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  Tuesday, Mar. 28 8:00pm ET
Webber grabs 4th triple-double of year
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- After leading the Sacramento Kings to victory, Chris Webber took care of unfinished personal business -- getting his 10th rebound to complete his fourth triple-double of the season.

Webber also had 21 points and tied his season high with 11 assists as the Kings defeated the New York Knicks 103-95 Tuesday night. Predrag Stojakovic, back after missing three games with two sprained fingers, added 20 points for the Kings.

Chris Webber, Kurt Thomas
Chris Webber hangs on after dunking over the Knicks' Marcus Camby, left and Kurt Thomas.

Webber got his ninth rebound early in the fourth period, but didn't get his 10th until 40 seconds remained. It was his 12th career triple-double.

"Being able to pass really helps, because in the second half it seemed like I was double teamed every time I touched the ball," Webber said. "When you pass the ball, it really gets everyone on the team going and it really makes you feel good about your game."

Allan Houston had 33 points and Latrell Sprewell added 18 for the Knicks. But Patrick Ewing had just eight points and six rebounds, far below his season averages, and four turnovers in 32 minutes.

The Knicks said they allowed Sacramento, the league's highest-scoring team, to dictate the pace. New York is the second-best defensive team in the NBA.

"They kind of baited us into not playing their cuts as physically as we'd like to," Houston said. "We didn't attack them on the defensive end. They had us on our heels."

The Kings led 57-56 at halftime, and took a 65-58 lead as Vlade Divac hit four straight baskets to open the second half. Sacramento built its lead to 70-60, holding New York to four points in the opening 7:52 of the third period.

"At the start of the third, we had low energy by our starters on transition," Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "We took a lot of jump shots. We gave a lot of air space to a lot of people. It got us into a hole."

Houston hit a 3-pointer to start a 7-0 run that pulled the Knicks within three points, but the Kings finished the period with a 12-9 run and entered the fourth period with an 82-76 lead.

The Kings led 88-84 when they went on a 7-2 run that included three points by Webber and four straight free throws by Stojakovic -- one due to a technical foul on Ewing -- to take a 95-86 lead with 3:47 remaining.

New York pulled within 95-90 on four straight free throws by Sprewell and Chris Childs, and got within four points at 97-93 on a 3-pointer by Houston with 1:25 left, but could get no closer.

Corliss Williamson and Webber had 14 points apiece as the Kings led by one point at the half. Houston had 17 points and Sprewell 14 in the first half as the Knicks hit seven of their first 10 shots, including two 3-pointers by Sprewell.

New York forwards Larry Johnson and Marcus Camby were in foul trouble and played little in the first half.

Game notes
Stojakovic had missed three games with sprained right thumb and index fingers. ... Sacramento's Jon Barry missed the game with a sore right shoulder. He has played only seven minutes in the last five games because of the injury. ... In their other meeting this season, the Knicks had a season-high 120 points in a win over the Kings in New York. ... The Knicks had a three-game winning streak snapped. ... The Kings are 13-2 on Tuesdays.

 


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AUDIO/VIDEO
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 Chris Webber's passing game was the key.
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 Jeff Van Gundy considers Webber a terrific offensive talent.
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