Sacramento Kings Drop Another Heavyweight, Down Memphis Grizzlies 91-90

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Sacramento, Calif. – All of a sudden, teams are playing their full roster against the Sacramento Kings. The word rest is not an option. Opponents are taking the young Kings seriously.

Despite no Marc Gasol in the lineup, the Kings (29-45 overall, 15-22 G1C) were able to knock out the Memphis Grizzlies 91-90, a day after beating the Los Angeles Clippers on the road. Gasol sat with a foot injury, the Grizzlies still had enough weapons to get the job done. But they didn't.

Veteran Darren Collison lead the Kings with 23 points, seven assists, and four rebounds while second-year player Willie Cauley-Stein added 12 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. The Kings’ defense held the Grizzlies to 34.4 percent shooting from the floor.

“The is a game they needed,” Sacramento head coach David Joerger of his former team. “It was tough without Marc, but this was maybe our last stand for the year as far as you’re probably not going to see all those (Kings) veterans play together the rest of season.”

​Sacramento Kings point guard drives to the basket against Memphis' Mike Conley at Golden 1 Center on March 27. Publicity Agents photo art by T. Ray Harvey.

Rookie Buddy Hield chipped in 14 points and four rebounds and Kostas Koufos had 11 points, five rebounds, and three blocked shots. Despite giving up 28 second-chance points, Sacramento had 18 fastbreak points while Memphis had only four.

“We really locked in on defense,” Cauley-Stein said. “I think we are starting to trust each other out and it’s starting to show a little bit. So, it’s only going to get better the more and more we keep playing together.”

Mike Conley had 23 points, seven assists, and four rebounds for the Grizzlies (40-34, 19-20 road) and Zach Randolph contributed 17 points, 15 rebounds, and two assists. Brendan Wright had 11 points in a reserve role for Memphis.

Memphis lost its fourth-straight game, all on the road.

“We’re frustrated, obviously,” Conley said. “Each game is different. We’ve had good and bad games even in losses. Tonight, we had one we felt we should’ve won. Just one of those nights. Now we have to refocus going home.”

By T. Ray Harvey | PA Public Information Officer and Photographic Artist

Twitter: Tony Ray Harvey @PublicityAgents

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Cauley-Stein Follows “Z-Bo’s” Game Without No Shame

Willie Cauley-Stein said playing Memphis big man Zach Randolph is a difficult task. But in the same regard, Cauley-Stein likes studying Randolph’s game.

Cauley-Stein: “Z-Bo has mastered the art of ‘shoving the back, go get the rebound and they are not going to call nothing.’ So, I’m learning that. I’m going to start using it if he’s doing it. The more and more you play in the league the more respect you get from the refs. They are not going to call it on you. I’m always talking to Z-Bo because he’s just a good vet and all-around good dude. He respects the grind and he sees me working. He said so. It’s cool to play against somebody at that level. He’s telling me, ‘you’re nice.’ That’s a good feeling. But playing against him is one of the hardest thing you gotta do.”

T. Ray (Antonio) Harvey is a Public Information Officer and Photographic Artist for Publicity Agents. Harvey is also the author of The HOMICIDAL HANDYMAN OF OAK PARK: MORRIS SOLOMON JR.