Kings had a chance to take a modicum of control with 3:07 left in the game.
They led 92-90 and had the ball after Divac had first blocked O'Neal's shot and then won a jump ball with him. Webber drove against Horry and appeared to have a three-point opportunity. But an offensive foul was called against the Kings All-Star, who had hit big, timely, clutch shots all evening on the way to a 26-point, 13-rebound, eight-assist night.
"I told the ref what I was going to do before the play," Webber said.
The foul nullified a basket and a potential four- or five-point lead at that point. Horry made two free throws when Divac fouled out, and the score was tied again at 92-92.
The game went back and forth with the Lakers' lead alternating from three points to one during the final seconds before Hedo Turkoglu's layin with 12.6 put the score at 103-102.
Mike Bibby defended Bryant at the free-throw line as L.A. inbounded the ball. Bryant attempted to clear himself from Bibby and landed an elbow to the Kings' point-guard's nose that sent him to the floor holding his face. No foul was called until Doug Christie was whistled for one with 11.8 left.
Bryant went to the line and made his first free throw before the Kings had to use their final time out - a 20-second - to help Bibby stop the flow of blood with cotton. Bryant made the second and then Bibby, with a huge piece of cotton hanging out of his nose, attempted a three-point shot that did not fall.
Bibby said he didn't know if the elbow was intentional.
"I don't know what it was," he said of the elbow. "Whatever it was, it was an elbow, though."
Divac said he didn't know Bibby's capabilities.
"I have to stay away from that guy," Divac clowned. "You know he's a crazy guy, hitting himself in the face like that."
GAME 6
LAKERS 106, KINGS 102SERIES TIED 3-3
ELATED
Game 7. Western Conference finals. Bring it on, fellas. Let the Arco Arena thunder begin.DEFLATED
Somehow, Mike Bibby's nose fouled Kobe Bryant late in the game. Gee, funny how that happens.TOP SCORERS
Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers 41Kobe Bryant, Lakers 31
Chris Webber, Kings 26
Mike Bibby, Kings 23
Divac/Turkoglu, Kings 12
TOP REBOUNDERS
Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers 17Chris Webber, Kings 13
ASSIST LEADERS
Chris Webber, Kings 8Three players tied with 5
1. Lakers 106, Kings 99 - Lakers never trailed
2. Kings 96, Lakers 90 - Gritty bounce-back win
3. Kings 103, Lakers 90 - L.A.'s late rally thwarted
4. Lakers 100, Kings 99 - Horry's last-second three wins it
5. Kings 92, Lakers 91 - Bibby's turn to hit game-winner
6. Lakers 106, Kings 102 - Lakers hit their free throws
7. Sunday: Time 4 p.m. Arco Arena
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The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
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