The Sacramento Kings entered FedExForum in Memphis on Tuesday night with the longest winning streak (6) in the NBA. Would it survive a tough road game against a good-but-injured Grizzlies team with a returning Ja Morant? Let’s talk about it.
The Kings found out (officially) that Ja Morant would be making his return to the Grizzlies lineup a few hours before tipoff, but Memphis still had to play this one without Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, and Danny Green. Talent advantage – Kings. You would think.
Memphis looked like the better team for most of the first half before Mike Brown and the Kings figured out how to string together some stops against their physical and aggressive offense. Sacramento, led by some impressive perimeter pressure from the guards, took control of this game through the 3rd quarter and into the 4th quarter before the Kings gave their fans a collective heart attack in crunch time.
The Kings committed 7 turnovers in the final 5 minutes and made this win way more difficult than it needed to be. Ja Morant was full-terrifying, scoring bucket after bucket and causing Sacramento just as much trouble on defense with his ball pressure. The Kings’ double-digit lead evaporated, and this turned into your classic crunch time free throw contest that Sacramento barely won after Ja finally missed a shot, a free throw, to seal this game for the good guys. Kings win 113-109. Let’s get into some details.
Quick Stats
Final: 113-109
Sacramento Kings: 43.3 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 45 REB, 27 AST, 42 PiP, 20 TO
Memphis Grizzlies: 45.1 FG%, 26.7 3P%, 49 REB, 26 AST, 62 PiP, 18 TO
The Good, The Bad, & That’s It
THE GOOD:
- Welcome, Harrison: After a really rough start to the season, Harrison Barnes continues to find his groove. He was huge tonight, dropping 26 points on 7-13 shooting from the field, and 4-8 shooting from three. His performance included several big shots early to keep the Kings in this game when it was going Memphis’ way, and some big shots late to keep the team on top.
- Grit and Grind: This felt like a game the Kings have lost time and time again over the years. Memphis had the momentum early, Kings made a nice run, but they coughed it up late. Not this time. Not this team. Yes, it got ugly at the end there, but the Kings did just enough to win when so often it has felt like previous Kings teams would do just enough to lose this exact type of game.
- Red Hot: Kevin Huerter had another strong showing tonight with 18 points and 6 rebounds on 6-10 shooting. He also got one hell of a shout out from Kevin Durant earlier today. Everything’s coming up Huerter.
THE BAD:
- Big Problems: The Memphis Grizzlies’ size and aggressiveness going to the rim was a big problem for the Kings in this one, particularly in the first half. Domantas Sabonis isn’t a rim protector. Chimezie Metu got targeted in the post repeatedly off the bench. Mike Brown did what he could from the sidelines with quick timeout after quick timeout following poor defensive possessions, but this is who the Kings are. They’re going to give up a lot of easy points at the rim, and their best solution with this roster is to just keep outscoring opponents when they can’t come up with stops like they did tonight.
- Stopping Sabonis: For the 2nd time this season, Sabonis struggled to score against the big Memphis Grizzlies. Domas only scored 11 points and was ineffective against the Grizzlies back on October 27th when the Kings lost to Memphis by 15, and he was off again tonight scoring just 9 points on 3-8 shooting. To Sabonis’ credit, though, he found other ways to contribute in this one, pulling down 13 important rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists.
The King of Kings
I am running out of ways to praise De’Aaron Fox. Swipa looked like the best player on the floor for either team tonight, dropping 32 points on 11-21 shooting from the field and 5-8 (!) shooting from three to go along with 6 assists, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. If he isn’t an All-Star right now, I don’t know what else voters want him to do.
Up Next
The Kings are in Atlanta on Wednesday night for the 2nd game of a back-to-back against the Hawks. Tipoff at 4:30 pacific, 7:30 eastern. Kevin Huerter revenge game. Let’s make it eight.
Thank you, Memphis. Goodnight!
Can’t Help Falling In Love with the Beam Team
Morant with 19 in the last 5:13.
Kings with 9 4th qtr. TOs.
Kings win.
Amazeballs.
😂 😂 😂
Be(am)lieve!
