LOS ANGELES — Mike Bibby's jumper was a dagger to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5. He wasn't sharp enough to cut a path into the NBA Finals on Friday night for the Sacramento Kings.

        Bibby ended up red-faced after taking an elbow from Kobe Bryant in the closing seconds of the Kings' 106-102 loss that allowed the two-time defending champion Lakers to even the Western Conference finals after six games.

        Game 7 will be Sunday in Sacramento, where the Kings could advance to the Finals for the first time since 1951. But Bibby and his teammates will have to play better than they did Friday.

        Bibby's jumper with 8 seconds remaining gave the Kings a 92-91 victory Tuesday and a 3-2 series lead. This time, the Kings struggled early, hitting just three of their first 14 shots.

        Although the Kings used a 10-0 run to lead 56-51 at halftime, their big men got in foul trouble and Sacramento was forced to play catch-up in the game's final two minutes.

        Bibby and Chris Webber were no match for the Lakers' dynamic duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant.

        Webber had 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Playing with a strained right triceps, Bibby had 23 points on 7-of-20 shooting. He was just 1-of-8 in the first half.

        O'Neal had 41 points and 17 rebounds and Bryant had 31 points and 11 rebounds. O'Neal was called for four fouls and Bryant three.

        The Kings were whistled for 31 fouls — seven more than the Lakers. Vlade Divac fouled out in the final three minutes. Webber played with five fouls and Hedo Turkoglu had four.

        Turkoglu scored inside to draw the Kings to 103-102 with 11.8 seconds left.

        That's when Bryant's right elbow collided with Bibby's nose. Bibby's head snapped back and he fell to the floor. He stayed in the game, after stuffing a tissue in his bloody nose.

        The Kings were called for a foul on the play and Bryant made both free throws for a 105-102 lead.

        Bibby then missed with Bryant in his face and Robert Horry grabbed the rebound for the Lakers. After Horry hit a free throw, Doug Christie missed on Sacramento's final shot.

        Bibby had 10 points in the third quarter when the Kings tied the game at 75 heading into the final 12 minutes. But he had just four points in the final quarter. At one point, Bibby, Divac and Turkoglu were on the bench with the Lakers ahead by five points.

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