KMAX: Sports

Chris Webber scored 24 points before missing two free throws with 5.1 seconds left, but Francis missed his final 3-point attempt as the Kings held on for a 109-108 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

Francis had 38 points and nine assists in a virtuoso performance. After hitting a 3-pointer from a step behind the line with 6 seconds left, he got one last chance to steal a win in the NBA's toughest road arena when Webber failed to ice the game at the line.

But Francis' 3-pointer from two steps past midcourt clanged off the front of the rim as the buzzer sounded. He stood with his arms extended in disbelief while the crowd erupted in cheers.

``I had no doubt. I thought it would go,'' Francis said.

The Kings barely became the NBA's second team to win 50 games this season. Again demonstrating his newfound hunger to take Sacramento's big shots in the clutch, Webber hit a long jumper with 1:31 left and an inside shot with 34 seconds to play.

``I need to be taking those shots, and I need to be at the line late in the game,'' Webber said. ``I wish the results could have been better. I was just glad to see (Francis' shot) miss.''

Mike Bibby scored 23 points and Peja Stojakovic had 21 as the Kings won their fourth straight. Webber also had nine rebounds and six assists, while Bobby Jackson made three free throws in the final 23 seconds.

Sacramento, with the NBA's best home record (31-6), won at Arco Arena for the 11th time in 12 games. Theatrics aside, the Kings finished a tough stretch with three impressive wins in four nights over likely playoff teams.

``That finished off a really good week for us,'' Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. ``We seemed to be in control and 10 points ahead most of the time. We just couldn't break away. They're trying to make the playoffs, and they almost pulled it off.''

Francis was amazing, but the Rockets still lost their eighth straight in Sacramento. Maurice Taylor scored 15 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, and Glen Rice's 3-pointer with 15.8 seconds left cut Sacramento's lead to three points.

``They made some tough 3-pointers, especially Francis and I don't know what was into Mo out there,'' Webber said of his fellow Detroit native and Michigan alumnus. ``I've been playing against him since he was about 8, and I've never seen him do the stuff he did tonight.''

Yao Ming had 11 points and tied his career high with 19 rebounds for Houston, which has lost three of four games on a West Coast road trip without coach Rudy Tomjanovich. The loss dropped the Rockets into a tie with Phoenix for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Tomjanovich missed his fourth game after a biopsy on a growth on his bladder. Assistant Larry Smith coached the team.

``Steve is outstanding,'' Smith said. ``We get a chance to see him every day, so nothing he does is surprising. ... We made big plays, but unfortunately, we ran out of time.''

Francis had a triple-double in the Rockets' win at Golden State on Friday night, and he was every bit as good against defensive star Doug Christie. Francis scored eight points in the final 1:46 of the first half, including a spectacular dunk over 6-foot-11 Scot Pollard.< ^Notes:@ Houston had a season-low eight turnovers. ... With his final 3-pointer, Rice passed Tim Hardaway for third place on the NBA's career 3-pointers list. Rice (1,531) trails only Reggie Miller (2,316) and Dale Ellis (1,719). ... The Kings had made 37 straight free throws before Jackson missed in the second quarter. ... Sacramento has three days off before Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.