Memphis Grizzlies Wreak Havoc On Sacramento Kings To End 2017
By Rafe Wong
The Sacramento Kings looked to end their 2017 with fireworks. Although the fireworks were lit in the Golden 1 Center, they were on the wrong end of the spectrum.
The Sacramento Kings lost today’s game to the Memphis Grizzlies by a score of 114-96. The purple and white now fall to a record of 12-24 for their season campaign.
Game Summary
Basically, almost everything went wrong for the Kings today. Straight out the gate, the Kings had no offensive rhythm as they were lucky to even score 22 points for the quarter. For the Grizzlies, they were on another level as they scored 36 points for the period.
Sacramento did find a little momentum during the second quarter, but the Grizzlies shut their rally down quickly as they continued to lead going into halftime.
The Kings kept going south when the third quarter was in session as the Grizzlies dominated both sides of the ball behind the stellar performance of Tyreke Evans. As a result, the Grizzlies’ lead at a point was up to a whopping 32 points, but the period ended with them leading 90-63.
Once the fourth quarter was in play, the deeper reserve players from both teams were on the court as the Kings were itching for the clock hit triple zeros and call it a night.
Overall, the Kings played horrible today as they dropped another game to another winnable opponent. And to add more salt to the wound, Frank Mason III left the game with a heel injury while Tyreke Evans scorched his former team as he recorded 26 points, seven rebounds, and five assists for the night.
What it could have been?…
What Went Right???
To end this piece on a high note, here are some positive takeaways from the game.
Willie Cauley-Stein had a nice game as he scored 21 points and notched eight rebounds. He remains to be an active presence on the court and a player the Kings and their fans envisioned him being.
Buddy Hield ended the game hot as he scored 12 points in the fourth quarter. Overall, he had a mediocre night shooting the ball, but that late surge in the fourth could carry some momentum for him in his next game.
Bogdan Bogdanovic continues to be an all-around player offensively. He finished the contest with eight points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Garrett Temple had a solid game as he scored 13 points on 6-9 shooting while distributing three assists.
Due to Marc Gasol missing both his free throw in his lone trip to the free-throw line, the people sitting in the Golden 1 Center’s seats won a free Jack In The Box item. I do not know what the item is…
Final Thoughts
Today’s match was the final time the Kings stepped on the hardwood in the year of 2017. Hopefully, the 2018 Kings will be a lot better than the team who performed this evening. Their next game in the new year will be against the Charlotte Hornets Tuesday night.
Have a happy and safe New Year’s Day, everyone! And go KANGZ!