If section 214 can turn into rob and believe, I can too!
section2-four-beam
Beam is Kentucky Fire
De’Aaron Fox is who Ja Murrant thinks he is
De’Aaron is a pro, a pro’s pro. Apparently all the things skeptics have said about his potential and his ability to blossom in his fifth year were wrong! He needed a big like Domas. He needed more shooting talent around him. But most of all he needed coaching, someone to work with him on his shot, to focus on more shooting from the right side, and to hold him to account on defense. Finally, now, in his fifth year he has real coaching. Now we see what he can become!
….and Sabonis to do most of the thinking. Fox can play his game now. His game is not about the cerebral aspect of the game. He is also way better off without Hield around.
That’s how I feel too. The offense can run through Domas, who is basically the pg in the offense allowing Fox to really shine in his strengths. His shooting improvement this season is what everyone said he needed to do to take that “next step” development wise, and the confidence he seems to have in his stroke now is an amazing sight to see. Monk and Huerter + Coach Brown is letting him put alot more effort in on D also
I think Fox has a great cerebral element to his game. Best example is how he handles late clock situations — he comes down the court, orders everybody on the floor where to stand and then calls for a screen from his preferred matchup. And he’s been money on those plays this season
I think Domas is as much a feel guy as Fox. It just looks different
Well put. I think we notice it because Fox has been here without this level of success where Domas was on good teams in Indy consistently.
What I love is the synergy there. They appreciate and want to play with each other. That matters.
Agree to disagree. Fox does call for a screen to look for an isolated shot. That is his BBIQ problem in my opinion. He cannot get the team involved. Too often with the game on the line he rushes down the court and dribbles the ball into oblivion or launches a garbage shot.
Sabonis helps prevent this.
Everyone s better without Hield around.
Honestly, that is so insulting to Fox, who is extremely bright, and demonstrates it in how he plays. I’ve seen numerous interviews with him where he’ll reference a play that happened months or years ago, describe the action, which players were involved, and use it as an example for a point he’s making about something more recent.
Sabonis is certainly great for Fox’s game, but so are Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk, and Harrison Barnes. The idea that his improvement is mainly about having someone else handle the thinking aspect of the game is offensive.
He is bright. I agree.
Not trying to insult Fox but his game is speed and shooting not leading an offense. He does not control pace or put the ball in the hands of other players when he needs to.
Sabonis is running the offense.
As I write this your post has six thumbs and nobody has yet mentioned that this is his 6th season. So for the record.
I agree that have Sabonis has really matched well with Fox’s skill set, and having genuine talent, shooting good shots, at a good clip, helps space the floor. I even think Coach Brown is giving him the best coaching of his career, but let us make no mistake…Fox has blossomed because he has decided that he is now willing to be coached.
Not one person on this board would credibly step forward and say that none of his previous coaches told him to go right, or have a routine at the foul stripe, or to stop taking fade away three pointers and certainly one of them told him to actually care on defense.
Count me as a doubter that is happy to be wrong. Credit to Fox for putting in the work.
“Now willing to be coached?”
Have you seen his previous coaches?
Walton wasted 3 years of Fox. Walton was not a coach, and it was clear before he was even hired for the job.
Fox was well coached under Joerger, who was unjustifiably fired after coaching a team of 10 first and second year players to a 37-37 record before throwing in the towel and developing the rookies. There’s a reason why WCS was out of the league just a couple short years later after Joerger.
Mike Brown is continuing where Joerger left off and bringing actual structure and accountability to this Kings team, not to mention Fox actually having a real NBA level roster around him.
Fox has somehow decided to do the work.
My family informs me that I dropped a lot of loud F bombs over the last half of the 4th quarter, along with a lot of other loud words that can’t be abbreviated to a single letter.
A win is a fucking win. That is all.
That last few minutes was a doozy. The look on Ja’s face when he missed that free-throw was icing on top
Knowing the game is over and barring a miracle you’ve just made the losing shot has to be gut wrenching. The way Ja played in late 3rd/4th qtr was something to see. I think Memphis played down to what their vision of the Kings were and it cost them the game. The Kings didn’t fold when they were supposed to and the Kings came out of this game as the gritty grinding team and for me this was their best win of the season
Ja is a problem! And yeah that’s how it seemed to me too. They weren’t expecting adjustments or something from us and we took advantage. Fortunately we kept trying to give the game away but free throws matter. Fox put in some serious shooting work this off season
“Fuckkkkkk Yeah”.
