NBA  FINAL           1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- ---     -----
     SACRAMENTO       24  33  19  30      106
     DENVER           24  20  39  33      116    FINAL


 HIGH SCORERS:  SAC - CHRIS WEBBER 26, PREDRAG STOJAKOVIC 19, LAWRENCE
                      FUNDERBURKE 16
                DEN - NICK VAN EXEL 38, RON MERCER 25, ROY ROGERS 18


 HIGH REBOUND:  SAC - VLADE DIVAC 7, THREE PLAYERS WITH 6
                DEN - KEON CLARK 16, ROY ROGERS 10


 HIGH ASSISTS:  SAC - JASON WILLIAMS 7, TWO PLAYERS WITH 4
                DEN - NICK VAN EXEL 10, TWO PLAYERS WITH 4


          ATT:  15,576
                                                                        

Extended Box


SACRAMENTO (106) AT DENVER (116)


SACRAMENTO
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


WEBBER            F    40   10-20     6-7      1   5   6    4   3   0   1   26
C WILLIAMSON      F    18    2-7      2-2      3   3   6    2   3   0   1    6
DIVAC             C    17    4-7      2-2      3   4   7    2   2   0   3   10
ANDERSON          G    24    0-6      0-0      1   3   4    2   2   0   1    0
J WILLIAMS        G    24    2-7      0-0      0   1   1    7   2   2   5    5
POLLARD                18    0-2      4-6      2   2   4    0   2   1   2    4
DELK                   24    4-9      1-2      0   1   1    3   2   0   0   10
MARTIN                 17    3-8      0-0      0   0   0    4   2   0   2    7
STOJAKOVIC             30    7-11     4-4      1   3   4    0   3   1   1   19
FUNDERBURKE            20    6-10     4-5      4   2   6    2   0   1   0   16
CORBIN                  8    1-2      1-2      0   1   1    1   2   0   0    3
WENNINGTON            DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                240   39-89    24-30    15  25  40   27  23   5  16  106
                            (.438)   (.800) TEAM REBS: 8  TOTAL TO: 16(26 PTS)


DENVER
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


CLARK             F    19    2-6      2-2      8   8  16    3   5   1   1    6
POSEY             F    11    1-4      0-0      0   0   0    0   3   1   0    2
LAFRENTZ          C    14    0-4      0-0      0   4   4    0   2   0   2    0
MERCER            G    44    9-19     7-8      0   6   6    4   3   1   5   25
VAN EXEL          G    44   16-31     5-5      1   6   7   10   2   5   3   38
MCCLOUD                31    3-10     1-1      3   3   6    4   2   1   0    8
ROGERS                 33    9-14     0-0      7   3  10    1   3   0   0   18
BILLUPS                 8    1-3      1-1      0   0   0    1   0   0   1    3
STITH                   6    2-4      2-4      0   1   1    0   0   0   1    6
BOWEN                  30    4-9      2-4      6   2   8    0   5   0   0   10
ALEXANDER             DNP - COACH'S DECISION
MCDYESS               DNP - LOWER BACK STRAIN


TOTALS                240   47-104   20-25    25  33  58   23  25   9  13  116
                            (.452)   (.800) TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 14(18 PTS)


   SACRAMENTO         24   33   19   30  -  106
   DENVER             24   20   39   33  -  116


BLOCKED SHOTS: SACRAMENTO -  C WILLIAMSON 2, DELK, ANDERSON, WEBBER,
POLLARD. DENVER -  CLARK 5, ROGERS, LAFRENTZ.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: SACRAMENTO 4-16 (.250), WEBBER 0-1, ANDERSON 0-2, J
WILLIAMS 1-3, DELK 1-3, MARTIN 1-3, STOJAKOVIC 1-4. DENVER 2-16 (.125),
POSEY 0-1, LAFRENTZ 0-1, VAN EXEL 1-8, MCCLOUD 1-2, ROGERS 0-1, BILLUPS
0-1, STITH 0-2.
TECHNICALS: SACRAMENTO - ASSISTANT COACH WETZEL.
OFFICIALS: KEN MAUER, NOLAN FINE, MARC DAVIS.
A - 15,576. T - 2:10.
                                                                        

Box Score


SACRAMENTO (106)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Webber          40 10-20   6-7   1-6  4  3   26
C Williamson    18   2-7   2-2   3-6  2  3    6
Divac           17   4-7   2-2   3-7  2  2   10
Anderson        24   0-6   0-0   1-4  2  2    0
J Williams      24   2-7   0-0   0-1  7  2    5
Pollard         18   0-2   4-6   2-4  0  2    4
Delk            24   4-9   1-2   0-1  3  2   10
Martin          17   3-8   0-0   0-0  4  2    7
Stojakovic      30  7-11   4-4   1-4  0  3   19
Funderburke     20  6-10   4-5   4-6  2  0   16
Corbin           8   1-2   1-2   0-1  1  2    3
Wennington     DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 39-89 24-30 15-40 27 23  106
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.438, FT-.800. 3-Point Goals:
4-16, .250 (Webber 0-1, Anderson 0-2, J Williams
1-3, Delk 1-3, Martin 1-3, Stojakovic 1-4). Team
rebounds: 8. Blocked shots: 6 (C Williamson 2,
Delk, Anderson, Webber, Pollard). Turnovers: 16
(J Williams 5, Divac 3, Martin 2, Pollard 2,
Anderson, C Williamson, Stojakovic, Webber).
Steals: 5 (J Williams 2, Funderburke, Pollard,
Stojakovic).


