Kings play role of spoiler in beating Nuggets

DENVER – George Karl believed what he was saying.

And really, he had no reason not to.

This was, after all, hours before his Denver team would take the Pepsi Center floor to face the Kings on Saturday night, and the coach had just seen his Nuggets win six of seven games in the heat of this incredible Western Conference playoff race.

"I think it's making us stronger," he said of the race. "I think it's making us be what we have to be to be successful. We have to be mentally tougher. We have to be more focused. … I think it's going to help us become prepared."

It did all of those things. Just not for his team.

With no Beno Udrih, no Ron Artest and no Brad Miller, there was no quit in those Kings who remained.

In a game that held the highest of stakes for the home team, the Kings pulled off an 118-115 win that left the Nuggets fearing for their postseason lives and had the visitors celebrating as they haven't all season.

Despite the opposite realities the two teams faced coming in, it was the Kings who showed an impressive ability to stay poised, whose efforts were so vital to the preparation that has already begun for next season.

They withstood a late awakening from the desperate Nuggets late by attacking the basket, hitting 16 of 17 free throws in the fourth quarter while the zone defense they employed all game continued to frustrate the Nuggets until the ending that changed this wild West race. Denver dropped into a tie with Golden State for the conference's final playoff spot with six games left for both teams.

"What we enjoy the most is mucking it up," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "We play the spoiler, and that makes it fun for us and it keeps us motivated."

Beyond the youth movement and the obvious quest for the best possible record, there is now the undeniable chance to be remembered as the official spoilers of 2007-08. The Kings, of course, downed Houston on Tuesday when the Rockets could ill afford such a blow, this after their March wins over Golden State and the Lakers in which the contrast in motives was just as stark.

With the Kings having won five of their last six games in all, their game at Arco Arena today against the Lakers begins the final stretch of six games, five of which are against teams currently in first to eighth place in the West.

"The message is that we're going to play hard," said Francisco García, who ran the point for much of the night and had 29 points and six assists off the bench. "We're going to play to win – every single game. It's not going to be no cupcake Sacramento."

Said Kevin Martin, who missed the morning shootaround because of sickness but played through it to score 36 points: "It's very rewarding because coaches around the league are looking at these games since the West is so close. We have to be getting a lot of respect."

Especially from the Nuggets.

With Denver down 116-113 with 10.5 seconds left, the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony opted for the easy two points with a dunk that capped his sensational scoring night (47 points on 19-of-24 shooting).

Allen Iverson (11 points on 4-of-11 shooting) quickly fouled Martin, who buried his 12th and 13th free throws just as he hit every one before those, and the Nuggets were forced to try for the game-tying three-pointer.

J.R. Smith peeled off a screen and faced the rim from beyond the arc, but Kings forward Mikki Moore contested with a hand he said tipped the ball that bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

Moore might have had his finest game of the season. He had 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds, and took a charge from Anthony Carter with 34.5 seconds left that helped kill crucial time.

"I pieced (the ball)," Moore said of blocking Smith's attempt.

"I pieced a little bit of his palm too, but I pieced the ball first. It was the same thing as the last time we played the Lakers."

About the writer:

• Read Sam Amick's Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.