My dog departed the couch after that bellow with Harrison’s free throws. He had a superlative game.
Your dog had a superlative game?
but I kid
Ha.
She used a box and 1 zone gas defense.
I think my dog told me the same thing.
I’m never really sure what’s she’s saying but my screaming and yelling and jumping up from my couch got her attention
Next time we put to properly put them away. Too many F bombs all around Beam Town 😂
That was so sloppy in the 4th except for our clutch free throws. Ja got some flop calls for sure but he got the Grizz back in. Kings win to start the tough road trip. Streak is still streaking. LIGHT THE BEAM!
Purple Velvet drops 30 tomorrow and we go to 11 wins (!) hopefully.
Trap drills stat Coach Brown!
It wasn’t pretty, but we were finally able to put this win to bed!
Road win against a contender?
Bear Dance thread!
Sabonis’s rebounding in the last three minutes was crucial to the Kings pulling back ahead by a single possession plus a point on several occasions raising the pressure on the Griz.
I think on the last Ja shot he went up, Fox went up and Fox raised his left hand to defend Ja’s shot at the highest point. As both were coming down Ja puts his hand on Foxes left arm which is down and next to his side and then Ja pushes off and goes to the ground. It’s a small push. I wouldn’t want to be the ref calling that play in the game, maybe Fox hit his hand on his swipe down and that is what the ref called, but the shot was over by then, maybe it was Fix coming down in Ja’s space. Can’t tell fro watching the replays. Refs have a tough job.
Ja has been practicing up to play for the USA in the World Cup because he goes flying and down to the ground on 80% of his shots it seems.
Notwithstanding all the above, The Kings TO’s was the problem in the last four minutes.
What A Game.
Cool Beans.
Cool Beams
Perfect.
Ja & Steph Curry may be the two non-Kings players that I enjoy watching the most. They can, among other things, single-handedly will their teams to win. We saw Steph do it to the Kings a couple of weeks ago. The Kings withstood Ja’s charge to night. Simultaneously terrifying & exhilarating to watch.
The only thing I’m not a fan of in regards to Ja’s game is his flailing his body into defenders as he attacks the rim. I feel his he just throws his body towards the rim at non-basketball angles to create contact and launches the ball up to the rim. He is currently 6th in FT attempts per game because of this.
In comparison, I feel Fox is still trying to make the “basketball play” to the hoop and doesn’t get the same amount of calls because he instinctively avoids the contact Fox is 28th in FT attempts, FWIW. It’s not really a knock on either player, but more the reffing. I’ve just never really liked players trying to make contact as opposed to slithering to the rim.
Curry, on the other hand, is a master of both. He can always get his “basketball shot” while creating and absorbing the contact. That dude knows how to play.
I have had the the pleasure of seeing Curry live many times. He is smart and his level of effort is relentless. Fox is fast and has a good shot. When you watch Curry and Fox in the same game against each other it is night and day difference. Fox plays hard and hopes it works out. He is soft when it comes to imposing his will. Curry decides it is his game and his show. Not a doubt in his mind. The other players and referees see it and feel it. It has to sway the referees whether it should or shouldn’t.
Ja is magic and I understand why he gets the calls he does. He’s the leagues golden boy and it’s not right or fair but the refs are in love with him and I get that too. I’m kinda in love with him myself.
I really want the team to keep up the energy and effort and continue this high-level play into Friday. The matchup with the league-leading C’s in Boston will be juicy!
Dillon Brooks is the kind of player I really don’t like. Just out there trying to act tough, screaming, angry faces, etc.
If he was a King I would love his game
Gross. You love Ja, Dillon Brooks, your name is “blue” john…
You’re not very discreet for a spy…
What a crazy time to be a Kings fan right now.
https://twitter.com/thekingsherald/status/1595275411600310272
Go Lakers!!! Haahha.
Never, the great Satan must always fail
They did, I so guess we’ll have to settle for # 3 in the west for now. Haha.
This is too ridiculous to even contemplate. I wonder how Jazz fans feel.
West is insane. Two games separate # 1 – 10.
Fuck the Lakers
half a game out of first place!
