It almost felt like old times, Bobby Jackson said as he held court inside the Kings' locker room in front of a throng of reporters, the likes of which the team has not seen this season.
And it felt like the rivalry of yesteryear.
"I remember the 'old Sacramento Kings' used to have six players in double figures every game," the veteran guard said.
That's what the the Kings did in Tuesday night's 113-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Every starter scored in double figures with Jackson, who had 15 points off the bench, matching the season high he set in a Nov. 23 loss to the Lakers.
However, Jackson said there was an unfamiliar sound inside Arco Arena, where the announced crowd of 16,068 represented a season high.
"It sounded like a lot of Lakers fans," Jackson said. "That fired us up even more."
Exchanging pleasantries - Lakers coach Phil Jackson was complimentary of the Kings before Tuesday's game, saying there is at least one aspect of the rivalry he misses.
"The only thing I miss is the cowbells behind the bench," he said.
"Rivalries are good. They are good for basketball. If the teams play well, they are good for the league. It increases all the attention paid to the league. Right now, there are three or four teams in the West that have fallen on hard times."
Carril returns - Pete Carril sat near the Kings' bench during his visit to Sacramento for an annual appointment with his heart doctor.
The former longtime Kings assistant coach said he has been in good health lately. And he's still keeping up with the Kings.
"They've been playing lousy," said Carril, 78.
But not Tuesday, said Carril, who retired as a Kings assistant in 2006.
Missing Martin - Shooting guard Kevin Martin missed his 13th game of the season, sitting out because of a sore left ankle, which has troubled him since early November. There is no timetable for his return.
"There is just something going on that is uncomfortable," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "Sometimes there are no answers for that. You just have to let it get better."
This little toe - Kings point guard Beno Udrih, playing despite a sprained middle toe on his left foot, demonstrated that running and pushing off are no longer an issue.
"It's a little nagging thing," said Udrih, who had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Knot tied - When Shelden Williams' and Candace Parker's busy schedules continued to cause them to push back their plans for a big wedding, the couple decided to elope Nov. 13 to Lake Tahoe.
"We just decided that with both of our schedules, it would be better to elope," Williams said.
The newlyweds live in Sacramento with their three dogs.
Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521. To get breaking news alerts and game scores sent to your phone, text KINGS to 72737.
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