Gone are the Chris Webber alley-oops, Vlade Divac’s charges, Doug Christie’s hand signs to his wife in the stands and the half-court bounce passes from Bobby Jackson.
After a five-season run as an NBA power, the Sacramento Kings are trying to adjust to a new era in which championship dreams are just that, a dream.
Tonight at the Pepsi Center and Friday on the road, the Nuggets play the new-look Kings, a team with only four players back from the roster that opened the 2004-05 season.
“It is a new team,” Kings forward Peja Stojakovic said, “but it’s an exciting team.”
From 2000-05, the Kings may have been the NBA’s most exciting team. They were a high-scoring running, dunking, 3-point shooting machine. They had a marquee player, Webber, and another all-star, Stojakovic. Divac was the elder statesman and the heart of the team. There were few 1-2 point guard punches better than Mike Bibby and Jackson.
Sacramento won 50 games or more every season during that stretch.
“They were probably the most fun team to watch,” Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said.
Despite their championship potential, the Kings never could get out of the West to the NBA Finals. Injuries to Webber and Jackson hit the team hard. So did bad luck. The Kings were one victory shy in 2002 when they were ousted by the Los Angeles Lakers, and one victory short of reaching the Western finals in 2003 and 2004.
“We could never stay healthy,” Stojakovic said. “There was always somebody in our starting five or important players (who) went down. There were various reasons besides the injuries. Missed shots, some opportunities we had (and missed). We didn’t make it.”
With the team aging, management began its overhaul last season, letting Divac go. Christie was traded to Orlando. Jackson was traded to Memphis this past offseason for guard Bonzi Wells.
But the biggest change came when Webber and two other players were shipped to Philadelphia on Feb. 23 for Brian Skinner, Corliss Williamson and Kenny Thomas.
“I saw one article where it said that now that C-Webb is gone, so is the national attention in Sacramento,” center Brad Miller said. “That’s just how this league is. They just hype up a certain person.”
Said Anthony: “They’re still a fun team to watch. But missing C-Webb and Vlade, that took a lot out of them.”
With Webber gone and Miller hobbled, Seattle knocked out Sacramento in the first round of the playoffs last spring. Few are predicting the Kings to go any further this season.
The only Kings remaining from opening day 2004 are Stojakovic, Miller, Bibby and second-year player Kevin Martin. Along with Wells, power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim was added in the offseason.
“We’ve got to handle our business on the court, keep our mouth shut and go out there and play the game the way we know how to play,” Wells said.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
FOOTNOTES: Nuggets assistant John Welch showed video
Tuesday’s practice that focused on passing and defense for point
guards, swingmen and big men. “I think Coach is concerned about
the ball being sticky in everybody’s hands,” guard Greg Buckner
said. “He’s trying to show us situations where an extra pass could
have gotten somebody else an easy shot.” Nuggets general
manager Kiki Vandeweghe said the team likely would not hear
about the salary exception until around the time of Nene’s Nov.
knee surgery. Nuggets coach George Karl said he canceled
practice Monday because the team got in around 2 a.m. Monday
after a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and because of the annual
state of the union meeting with NBA officials in the early
afternoon.
Marc J. Spears, Denver Post staff writer