Who else had the Jazz and Kings in the top 3 of the Western Conference at any point this season?!
probably that person who bet $10k in Vegas on the Kings winning the NBA championship this season.
Mike Brown did a good job of slowing momentum for the Grizz with timeouts. He just needed 2 or 3 more.
Mike Brown has moved into the franchise’s 2nd place all-time W% for as a head coach, at .625
If Brown coaxes 40 wins out of this team, he will have authored the winningest non-Adelman year in Sac. Kings history. 42 wins & he joins Adelman as the only Sac. head coaches to turn in a winning season.
It’s still pretty nuts to think about that Rick Adelman is literally the only coach in the Sacramento era that has coached winning seasons.
Sort of related, but a bit of a stretch:
At what point do you re-up GM McNair?
Now?
A ten game win streak?
10 games above .500?
Before the ASG- Jan 10-Feb 9 Trade Deadline?
With a play-in clinch? And a playoff berth?
With a playoff clinch?
With a playoff win?
No hurry – just wondering, as Dec 15 approaches.
Give Monte his props.
“Props?
How about ‘SHOW ME THA
MONTEMONEY.”They just need to re-up Monte to coincide with Mike Brown’s contract so their success or failure are tied together. Otherwise, Vivek is going to have the same problem of trading off lame duck coach with lame duck GM forever.
Another sloppyesque win but I’ll take it. Wouldn’t say we’re better than the Grizz until we can beat this team fully healthy in a 7-game series
True, Desmond Bane their 2nd best player . Kings can improve more with Rookie growing .
Yay! Let’s dance!
The 7 game win streak is terrific for any number of multiple reasons. All of them are good.
In my mind, however, their 10 wins in 12 games tells an even better story about the team, it’s cohesiveness as a team, and a glimpse into what may be possible for them the rest of the season and beyond.
Great fun to watch and an excuse to let out a few “Adamsite Mother Of All F Bombs”.
Team win. HB40 was the key to calm as the chaos climbed in. Fox was the leader. Domas was the rock. Heurter was the can’t leave that guy threat.
Can’t wait to see Black Falcon fly against the Hawks
7 ate 9!
I feel like the refs were doing everything they could to get Memphis the win.
I kind of felt the same about Fox over the last two minutes.
.
.
.
/ducks
I thought that one foul they called on the 3pt attempt was nonsense.
Trying to block a 3pt shot in a 3pt game is nonsense. Let Ja take that off balance 3.
The one thing I was telling my daughter as they came out of the time out was, “Just don’t foul the 3pt shooter. Live with it if they make a tough shot.”
The Kings did so many silly/stupid things over the last five minutes. That they wound up with a win is weirdly envouraging.
100% this.
They did all the things the teams of the last 16 years would do to make sure they lost the game and yet somehow this team wins it despite all of that ridiculousness. Charlie Brown may kick that damn football yet.
I thought the foul they called on Brooks when Barnes ran into him at midcourt was nonsense. Turned a Kings TO into a pair of Barnes FTs.
Morant & the Kings did far more to narrow the gap in this game than the refs, in my humble opinion.
Agreed. Kings got super sloppy with the ball in the last 2 minutes. There must have been 4-5 TOs. That’s on them, not the refs.
more than sloppy. When Memphis turned up the defensive pressure, the Kings allowed them to impose their will on the game. In that situation, I think Davion should be on the court.
He probably wasn’t because he is a poor FT shooter and would be fouled purposely.
It was clearly the right call. Besides I go into every game thinking we are 8v5. I was shocked to see it go our way.
Meh. Flip the script & call that on Barnes while Brooks flops & we go bat shit.
NBA officiating is bad, but it is by and large fair. It was the least of the Kings problems as their 14 pt. lead was squandered by TOs, wide open missed 3s, and Ja.
I was thrilled to see the Kings hold onto the win. Had they lost, it would not have been because of the officiating.
The Kings were up 14 despite the bad officiating. Memphis was handsy all game hacking at arms (JJJ repeatedly holding a player’s off arm down while trying to block a shot), while at the other end getting any whistle on a hand check on a drive. The break down in the clutch was mostly Kings’ sloppy play, but the Kings could have easily been up by 20 if Fox got the same calls as Ja in the game.
