Mike Bibby remains hurt: "Yes, they stole from us" in the historic battle between Kings and Lakers

Mike Bibby still holds a very bitter memory of one of the most controversial playoff series in recent NBA history. The former player of the Sacramento Kings believes that his team was harmed in the unforgettable 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, a battle that marked an era in the league.

During a conversation with Joe Johnson, Bibby recalled those duels against the team led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, highlighting the enormous level of that Sacramento squad. Johnson praised that Kings roster, composed of players like Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Doug Christie, in addition to Bibby himself.

"It was fun playing against you guys. I will never forget it. From Chris Webber to Vlade Divac and Doug Christie, those players were incredible passers and had a basketball IQ through the roof. And then there was you all. You were a great team," Johnson explained.

The former Kings player did not hesitate when Johnson asked if, looking back, Sacramento could have been disadvantaged in that series. "A bit?" Bibby responded laughing. "Of course! Did you see that sh*t?" he emphatically stated.

Bibby was especially referring to the controversial seventh game of that series, in which the Lakers won in Sacramento and advanced to the NBA Finals. Years later, that series is still remembered for the refereeing decisions, especially for the amount of free throws attempted by Los Angeles in the sixth game, considered by many as one of the most contentious officiating in playoff history.

For Bibby, that outcome could have completely changed his legacy. "That could have changed my whole career. At that time, I was playing at an incredible level. What if we had reached the Finals and I had been the Finals MVP? That would have looked much better on my resume than what I have now," he explained.

The best Kings in history

Those Kings are considered by many as one of the best teams that never won a championship. With a style based on ball movement, collective intelligence, and spectacular offensive basketball, Sacramento was on the verge of glory but ended up falling to Lakers who would later seize the ring.

More than two decades later, Mike Bibby maintains the same feeling: that generation of the Kings deserved a chance in the NBA Finals.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mike Bibby sigue dolido: "Sí, nos robaron" en la histórica batalla entre Kings y Lakers