Kings Vs Grizzlies: Sacramento snaps franchise-worst 16-game losing streak with 123-114 victory in Memphis
The Sacramento Kings ended a franchise-worst 16-game losing streak with a 123-114 win over the injury-plagued Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, Tenn., a result that matters because it halted the longest slump in club history and offered immediate relief to a shaken locker room. The matchup, listed in betting markets as Kings Vs Grizzlies, also carried heavy pregame attention: the contest at FedEx Forum had been set for an 8 p. m. ET tipoff and featured a 3. 5-point spread and a 232. 5 over/under.
Kings Vs Grizzlies: final score, streak and historical context
Sacramento’s 123-114 victory ended a 16-game skid that eclipsed the franchise’s previous worst of 14 straight losses, a mark set when the team was in Cincinnati and known as the Royals. The Kings had not won since a 125-115 home win over Washington on Jan. 16, and their only road victory against a Western Conference opponent this season came Nov. 22 at Denver; their most recent road win before Monday had been Dec. 6 at Miami.
Russell Westbrook and Daeqwon Plowden turn the fourth quarter
Russell Westbrook and two-way player Daeqwon Plowden each scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, combining for 20 of Sacramento’s 24 points in the period. Westbrook finished with 25 points — his fourth game with at least 25 this season and his first such outing since the Jan. 16 victory — while Plowden ended with 19 points. DeMar DeRozan also scored 19 points in the win.
Coach Doug Christie and player reactions in the locker room
Coach Doug Christie acknowledged the stigma of the streak and expressed pride in the team’s development, saying that nobody wants a streak like that and noting his satisfaction with how the players continued to evolve. DeMar DeRozan described relief at breaking the run, saying he felt good to get that “monkey off your back. ” Players said there was no big celebration after the win, and none committed to calling it a springboard, though the locker room atmosphere was noticeably relieved.
Maxime Raynaud’s double-double and the team’s margin troubles
Rookie center Maxime Raynaud finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds and said the win “gives us good momentum” and lifts the team’s spirits. Sacramento’s streak had included four particularly lopsided losses, with the last four defeats coming by an average margin of 27 points; on Monday the Kings withstood short Memphis runs and never allowed the Grizzlies to get closer than seven points in the final five minutes.
Memphis backdrop, season records and betting model projections
The Grizzlies entered the game described as injury-plagued and had just come off a 136-120 loss at Miami the previous Saturday. Sacramento had lost 139-122 at San Antonio on the same day. The Kings came into the matchup with a 12-46 record and a 3-26 mark on the road; Memphis stood at 21-34 and 11-15 at home and occupied third place in the Southwest Division. Historically the Kings lead the all-time series 59-53, but the Grizzlies had won the last three meetings this season.
Betting lines listed Memphis as a 3. 5-point favorite at FedEx Forum with an over/under of 232. 5. The SportsLine Projection Model simulated the Kings vs. Grizzlies matchup 10, 000 times and produced an under on the point total while indicating one side of the spread hit nearly 60% of the simulations. The model’s broader credentials were presented alongside the simulation: an 11-1 run on top-ranked over/under college picks dating back to last year, a 20-11 run on top-rated college side picks, and a 38-18 roll on top-rated NBA picks.
Research and The contributed to the reporting on the game.
