ARCO Moments: Bibby Goes Back-To-Back

When you really think about it, game-winners and buzzer-beaters are a rare occurrence in the NBA.

Some players finish with a handful over the span of a lengthy career. Some players finish with one–or none.

In Mike Bibby’s case, the former Sacramento guard knocked down two game-winners during back-to-back games in March of 2005 to bring some classic Kings thunder to ARCO Arena.

As ARCO Arena’s time comes to a close, we will be looking back at some classic moments from the old barn in the coming days and weeks before the arena’s goodbye celebration takes place on Saturday, March 19th.

March 8, 2005 – Kings 85, Grizzlies 82

Sacramento blew a nine-point lead to start the fourth and was seemingly heading for overtime during the closing seconds of a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Following Grizzlies forward James Posey’s failed game-winning attempt, Brian Skinner came down with the board as Kings head coach Rick Adelman called timeout with 1.4 seconds on the clock, and the game tied at 82-82.

What followed would go on to be one of the most incredible shots that you will witness:

Peja Stojakovic’s inbound pass found its way to Mike Bibby, who was well beyond the three-point arc. Bibby turned and fired from 33 feet away over the outstretched arm of Grizzlies guard Earl Watson as time expired.

The last-second heave banked in off glass and sent a sellout crowd at ARCO Arena into an absolute frenzy.

Bibby’s shot was one that will live on in Kings history, even if Posey did tip the inbound pass and the clock operators missed it.

“Yeah, (the inbounds pass) was hit, but that’s how it goes sometimes,” Bibby said when asked if Stojakovic’s inbound pass was tipped.

“They did not start the clock, and the ball was deflected,” then-Grizzlies coach Mike Fratello said of the play. “I don’t care what anybody tells me. You can’t approximate how much time was lost by the time our guy deflected it.”

Bibby finished the night with 26 points, five assists, and two steals.

March 11, 2005 – Kings 113, Clippers 112

Just one game later, Sacramento found itself in a similar situation against the Los Angeles Clippers.

This time, instead of things being tied up in the final seconds, the Kings trailed 112-111 with just 4.9 seconds on the clock. Following Kenny Thomas’ errant pass that led to a go-ahead lay-in by Clippers forward Bobby Simmons, Sacramento needed another heroic ending for the second-straight game.

Enter Mike Bibby.

Instead of throwing up another heave from beyond the arc, Bibby quickly made his way to the area just above the right elbow–a spot that Kings fans might recall from the guard’s game-winner during Game 5 of the 2002 Western Conference finals–where he did it again.

With just 0.4 on the clock, Bibby dropped in a go-ahead 20-footer to once again blow the lid off of a capacity crowd at ARCO Arena.

It felt good, but I didn’t know,” Bibby said following the game. The guard finished the night with a game-high 28 points (12-of-20 shooting) and 12 assists to cap off a memorable couple of nights at ARCO.

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