Earlier than turning into normal supervisor of the Kings, Vlade Divac performed six seasons for the franchise and took part in one of the crucial controversial playoff collection in NBA historical past.
It was the 2002 Western Convention Finals towards the Lakers – who had gained the chip the earlier two years and have been seeking to three-peat.
The collection remains to be talked about in basketball circles at the moment, as a result of controversial nature of the officiating – notably in Recreation 6 on Sacramentos’ residence court docket.
Some say the collection and Recreation 6 particularly was rigged towards the Kings. The Lakers’ Recreation 6 win might be partly attributed to the very fact they have been awarded 40 free-throw makes an attempt, with 27 of these coming within the fourth quarter.
The Kings misplaced Recreation 6 and went on to lose Recreation 7 in time beyond regulation and Divac nonetheless maintains his aspect was higher.
“I don’t want a hoop or a medal to know after I gained, Divac stated in an interview for Index HR.”We had an ideal workforce, and I believe we have been a greater workforce than the Lakers. If we had handed them, we might’ve swept the [New Jersey] Nets just like the Lakers did – 4:0 within the finals.”
“I used to be very happy with that Kings workforce. For me, we have been winners, simply as I contemplate the Serbian nationwide workforce the winners of the Olympic event in Paris,” he Corridor of Famer declared. “Sacramento was a small workforce then with a small funds, we weren’t almost as enticing to the media because the Lakers, and we confirmed that we may play a greater and extra lovely basketball than them.”
Divac was probably the greatest facilities within the league on the time and the Kings have been loaded with star-power together with Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby and Doug Christie.
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