SACRAMENTO, Calif -- The Sacramento Kings believe they know exactly where they missed their chance to dethrone the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

"Two words," said Scot Pollard. "Free throws."

It's an oversimplification, but let's roll with it. No stat stood out more glaringly in the Lakers' 112-106 overtime defeat than the Kings missing 14 of 30 free-throw attempts; unless it was the Lakers making 27 of 33, including Shaquille O'Neal nailing 11 of 15 and the supporting starters -- Rick Fox, Robert Horry and Derek Fisher -- going a perfect 8-for-8.

The question, then, is, how do the Kings make sure they don't choke at the line the next time they're faced with such a monumental do-or-die situation?

That only takes one word: Believe.

"We never actually questioned that we could win the series," said Fisher. "And that's probably the only reason we did."

When the judgment hour arrived -- in this case Game 7 of the Western Conference finals -- the Kings, on the other hand, harbored a doubt.

Maybe it was a small one, hiding in a shadowed corner. Maybe it came from never having been in this situation before and knowing the Lakers had. Maybe it was the result of missing their first chance to close out the Lakers in Game 6. Maybe it's the byproduct of the relentless inferiority complex both the team and the city can't quite shake, forever complaining they're not getting their deserved respect. As any pop psychologist can tell you, only those who don't wholly respect themselves have to ask for it from others.

In any case, whatever has planted the seed of uncertainty, it has to be rooted out. Shooting 500 free throws a day isn't the only solution because the missed free throws were a symptom, not the cause.

"Good free-throw shooters miss under pressure, too," says Lakers assistant coach Tex Winter. "It's mental confidence."

The Kings still could've salvaged this game had someone knocked down a shot or made a big play down the stretch. But they did not. Mike Bibby solidified his standing as the Kings' series MVP with 29 points, but Kobe Bryant, shackled with five fouls, limited Bibby to four points and no assists over the final eight seconds of regulation and all five minutes of overtime.

The Kings' offense didn't flow after that, but it still produced open looks. That wasn't going to be enough. Peja Stojakovic airballed a corner 3. Doug Christie banked another 3 off the far glass, drawing no iron. Chris Webber passed up open jumpers to dribble-drive, not sure where he was going. But then it's hard to hold your hands in prayer and knock down a shot at the same time.

The Lakers, meanwhile, ran their offense and defended their basket. Horry, Fox and Fisher all made a clutch 3-pointer or grabbed a key offensive rebound when it mattered most. Finally, the Kings had little choice but to foul. The Lakers calmly made eight of eight from the line in overtime.

"I just refer back to a time in my career when I was successful in a situation like that," said Fisher. "Any doubt creeps in, that's all you need for the shoulders and elbows to tighten up."

Remember not too long ago when Shaq was lucky to draw iron with his free throws, particularly under pressure? Repetition only got him halfway there. Getting familiar with pressure situations helped also, but that wasn't completely the answer, either.

The real reason? He now expects to make them. The shot still looks awkward but his body language is all confidence.

"When I've needed to hit them, I've hit them," he says. "I don't worry about my percentage."

So how do the Kings achieve the same mindset? Stop complaining about referees and small-town bias and not getting enough individual awards or collective media attention. Flopping defense still puts them at the mercy of how any one particular game is called. Contending the league doesn't want them to win is too close to believing they won't.

"Flowers grow out of manure, so…" said Webber. "We're a young team. I believe that we will be back."

"I still believe we're the better team," said Sacramento's Bobby Jackson.

Next step: Believing they're champions.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com.