(My Sportsbook) - What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. That must be what the Sacramento Kings are thinking after coming within a few missed free throws of dismissing the mighty Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals this past June.

Sacramento seemed to have everything on its side with Shaquille O'Neal slowed by his big toe injury and home court advantage for the series, but once again Rick Adelman's club came up on the short end against the Lakers. The Kings clearly outplayed the Lakers in the series, but somehow Kobe Bryant and Shaq willed Los Angeles to the NBA Finals and its third consecutive title.

Despite the disappointing defeat, the Kings exposed some chinks in the Lakers' armor and proved that they were up to the challenge. Sacramento showed that its NBA best 61-21 regular season mark wasn't a fluke and it can compete with anybody in the postseason.

The Kings' recently re-signed point guard Mike Bibby. Bibby clearly has a lot of confidence in his teammates, as he told a group of 10,000 fans that his squad could win 70 games this year. If Sacramento lives up to Bibby's gutsy prediction, it would post more than any other team in history besides the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls -- who went 72-10 and won the NBA championship.

"I have a feeling," Bibby told the Sacramento Bee. "I get feelings. I like to have fun. I get excited and then have fun. I know how to say something to bother people. The Lakers have been talking so much [expletive]. We can't have people talking that much about us and not say anything.

"I guess it does put a little pressure on the team, but the good thing about this team is it is going to come out and play the way it always plays: Loose and score a lot of points."

Bibby was giving his best reply to O'Neal's verbal barbs at the club. The "Diesel" took some pot shots at the Kings, making things personal.

"I'm not worried about the Sacramento Queens. Write it down. Take a picture. I'm not going to talk about this all year. When I get back, there is going to be trouble," said Shaq.

FRONTCOURT:

All-Star power forward Chris Webber remains the key piece to the Kings' offensive puzzle. The Kings run nearly all of their offensive sets through Webber and most times how he goes, the team goes. Webber seems to gain confidence every year and his all-around numbers should be even more impressive this season.

It will be crucial for Webber to keep his off-the-court troubles from poisoning the Kings locker room. Webber was indicted over the summer on charges that he lied to a grand jury about his involvement with a former basketball booster at the University of Michigan. He maintains his innocence in the matter.

Few centers in the NBA have demonstrated the defensive prowess against Shaq that Vlade Divac has in recent years. Divac, who is one of the best post passers in the game and a talented offensive player, frustrates O'Neal with his defensive tactics. If the veteran, who has shown up to camp in the best shape of his career after playing in the World Championships with Yugoslavia, can stay healthy it will be a huge lift for the Kings' playoff positioning.

Swingman Predrag Stojakovic, who missed most of the playoffs due to injury last season, returns with his team-high 21.2 points per contest. Stojakovic's perimeter shooting ability opens up a lot of things for Webber and Divac in the post. A healthy Stojakovic and the Kings would likely have been playing New Jersey in the NBA Finals last season.

GUARDS:

The ink has barely dried on Bibby's seven-year, $80 million contract and the Arizona product is already on the shelf for six-to-eight weeks with a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot. Bibby, who earned his huge deal by hitting numerous clutch shots against the Lakers, will be unable to return before December.

Suddenly, Adelman's cupboard is nearly bare at the point guard slot with only Bobby Jackson to replace Bibby. Jackson is a solid replacement that provides a non-stop motor, but his decision making doesn't match Bibby's.

What once looked like the Kings' deepest position could cause them problems with back-ups Mateen Cleaves and Brent Price both hurting. Desperation may force Adelman to used Hidayet Turkoglu at the point in some situations. Turkoglu ran the point for the Turkish national team at times during the World Championships.

"Yeah, why not me?" Turkoglu said. "I want to show people that I am still working to improve, that I have not become comfortable."

The shooting guard slot will be manned by defensive specialist Doug Christie despite his struggles in last season's playoffs. Christie suffered from mental breakdowns and couldn't seem to hit a shot against Los Angeles, but Adelman is sticking with him.

However, once the team gets back to full strength, Christie's minutes may dwindle with the wealth of talent the Kings possess. Nonetheless, Christie's ability to lock down on the opponent's best perimeter player makes him an asset to the squad.

BENCH:

Sacramento could have just sat on its hands in the offseason and stood pat with its impressive roster, but vice president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie had other ideas. Petrie shunned the future luxury tax threshold and signed a top notch free agent in power forward Keon Clark to the mid-level exception.

Clark, a lanky 6-foot-11 post player, will solidify the Kings' already talented frontcourt rotation. The addition of Clark will give Sacramento even more flexibility as he can play anywhere along the frontline, including small forward. Clark is excited to be playing with the unselfish Kings.

"Anytime you play with people who know the game of basketball as well as these guys do," Clark said, "you're going to fit in, if you know the game. And I feel as if I know the game, so I think it's a good blend all the way around."

Backup center Scot Pollard will once again give the Kings invaluable minutes off the bench. Pollard's toughness and rebounding abilities provide a shot in the arm for the Kings. His skills mirror those of Dennis Rodman, as he is little help on the offensive end, but his board work makes him an asset.

Despite the extended absence of Stojakovic, the Kings were able to compete with the Lakers at the small forward position thanks to the play of up-and- coming talents Turkoglu and Gerald Wallace. Turkoglu shot the ball well, but struggled defensively, while Wallace flashed his unbelievable athletic ability.

Overall, the Kings are one of the deepest teams in the league and they should be able to weather the storm while Bibby gets healthy.

OUTLOOK:

It could be a little ugly for the Kings in the early portion of the campaign, but never fear things will get better. The talent-rich Kings are loaded for bear and headed for big things this year. Sacramento punctured the Lakers' confidence a bit last season and seem prepared to take the next step and dethrone them. First things first, the Kings must focus on securing a high seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The NBA season is a long and winding road and anything can happen. Barring any key injuries down the stretch, the Kings should get another chance at slaying the Lakers.