DENVER (116)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Clark           19   2-6   2-2  8-16  3  5    6
Posey           11   1-4   0-0   0-0  0  3    2
Lafrentz        14   0-4   0-0   0-4  0  2    0
Mercer          44  9-19   7-8   0-6  4  3   25
Van Exel        44 16-31   5-5   1-7 10  2   38
Mccloud         31  3-10   1-1   3-6  4  2    8
Rogers          33  9-14   0-0  7-10  1  3   18
Billups          8   1-3   1-1   0-0  1  0    3
Stith            6   2-4   2-4   0-1  0  0    6
Bowen           30   4-9   2-4   6-8  0  5   10
Alexander      DNP - coach's decision
Mcdyess        DNP - lower back strain
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         24047-104 20-25 25-58 23 25  116
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.452, FT-.800. 3-Point Goals:
2-16, .125 (Posey 0-1, Lafrentz 0-1, Van Exel
1-8, Mccloud 1-2, Rogers 0-1, Billups 0-1, Stith
0-2). Team rebounds: 12. Blocked shots: 7 (Clark
5, Rogers, Lafrentz). Turnovers: 14 (Mercer 5,
Van Exel 3, Lafrentz 2, Billups, Clark, Stith).
Steals: 9 (Van Exel 5, Clark, Mccloud, Mercer,
Posey).
____________________________________________
Sacramento         24   33   19   30  -  106
Denver             24   20   39   33  -  116
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: Sacramento 1 (Assistant Coach
Wetzel, 10:53 2nd). Flagrant fouls: None.  A:
15,576. T: 2:10. Officials: Ken Mauer, Nolan
Fine, Marc Davis.
                                                                        

Game Story


DENVER (Ticker) -- Nick Van Exel took over. 


With his team apparently out of the game, Van Exel had 14 of his
season-high 38 points in the third quarter when the Denver
Nuggets erased a 13-point second-half deficit en route to an
impressive 116-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings. 


The 6-1 point guard had a stellar night, knocking down 16-of-31
shots and 5-of-5 free throws to go with his seven rebounds and
10 assists in 38 minutes.  The Nuggets trailed 57-44 at the
half and 74-68 with 4:11 to go in the third period before Van
Exel turned into a one-man show. 


"I just tried to pick it up for the team in the second half,"
Van Exel said. "It's just mental toughness.  I wanted the
pressure on me in the second half. I was mad in the third
quarter.  The basket looked like a big ocean." 


He drained a 19-footer, converted a steal into a layup and fed
rookie Ryan Bowen for an uncontested layup with 2:15 left in the
third quarter to forge a 74-74 tie.  Van Exel and Predrag
Stojakovic exchanged jumpers before Van Exel put his team ahead
to stay, 78-76, with a running jumper in the lane with 1:18
left. 


George McCloud hit a 3-pointer and Van Exel put an exclamation
point on his third-quarter outburst by hitting another runner
with 1.4 seconds to go, giving Denver an 83-76 cushion entering
the final period. 


"I wanted the ball and I had a good rhythm," Van Exel said.
"It's just something that clicks in me.  And I want to try to
take a game and motivate my teammates." 


"Lots of guys stepped up tonight, but Van Exel was the guy who
really led the way for us," Denver coach Dan Issel said. 


Ron Mercer scored 25 points and Roy Rogers added 18 and 10
rebounds off the bench for Denver, which had lost nine of its 10
previous meetings with Sacramento. 


"I tried to make the most of my opportunity tonight," Rogers
said.  "Nick is an All-Star.  He is capable of doing that every
night." 


Chris Webber had 26 points for the Kings, who have dropped three
of their last four games and are just 3-5 since a sparkling 10-2
start. 


"We knew Nick would be the man," Webber said.  "He is a great
player.  Nick never suprises me.  You can see his hearth pumping
through his chest.  I don't think anybody thought they would
cmoe back from 13 points down." 


Bowen scored 10 points for the Nuggets, who lost guard Chauncey
Billups to a dislocated shoulder in the fourth quarter.  Denver
was already without starting forward Antonio McDyess due to back
spasms and lost second-year big man Raef LaFrentz due to nausea
in the first half, making Denver's second-half explosion all the
more impressive. 


"We needed (a big second half), especially with McDyess and Raef
out," Van Exel added.  "We made an assertive effort to take the
ball to the basket in the second half." 


Keon Clark, starting for McDyess, had six points and 16 rebounds
for the Nuggets, who shot 45 percent (47-of-104) and held a
commanding 58-40 advantage on the boards. 


Stojakovic and Lawrence Funderburke had 19 and 16 points off the
bench, respectively, for the Kings, who shot 44 percent
(39-of-89) and yielded 23 points off turnovers. 


Stojakovic fueled a 13-2 second quarter run with a pair of
layups and two free throws to give Sacramento a 43-32 lead with
5:39 remaining in the first half. Funderburke's layup less than
a minute before intermission extended the Kings lead to a
comfortable 57-44. 


Rogers started the Nuggets' comeback with a 15-footer and two
layups to open the second half, cutting the deficit to 57-50
with 10:29 remaining in the third quarter.  The Nuggets stayed
within striking distance before Van Exel began his virtuoso
performance. 


The volatile point man was just 5-of-14 for 12 points in the
first half, but buried 11-of-17 shots the rest of the way,
falling three points shy of his career high in scoring
established last February 5 against his former team, the Los
Angeles Lakers. 


"Nick got on fire," Kings forward Corliss Williamson said.  "He
did a good job making up for the absence of McDyess and LaFrentz
in the second half." 


Van Exel scored 12 fourth-quarter points to make sure the
Nuggets stayed ahead.  Denver (11-11) improved to 8-3 at home
and moved back to .500 on the season. 
                                                                        

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