NBA: Kings crush Ja Morant-less Grizzlies
Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings dunks the ball on Xavier Tillman #2 and Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half at Golden 1 Center on January 23, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Domantas Sabonis recorded a triple-double and the Sacramento Kings took advantage of the absence of Ja Morant to pull away from the visiting Memphis Grizzlies for a 133-100 victory Monday night.
In a matchup with defensive ace Jaren Jackson Jr., Sabonis recorded 14 points to complement game-highs in rebounds (10) and assists (11). His sixth triple-double of the season and second in the past three outings helped the Kings win for the seventh time in their last eight games.
Coming off three games — including consecutive losses — decided by a total of four points over the previous five days, the Grizzlies elected to give Morant a night off, citing a sore left ankle.
stopped on a dime and put 'em in the weight room 💪
@swipathefox | #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/bF6m9d4RYq— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 24, 2023
Veteran Steven Adams also sat due to a sore right knee, leaving the Grizzlies short-handed as they attempted to end a two-game losing streak.
Despite allowing 47 points in the first quarter, the visitors managed to hang within 103-96 with 9:59 to go. Sabonis then had two of the Kings’ four dunks in a 16-point flurry that broke the game open at 119-96.
Harrison Barnes and Trey Lyles added long-range hoops to the run, pushing Sacramento’s total of 3-pointers toward 22 in 40 attempts. Memphis made just 12 of its 36 long-range shots.
Lyles hit six 3-pointers to account for a majority of his 24 points, and Barnes buried six for all but two of his 20 points as the Kings salvaged a 2-2 split in the season series.
.@treylyles making it happen on both ends 💪
Cyber Protection Block of the Game presented by @Acronis and @Executech pic.twitter.com/CiRVgn449Z
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) January 24, 2023
Keegan Murray had 20 points and nine rebounds while De’Aaron Fox finished with 17 points and Monk 13 for Sacramento, which has gone 7-3 in a stretch of eight of 10 at home.
Without having to deal with Morant, Fox also found time for 10 assists and four steals.
Desmond Bane paced Memphis with 21 points, while Jackson went for 19. Fellow starters Dillon Brooks (13), Tyus Jones (12) and Xavier Tillman (10) also scored in double figures for the Grizzlies, whose three-game losing streak has come on the heels of an 11-game winning run.
Jones had a team-high eight assists while also tying Tillman for team-high rebound honors with six.
