Sunday Sadness: Kings Embarrassed By Grizzlies
Nov 28, 2021, 5:24 PM | Updated: 5:24 pm
(Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
(Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Sacramento never stood a chance on Sunday afternoon in Memphis
Following the excitement of Friday night’s triple-overtime thriller in Los Angeles, the Sacramento Kings were in a good spot to pick up their third-straight win on Sunday afternoon against a Memphis Grizzlies team that would be without star guard Ja Morant.
Notice how I said “good spot”. Definitely a poor choice of words.
Memphis went wire-to-wire during an ugly day of basketball from the Kings, as Sacramento would trail by as many as 37 points during a 128-101 loss at the FedEx Forum.
Memphis jumped out to a 7-0 lead before 60 seconds had even ticked off of the clock, immediately putting the Kings in a position where they had to chase the Grizz from behind. Although Sacramento erased a double-digit deficit early in the quarter, the Grizzlies were about to regain momentum to take a 38-25 lead heading into the second.
Sacramento’s defense was defunct in the first half, allowing the Grizzlies to score at will on 50-percent shooting from the field and 37-percent from beyond the three-point arc. Memphis took a 24-point lead into the half in what was the most disappointing half of Kings basketball this season.
The game would get out of hand at this point. The Kings defense was abysmal, the offense was inconsistent and there was no hope on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Not only did the Kings get beat in points in the paint, they were doubled-up by Memphis (72-36) as the absences of Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes loomed large.
It was a sad, but predictable outcome for a team that has been unable to maintain a solid style of play for more than one-to-two game sample sizes. After defeating the Trail Blazers on Wednesday and the Lakers on Friday, it seemed as if Sacramento was beginning to figure out a formula of success with the recent changes to the rotation.
As each game passes, it is becoming increasingly clear that the pieces of this current roster are unlikely to work together in a way that places the Kings in the postseason come April.
What changes need to be made? Can those changes realistically be made in time to salvage the season?
Only five of 15 team in the Western Conference hold a record above the .500 mark. While there is still time in the season to find the right, winning formula, general manager Monte McNair and the rest of the front office will need to get to work before the Kings dig themselves into a hold that they can’t climb out of.
Injury Updates
Richaun Holmes (non-COVID illness) was ruled out for the third-consecutive game prior to Sunday’s contest in Memphis.
Holmes was poked in the eye near the end of Monday night’s game against Philadelphia, but the center returned to the game and later told the media that his vision was “a bit blurry”. Holmes missed Wednesday night’s game due to an eye contusion before being ruled out on Friday with a non-COVID illness.
Head coach Alvin Gentry said that Holmes is considered day-to-day going forward.
Harrison Barnes (right foot sprain) turned his ankle in the closing seconds of the third quarter on Wednesday night while facing Portland and did not return for the fourth quarter.
Barnes missed his second-consecutive game, but Gentry said that the forward is improving and that his injury isn’t expected to keep him out long-term.
Moe Harkless left Friday’s game due to left knee soreness after taking a bad step in the second quarter. Harkless is also considered day-to-day, with Gentry sharing that the 28-year-old’s injury is not considered serious.
Coming Up
Sacramento will get a rematch of Friday night’s triple overtime thriller on Tuesday when they face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center.
De’Aaron Fox’s 34 points paced a resilient Kings offense that erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to come back and stun the Lakers at the STAPLES Center.
You can find all of your Kings vs Lakers coverage right here on Sports 1140 KHTK starting at 3:00pm PST on The Jason Ross Show prior to a 7:00pm PST tip-off from Golden 1 Center.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule
- November 30th vs Los Angeles Lakers
- December 1st @ Los Angeles Clippers
- December 4th vs Los Angeles Clippers
- December 8th vs Orlando Magic
- December 10th @ Charlotte Hornets
