NBA

Kings hire Musselman to replace Adelman as coach

By TIMES WIRES
Published June 4, 2006

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Eric Musselman has spent most of his life methodically preparing for this job, yet he still has the enthusiasm and energy of a kid.

That's exactly how owners Joe and Gavin Maloof see themselves, and that's one big reason why they hired Musselman to coach the Kings.

The Maloof brothers introduced Musselman on Saturday as the 20th coach in franchise history, but the first they've hired since buying the team. After interviewing just three serious candidates, the Maloofs chose the 41-year-old coach for his second NBA head job following two seasons with Golden State from 2002-04.

"I hope it will be a relationship between coach and owner that you don't see much in the league," Musselman said at Arco Arena.

After deciding to replace Rick Adelman this summer, the brothers went looking for a coach with a defensive background and an outgoing personality - and with nearly everything Musselman said in their two lengthy interviews, the coach fit their vision.

Musselman was a minor league head coach at 23, and became one of the most successful coaches in Continental Basketball Association history before a lengthy career as an NBA assistant with four teams, most recently Memphis. He also had a largely successful two-year stop in Golden State, where he went 75-89 but breathed life into a miserable franchise.

DeLisha Milton-Jones scored 21 to lead five players in double figures, and the Washington Mystics remained unbeaten at home with a 92-68 victory over the Detroit Shock. Alana Beard had 18 points, Chasity Melvin 13, and Nikki Teasley and Crystal Robinson 11 apiece for the Mystics (3-1), who have won three in a row at home. The game was delayed for 22 minutes in the third because the scoreboard and clocks stopped working. When the game resumed, officials kept time on the floor and backup shot clocks were used.

Becky Hammon scored 24 and rookie Sherill Baker had 15 as New York beat Los Angeles in overtime to win their home opener and end a four-game losing streak. Cathrine Kraayeveld hit a 3 for New York (1-4) with 4.6 seconds left in regulation to tie at 68, capping a five-point comeback in the final 28 seconds.

Margo Dydek scored 17 to lead six players in double figures as host Connecticut pulled away from Charlotte in the second half. Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to match a team record she set on Aug. 12, 1999.

[Last modified June 4, 2006, 01:17:19]