KINGS INSIDE LOOK: HEROICS ARE NOTHING NEW TO BIG-SHOT BIBBY DESPITE GAME-WINNER, KINGS GUARD DOESN'T THINK HE'S TEAM'S GO-TO GUY.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO - The trade had already been made, but Kings co-owner Joe Maloof wasn't sure what his team was getting in Mike Bibby, whom the Kings acquired this summer for popular point guard Jason Williams.

Then Maloof got a call from an old friend who has known Bibby since he was a little kid.

``It was a coaching friend of mine who'd seen Mike play when he was on club teams in Arizona, then followed his career through high school and college,'' Maloof said. ``And the one thing he kept telling me was Mike hits big shots. No matter where he's been, no matter what level he's at, Mike hits big-time shots and makes big plays.''

Maloof, dripping with sweat and wearing a sweet smile after Bibby's clutch 20-footer with eight seconds left gave the Kings a 92-91 victory over the Lakers Tuesday, just shook his head and laughed.

``Well, now I know exactly what he meant,'' Moloof said. ``Mike Bibby hits big-time shots.''

Kings forward Scot Pollard is starting to figure the same thing, referring to Bibby's self-confidence after the Kings moved within one victory of their first NBA Finals.

``Now we all know why Mike walks bow-legged,'' Pollard said.

Bibby is comfortable with being a hero on the teams he's played on. As a freshman he led Arizona to the 1997 national championship and now has the Kings on the brink the NBA Finals. They lead the Western Conference finals 3-2 and can close the Lakers out Friday at Staples Center, in no small part because of Bibby, who has been sensational this series.

In fact, Bibby had to think a moment when asked if Tuesday's shot was the biggest of his career. He paused long enough to make a mental check of the impact shots he's made over the years, then finally relented.

``It probably is,'' the unassuming Bibby said.

But just one of a number of big plays the fourth-year guard has made in this series. It was the biggest shot of the game but hardly his only critical contribution. Bibby, who finished with 23 points, also drove the lane in the fourth quarter, forcing Shaquille O'Neal into a vulnerable position to draw his sixth foul. O'Neal spent the last 3:22 on the bench.

Bibby, a polished playmaker in the mold of Utah's John Stockton, is showing off his flair for the game, not just with his shooting but also his playmaking and court decisions. The drive to the lane on O'Neal was a perfect read by Bibby.

``I saw him and I just dribbled through and he reached,'' Bibby said. ``They didn't call it, so I kept going through and got the call.''

The play that resulted in the game-winning shot was also vintage Bibby, who made the inbound pass to Chris Webber.

``We just wanted him to hit (Webber), then come off and see what's there,'' Kings coach Rick Adelman said. ``We were going to have shooters on the floor and let him make a decision''

Bobby Jackson made a back cut, then Bibby, without the ball, curled around a pick by Vlade Divac to break free of Derek Fisher and catch the ball on a pass from Webber.

``When he got that ball and spun to shoot it, I knew it was going down,'' Adelman said. ``He just had something in that shot that he knew is was down.''

Bibby knew it was good, too, fighting himself from turning and celebrating after the ball left his hand until he knew for sure it would fall through the net.

He doesn't consider himself the Kings' go-to player, saying it's not his call to make since he's barely been around the team a full season. But he definitely wanted the ball in that situation.

``I told Chris if he hands the ball off to me, I'm going to make it,'' Bibby said. ``He told me he'd had it off to me and I told him I'd make it. I had a lot of confidence rolling into that play.''

Just like he always does.

A thankful owner continues to marvel.

``We had no idea he'd do all this,'' Maloof said. ``He's just a terrific player.''

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Kings guard Mike Bibby is one of the main reasons the Kings lead the Lakers 3-2

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press