Looked like a good screen by Barnes, and he didn’t even move after the collision.
Another game I thought the refs were very fair in. Amazing what has happened since Brown called the refs out a few weeks back (no fine and more calls!)
I would like to see the 2-minute report on that foul!
The final one Fox had on Ja was a terrible call. I watched it 20 times and all I saw was stellar defense by Fox.
We all know it’s scripted at this point
Ok. Welp. Here I am, starting to believe this team might actually be pretty good!
We are tied for the 5th best record in the NBA and 2nd in the west after 16 games. I say all of this knowing we can slip and fall, and there are 66 games left, but we are 1/5th of the way into the season and it’s looking pretty good so far. I can honestly say I never expected to see us this high in the rankings at any point.
Fox looks like a legit star, and the cast around him is gelling really well. They are actually fun to watch and tonight when Memphis tried to close the gap and break our hearts, I somehow believed the Kings were going to hold them off and win, and they did.
I am blown away. What a change from last year. We’ve got a good team, and a good coach, and I am thinking we look like a legitimate playoff team. Maybe some of you figured that out a few games ago, but I’ve been taking my time waiting for the other shoe to drop… but this is looking pretty real to me now. I’m pretty excited to be honest. I have sworn up and down that I wouldn’t believe anything until after the ASB, but 7 in a row is a pretty real streak, and the way this offense is looking – it’s hard to deny that something special is being brewed here. I’m surprised and in a very positive way!
We have waited a lot of years for this season… so I sure hope it keeps on going! Go Kings!
SportsCenter just gave the Kings some love over the 7 game win streak. Can’t remember last time I’ve ever seen that. The league is beginning to notice.
Tonight may have been the first time since a playoff game that I watched a closing 8 minutes of Kings basketball with a sense of full-blown nervous excitement.
I’m still too scarred to let down my guard and say “fuck it, this team is real”, but that fear is slowly melting away.
Sooo nerve-wracking this game.
Kings are SECOND in West (tied with Suns, who’s game is not yet over.)
Sloppy game, missed opportunities, too many TO’s, can’t score at rim, DS smashed inside, end of fourth quarter meltdown, Keegan cannot buy a bucket yet plays 30 minutes. A loss for sure. But…………………Kings win! How did they do that?
Kings have better record than Hawks.
From 0-4 and two games with two last minute blown calls, to this?
Who wants to trade HB now?
and Monk- my goodness. Telegraph your passes and throw them all away. Love you, hate your game sometimes.
Keegan and Mitchell poised for break outs like TD a few games ago.
I wonder if Q could help protect the rim?
That’s what I want to see. Have Queta come in just on the defensive side to fill up the paint.
My closing thought on this game is that Domas didn’t foul any of Memphis players with his face
Nor did Huerter… Winning!
Domas and Barnes allow Fox to do what he is doing this year. That red headed kid is everything Hield could have been but simply was not.
Not a great game played by the Kings but they used what they had to win when it mattered.
who would you like: Buddy + Donte vs. Red Velvet + Monk (despite his sloppy passing)
Red Velvet + Monk for me.
Fourth grade AAU team will out smart Hield. I will take them too.
Donte is basically a zero in my book. Not going to hurt but also not going to contribute.
I’ll take any road win, especially against a team as miserable to play against as Memphis.
The West is just a mess, with the top 10 all within 2 games, GSW being done in by terrible bench play, OKC doing better than they would prefer, SA & HOU being awful by design and LOL L*kers. It has the vibe of a really weird season, so why not the Kings?
Ok, actual title contention is probably out of the question but winning a playoff series seems almost within reason…
The last few (3?) minutes were a bad way to end the game, no question. But it obscured an important point that you won’t notice by looking at the box score: De’Aaron Fox was a much better player than Ja Morant tonight.
I do think Morant was the beneficiary of a number of ‘star’ calls, but he seems to get them a lot of nights. Until the Kings showed they couldn’t handle the traps by Memphis, it wasn’t the story of the game. Morant had 16 points in the final 3:04 of the game. That included that ridiculous miracle 3, 3 dunks/layups, making 3 of 6 FT attempts, and several floaters. All of it was created by poor handling of Memphis’ traps, and some benefit of the doubt calls.
