SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Chris Webber guaranteed a Game 7, and the Sacramento star got all kinds of help in making it happen.

Mike Bibby had 16 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and three steals despite foul trouble and the energetic Kings used an inspired effort on both ends of the floor to survive elimination, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-87 in Game 6 of their second-round series Sunday.

Peja Stojakovic finally found his shot, scoring 22 points and swishing a long 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer that gave Sacramento the momentum in another testy affair between these teams. Webber had 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Doug Christie had 16 points and sparked a strong defensive effort against league MVP Kevin Garnett and company, and Sacramento just plain outhustled the Wolves to loose balls and rebounds.

Latrell Sprewell scored 27 points and Garnett added 19, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves, who are trying to reach their first Western Conference finals. Sam Cassell scored 16 points before fouling out with 2:32 left, and he was hit with a technical afterward for arguing. Cassell had to be held back from an official by teammate Ervin Johnson.

The Kings were fired up from the start, jumping out to a big lead early and calmly weathering a 17-0 run by Minnesota late in the first quarter. After losing to Minnesota at Arco Arena in three straight games this season – including 114-113 in OT in Game 3 – Sacramento has won its last two at home to stay in the series.

Kings guard Anthony Peeler was ejected with 13.5 seconds left in the third after throwing an elbow at Garnett. Peeler had also elbowed Garnett on the previous possession, then Garnett stuck his elbow into Peeler’s chest when the Kings came down on offense late in the third quarter.

Garnett was still grimacing from the previous hit when Peeler struck him again and immediately got thrown out. Peeler and Garnett have been sparring all series.

Garnett also received a technical and went to the bench. The fans then started throwing glow sticks used for pregame festivities onto the court. Vlade Divac lightly shoved a Minnesota assistant coach during the scuffle but was quickly pushed away.

Pistons 81, Nets 75

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Richard Hamilton pump-faked Jason Kidd off his feet and drilled a clutch 18-footer with 15.5 seconds remaining, capping a 24-point performance that kept the season alive for the Detroit Pistons.

Hamilton’s shot, Ben Wallace’s rebounding and the Pistons refusal to quit added up to an 81-75 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night, evening their Eastern Conference semifinal series at three games apiece.

After two blowout victories and one close win for each team, the series will be decided on the Pistons’ home court. Game 7 is Thursday night, the winner advancing to the Eastern Conference finals beginning next Saturday.

New Jersey will be looking to make it there for the third straight year, while Detroit will try to get there for the second consecutive season.

Hamilton was the most productive member of Detroit’s offense for the second time in three games, the Pistons choosing to attack whichever player Kidd was defending.

His final shot capped an 11-for-24 performance that also included five rebounds and four assists. Rasheed Wallace added 14 points.

, Ben Wallace grabbed 20 rebounds – all in the first three quarters – and Chauncey Billups added 11 to lead an otherwise anemic Pistons offense.

The Nets got 23 points from Richard Jefferson and 19 from Martin, but Kidd scored just 11 and made several bad plays in the final three minutes.

AP-ES-05-16-04 2249EDT