Sacramento Kings top Memphis Grizzlies after miraculous fourth quarter

Well, that didn’t end as expected. The Sacramento Kings beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 102-99, despite trailing by double-digits most of the game.

Could you even script anything as absurd as that Sacramento Kings fourth quarter comeback? Despite trailing by double-digits almost all game, the Kings came roaring back to win it late in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 32-24 at the end of one, things would get much worse for the Sacramento Kings before they got any better. Midway through the second, things did exactly that. Failing to find any semblance of an offense, the Sacramento Kings allowed a 14-3 grizzlies run to open the second quarter, falling behind by as much as 19, before ending the quarter down *just* 13, 53-40.

Things started to look up for Sacramento in the third, as they cut the lead to just nine, before allowing Memphis to push their lead back to 12, as the offense remained in it collective funk. From the six-minute mark in the third on, the Sacramento Kings outscored the Memphis Grizzlies 47-32, in what would become one of the crazier games of the season for Sacramento.

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When the third quarter ended, the Sacramento Kings found themselves down 75-65 and while they closed the third on a high-note, it was hard to envision the Kings coming away with a win in this one. Then, Buddy Hield happened. At the end of three, Buddy Hield had 12 points on 4/16 shooting. He would end the game with 28 points on 9/24 shooting (5/8 in the fourth and 6/13 3PT).

Buddy Hield’s fourth quarter eruption was the catalyst for a 37-point final period from the Kings, as they outscored Memphis by 12 in the final frame and took the win, 102-99.

The fact that the Kings came out with a win is incredible on its own and it doesn’t happen without Buddy Hield, who is tonight’s ARP Player of the Game.

Player of the Game

Buddy had a first three quarters to forget, as he shot just 25 percent until his fourth quarter outburst. Buddy closed the third with 12 points, seven rebounds and one assist on 4-16 shooting (2-8 3PT).

Fortunately for Sacramento, Hield broke out of his slump in a big way as if he was playing 2K with the Microwave Badge. Not only did he shoot efficiently, but he made plays when he needed too, effectively sealing a Kings win with two clutch free throws with three seconds remaining to put Sacramento up 102-97.

Hield shot 5/8 from the field in the fourth, but did most of his damage from distance, where he shot 4/5 from three and scored seven of his fourth quarter points over the final six minutes of the game.

You can’t entirely overlook his disastrous early game play, but when you carry the team to a win in the fourth quarter, you sure can mitigate it.

I’ll finish raving about his fourth quarter though, and let Sactown Royalty’s Tim Maxwell sum it up as well as anybody could.

Play of the Game:

This Nemanja Bjelica poster jam has to take tonight’s play of the game honors. Belly was atrocious in this one early (as was everyone) as he was just 2/9 from the field (2/8 3PT) for six points, four rebounds and two assists off the bench in the first three quarters.

Belly had himself a solid fourth though, highlighted by this poster jam.

Stat of the Game:

2 – That’s the number of Sacramento Kings players to shoot above 50 percent tonight. As only Justin Jackson (3-5) and Willie Cauley-Stein (5-9) made more than 42 percent of their field goals.

As such, we won’t get into player lines tonight as way to savor this win without bringing negativity into it, on to the next one.

 Next Up: New Orleans Pelicans (15-17) at Sacramento Kings (17-15) on Sunday, Dec. 23.