The Kings had 7 more made 3’s this game. Desmond Bane missing the game made a large difference.
I’m personally frustrated that Domas didn’t hit at least one more FT as he definitely earned a double-double tonight. But overall his impact, especially on the boards, was humungous. You can’t call a guy a no stats All Star when he puts up 9 points, 13 boards and 8 assists, but at times it feels that way.
Kings bench outscored the Grizzlies bench 26-24. I’m surprised because most of the game it felt like the Grizz bench would outscore the Kings in that department.
Last but not least, the Kings ORtg on the season is now 117.7 good for 2nd in the NBA, the Kings DRtg is 113.9 good for 25th in the NBA and the Net Rtg is +3.8 good for 7th in the NBA.
Ja is spectacular at times- impossible to stop going to rim
Fox is the better player
WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM KINGS
WHO DAT
WHO DAT
I think a record of 10-6 is a genuine accomplishment.
New coach, new system, new key players. I am impressed with where they are at. The offense is clicking with only Fox and Huerter performing well. Sabonis, Barnes, Monk, and Lyles can easily keep up what they are doing. Murray, Mitchell, and Davis can all contribute more, and in Murray’s case, quite a bit more on the offensive end. An offense this pass and movement reliant is only going to get better as the season goes on.
I think the makings of an adequate defense is there. There is still Holmes on the bench, who can play his way into the rotation, or be used to bring in someone who might contribute.
This team has only had one loss of more than seven points this season. They can take a punch. I am excited to see what they are going to accomplish.
We don’t know what to do with our hands!!
The backhanded Fox compliments… It’s OK, guys… It’s OK. Forgive and forget.
So do they light the beam at G1C even for road wins?
Yes. I was at DOCO tonight for a movie with the family. Saw it as I came out around 10:40.
Thanks!
Gonna get greedy and hope we can go at least 1-1 on the next two games. Was on the way to the Cinemark at DOCO as the game was winding down. They won just as we went into the theater, but no beam. Was happy to see it 3 hours later when we came out. Need to keep this rolling just to hear what Barkley and Shaq have to say about the Kings.
It really looked like the Kings were going to Kangz but the Kings didn’t Kangz. What’s the opposite of Kangz? Kongs? Tonight the Kings Kongs!
Gonna have to put some respect on Montes’ name too! Not much to complain about for once, love the guys he has assembled. Keep it lit!!!
If we can learn to play defense like we did in the third quarter, and we did, then we have a really good chance to be a really good NBA basketball team.
Nice win against a strong team. The defense looked better for the most part. They looked great through about 3.5 quarters and then the Kangz tried to show up. Fox was a superstar most of the game until the last minutes and then he looked a little scared. Thankfully, it did not cost them the game. Sabonis’ rebounding and HB’s free throws were clutch and the difference. Should be a good learning experience for them.
First post. Just stopping by to say that this pleases me greatly.
https://youtu.be/AcST-wmRzaw
Anyone can score a bunch of points through incredible acrobatics and superstar calls, but can you slow it down when you have to, and command the focus necessary to make shots with no one defending you?
Na, Morant.
I mean, the acrobatics are definitely impressive from a “I’d absolutely shatter myself into pieces if I were to try that” sort of way, but I can’t say I’m a fan of the chest puffing & over the top bravado.
The play where he just launches himself into Domas for a +1 and then makes the “too small” gesture, and this “don’t miss” BS… unsubscribe me plz.
Ja definitely gonna have to figure out how to make his game less reliant on his freakish athleticism if he wants his peak to last more than a handful of years, IMO.
Some very nice things said about the Kings by Durant and his little friend Slouchy.
Nah, Morant. Not tonight.
But man, was it close. The Griz style of play for some reason is just garbage to me. They get physical and get away with it. Dillon Brooks’ whole existence just irritates me. Dude is a 3rd tier pro who runs his mouth and gets fake tough when he can’t stop anybody.
Hope this team learned a lesson in composure last night. The Griz were almost the better team because they had it and the Kings didn’t. With the exception of Harrison Freakin’ Barnes. What a performance in the last 5 minutes, this game recap would be a completely different story without the Black Falcon.
Hope the team continues to fly high in the ATL tonight. Go Kings!
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