[0] SACRAMENTO IS KING ON THIS NIGHT SACRAMENTO 97, LAKERS 91.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO - There have been other stiff tests in this season on cruise control, other worthy foes who pushed the Lakers before succumbing to their momentum, but none like this. None this feisty and motivated, this energized by an arena that never slips below 100 decibels.

The Lakers needed no reminder of where they were Friday, or who the opponent was. Arco Arena, strangely devoid of cow bells, but rocking nonetheless, provided a hostile atmosphere the Lakers hadn't felt since June, accompanied by their toughest opponent this season.

And so it was that the Lakers took another dent in their record-setting pace, losing for just the second time in 18 games, 97-91, to the Sacramento Kings.

The Lakers trailed by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter but kept threatening to come back. A 13-5 burst knocked the deficit down to 80-74 with four minutes left, but the Kings rallied and made it a nine- point game again.

A last desperate push pulled the Lakers within four points with 26 seconds to go, then within three points in the final 20 seconds, but they were forced to foul along the way, and Doug Christie made 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch.

The loss snapped the Lakers' nine-game winning streak. It was their first loss at Arco Arena since Dec. 8, 1999.

Superstar forward Chris Webber has yet to play a game this season because of an ankle sprain, and yet Sacramento (15-5) remains the greatest threat to the Lakers' reign.

Peja Stojakovic led the Kings with 24 points, and Mike Bibby scored 21.

``We really think that this is a team that maybe two years ago, you could say they pretty much had to rely on Webber having good games and play from there and hope that as Webber went so would go the team,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. ``But Stojakovic has come on as a legitimate All-Star and is playing very comfortable in this game. He's not just an offensive player; he plays a full, well-rounded game. And (Hedo) Turkoglu is also playing well off the bench. ...

``So this has become a complete team now. It's not just a one-dimensional team, and that's very important.''

Shaquille O'Neal, coming off a 46-point night against Dallas, settled for a more-human 31 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. Kobe Bryant, who spent most of the week fighting off a sinus infection, played an uneven game, making 9 of 23 field-goal attempts for 23 points.

The Lakers failed to take advantage of Webber's absence and Christie's stitched-up shooting hand. Christie played effectively, scoring 12 points and defending Bryant. And when he was out, the Kings got away with a small backcourt of Bibby and Bobby Jackson.

The Lakers led 53-52 in the third quarter but were outscored 14-3 the rest of the period. They scored a season-low 13 points in the quarter and trailed 66-56 going into the fourth.

Bibby and Stojakovic opened the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers as the lead ballooned to 14.

Mitch Richmond, returning to Sacramento for the first time as a Laker - and just the second time since the Kings traded him to Washington in 1998 - didn't play until the start of the fourth quarter. But he received a warm reception from the Sacramento crowd.

Minus Webber, the Kings passed the scoring duties around in the first half. Bibby and Stojakovic scored 10 points each, and three other Kings scored at least seven each as Sacramento took a 48-43 lead into halftime.

The Lakers received 18 points from O'Neal and 15 from Bryant but spent most of the first half playing catch up.

Lindsey Hunter, still bothered by a sore right shoulder, missed his first four field-goal attempts and was pulled in favor of Derek Fisher less than eight minutes into the game. Hunter finished the game 1 for 7. Fisher didn't fare much better, missing his first six attempts and finishing 3 for 12.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

(color) Kobe Bryant has his way on this play but had an uneven game, making only 9 of 23 shots.

Steve Yeater/Associated Press

Box:

GAME RECAP