DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ENTERING AN UNKNOWN NEW WORLD.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

SACRAMENTO - Champions often find another team to push them to true greatness. The Lakers had won consecutive titles, but no team seemed close to their equal.

No one for them to take a true measure against, to elevate them to another level.

If they're going to three-peat, they've found one now. Not in the Finals, but in their own conference, their own division.

The Sacramento Kings, in case you held any doubt before Tuesday night, are very much for real. Are very much an excellent team.

These Kings are better than the 76ers and Pacers the Lakers beat in the last two Finals. Better than the Blazers who pushed them to a seventh game two years ago.

And right now at least, better than the Lakers.

We'll see now, of course, how it ultimately plays out. But if the Lakers are going to capture their third consecutive title, they're going to have to overcome the odds, the road and the very talented Kings.

Sacramento's 92-91 victory over the Lakers at the Arco Arena Tuesday left them the team in command, not the Lakers. The team with the 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

This is a new world for the Lakers. In their past three postseasons, they have never been down 3-2. Never had to win consecutive elimination games.

If the Lakers actually wanted a new measure of their greatness, they have it now.

``We look at this as an opportunity,'' said Kobe Bryant. ``We'd rather be up 3-2 than down. But we were faced with elimination against Portland two years ago.

``When you're faced with adversity, that's when you find deeper powers within yourself.''

They are plainly going to have to go deeper than ever before. The old tricks that bailed them out before can't be counted on now.

The game on the line and Kobe doesn't come through? Takes the final shot as the game's final seconds tick away and watches it come up short?

``He normally makes it against us,'' said Kings coach Rick Adelman. ``Tonight I finally saw him miss one.''

Kobe had Robert Horry all alone in almost the exact spot Horry hit the dramatic, game-winning 3-pointer in Game 4, but seemingly intent on taking the last shot, never saw him.

``I told Horry, 'I'm not leaving you today,' '' said Kings forward Chris Webber, who did exactly that as Kobe lost Bobby Jackson in the corner.

The team that had been almost nothing but clutch, played with fire one time too many. And now they are left in the kind of trouble they have never known during Phil Jackson's tenure as the Lakers coach.

Lose Friday at the Staples Center and they watch the Finals. Win Friday but lose Game 7 here on Sunday and they're still the odd outsider.

``We know we have to win a ballgame at home first of all, before anything else can happen in this series,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

``The onus is on us. They have a lot of freedom coming in. It's kind of a giveaway game in their terms, they can play free and loose. We have to come out with the same determination we did tonight.''

They are learning the Kings are just as determined. And now in Mike Bibby, they have the kind of big-time, clutch player that Webber never truly became.

These are two highly skilled, competitive teams. This was the tightest game of their series almost from the beginning, both teams acting like they might take control, only to fall back. There were 13 lead changes. Ten times the score was tied.

``That's two teams going at it,'' said Kings coach Rick Adelman. ``We were fortunate Bibby hit his shot and Kobe missed his. That's probably how close these two teams are.''

That's how they figure to be for a while. The Kings have established themselves as the team the Lakers will have to go through for the next several years if they are to add to their trophy case.

A talented team that has developed character. They don't fold, they challenge. They don't cower but rise to the occasion.

They'll test the Lakers as they've never known. An equal has grown up before the defending champions. Now it's the Lakers' turn to answer.