Kings Fall to 0-3 as Grizzlies Pull Away Late, 123-112

The Sacramento Kings fell to 0-3 on the season Sunday following a 123-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Sacramento got off to a good start, leading 28-25 after the first quarter, but defensive problems lingered in the second as Memphis dropped 42 points and took a 67-59 lead into halftime.

The Grizzlies hit 12 three-pointers in the first half, continuously exposing Sacramento’s perimeter defense.

The Kings fought back in the second half, eventually tying it up at 106 with 5:30 remaining, but Memphis closed things out with a decisive 17-6 run to seal the victory. Yet another was another example of the Kings playing competitive basketball for stretches without any chance of sustaining it for 48 minutes.

Zach LaVine led the Kings in scoring with 37 points, five assists and two rebounds. LaVine had a nice scoring night, but his lackluster effort on defense and rebounding were quite frustrating at times in this game. Darius Acuff Jr. showed more encouraging development, looking calm and collected while playing the floor general role. His shot stopped falling toward the end of the game, but he played in an efficient manner for the vast majority. He finished with 22 points and seven assists and just one turnover. He finished 9-of-23 overall and 2-of-9 from three.

Keegan Murray was sidelined by injury, so Precious Achiuwa moved into the starting lineup alongside De’Andre Hunter. Achiuwa provided much-needed energy, contributing 12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals in 39 minutes. Domantas Sabonis added 15 points and 15 rebounds but recorded only assists, a noticeable difference from the offense running through him in the last game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Malik Monk, meanwhile, continued to look rusty in his second game this season, scoring six points on 3-of-8 shooting, 2 assists and 2 turnovers in 12 minutes. Emanuel Sharp played 14 minutes, had 1 rebound and 1 block, but led the team in +/- with a +11.

The Kings did shoot 47% from the field, but were undone by familiar problems: bad defense, rebounding struggles, consistent fouling and bad execution down the stretch. Memphis finished with a 54-44 rebounding advantage, made 15 three-pointers and went 89% from the free throw line, compared with Sacramento’s 64% from the line. The Grizzlies had 6 players finish in double digit scoring. Ty Jerome had 31. Rookie Cameron Boozer finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists.

The Kings just could not secure defensive rebounds and avoid fouls in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Grizzlies to easily pull away once the game got close.

There were positives, including Acuff’s continued growth, Achiuwa’s effort (he kept them in this game at various points) and Sacramento’s ability to crawl back into it. But through three games, the larger concerns remain unresolved. The Kings have now given up 121, 128 and 123 points in three straight losses to start the season, and the offense doesn’t even seem high powered enough to counterbalance that.

Next up, the Spurs in San Antonio to kick off a four-game road trip.