In a season full of lowlights, the Kings almost had the ultimate highlight on Tuesday night.
But while a Rasual Butler three-pointer at the buzzer kept them upsetting New Orleans, the evening was still special for the team's fanbase that is never done with the nostalgia. The No. 21 jersey of Vlade Divac was retired at Arco Arena, with the ceremony lasting 30-plus minutes and Divac enjoying it as much as the his former team's fans. "It's an honor for all my teammates and my coaches," said Divac, who played six of his 16 seasons for Sacramento. "It shows that we did a great job of playing basketball and had commitment to the Kings organization and the city of Sacramento.
"I travel around the world a lot. People still talk about our team and the way we played."
HORNETS 111, KINGS 110: Rasual Butler's three-pointer at the buzzer was a backbreaker for the Kings, who appeared to have won when Kings point guard Beno Udrih buried a 12-footer with 1.7 seconds left.
A screen by David West led to Butler being open, but that was hardly the first time the Kings couldn't stop West. The Hornets forward had 40 points on 15-of-25 shooting.
