SACRAMENTO -- No New Years Eve cheer for Kings fans. Things got chippy Saturday afternoon as the Sacramento Kings battled the Memphis Grizzlies at Golden 1 Center. The end result was a 112-98 loss for the Kings despite a spirited effort.
Mike Conley Jr shook off a big toe injury that kept him out of action earlier in the week. The veteran point guard hit 8-of-11 from the field on his way to a 22-point, 8-rebound night.
JaMychal Green went off for 18 points on 4-for-5 shooting from long range as the Grizzlies torched Sacramento from the perimeter. Memphis combined to hit 17-for-35 from long range as they ran the Kings out of their own gym.
Ageless wonder Vince Carter added 14 points and Zach Randolph added 14 points and six rebounds in the blowout. Troy Daniels got it going late, scoring 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from deep.
There was a Darren Collison sighting. After a rough stretch over the last eight games, the veteran point guard came out aggressive against the Grizzlies. The end result was a 16-point night on 8-for-16 shooting. The Kings need more nights like this from their starting point.
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DeMarcus Cousins got off to a slow start against a big Grizzlies frontline, but they couldn't keep him under wraps. Cousins dropped in 26 points, eight assists and picked up five steals in the loss.
With Collison and Cousins rolling, Matt Barnes and Anthony Tolliver found their range from deep. Barnes scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Tolliver chipped in 16 points on 4-of-5 from 3-point range as the Kings fell to 14-19 on the season.
Rookie Malachi Richardson gave the fans something to cheer about late, scoring seven points on 2-for-4 shooting.
STANDOUT PERFORMER
The Grizzlies couldn't miss from 3-point range. Anytime you get outscored by 18 points from behind the arc, it's going to be a long night.
TURNING POINT
Sacramento came out flat in the second half and the Grizzlies put them away quickly. Cousins picked up his third and fourth fouls early and then things got chippy. Cousins was hit with his eighth technical of the season by official Ed Malloy. The game was lost in the third quarter.
INJURY UPDATE
Ty Lawson caught an errant shoulder to the face in the second quarter and was forced out of the game. X-rays were inconclusive and he was sent in to get a CT scan to rule out a facial fracture. Rudy Gay missed his eighth game in nine chances with a right hip flexor strain. Arron Afflalo missed his third straight with an elbow strain. Both players are listed as day-to-day going forward.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Kings return to the court Tuesday night in Denver against the Nuggets before coming home for a seven game home stand beginning Wednesday with the Miami Heat.
