Greatest Hits: Mike Bibby’s Game 5 Dagger

Mike Bibby is one of the best players in league history to never make an NBA All-Star team. Drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies No. 2 overall in the 1998 NBA Draft after leading the Arizona Wildcats to their first and only NCAA championship, Bibby would go on to be one of the most exciting point guards of his era.

Most remembered for his time with the Sacramento Kings when he led a high-powered offense, he actually played some of his best NBA basketball with the Grizzlies. Bibby still holds the Vancouver/Memphis franchise single-season assist record with 685 total dimes in the 2000-01 season.

After the 2000-01 season, Bibby would start a new chapter of his career in Sacto. He and runningmate Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and Vlade Divac would look to knock off the Los Angeles Lakers after two straight NBA championships.

In the 2001-02 regular season, Bibby led the Kings to a 61–21 record, good for the Pacific Division title over the Lakers. Later, the two teams would meet in a legendary Western Conference Finals matchup. What might be most memorable about this series, however, was Bibby’s gutsy game-winner in Game 5.

Bibby would continue to play in the NBA until 2012, making several stops in Atlanta, Washington, Miami and New York, but will forever live on in the hearts of Kings fans for his role in iconic Sacramento-Los Angeles rivalry.

DateTeamOpp.Stat Line
Jan. 24, 2006SACPHI44 PTS, 3 AST, 4 REB,1 STL
Apr 2, 2008ATLTOR26 PTS, 12 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL
Apr. 14, 2001VANHOU8 PTS, 18 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL
Apr. 2, 2000VANDAL14 PTS, 11 AST, 11 REB, 7 STL
May 3, 2005SACSEA35 PTS, 10 AST, 3 REB, 4 STL

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