Field Level Media
Jan 19, 2018
Memphis reserve Ben McLemore had 12 of his season-high 21 points in the fourth quarter and Dillon Brooks scored 22 points as the Grizzlies spoiled Zach Randolph's return to Memphis in a 106-88 victory over the Sacramento Kings at the FedEx Center on Friday.
Tyreke Evans added 14 points and Andrew Harrison had 12 for the Grizzlies, who won their third straight game while sending the Kings to their seventh straight loss.
Former Memphis fixture Randolph had four points and six rebounds in 19 minutes, and he received a pregame bear hug from former front-court mate Marc Gasol in his first game in Memphis since signing a two-year, $24 million free-agent deal with the Kings in the offseason.
Randolph helped the Grizzlies to seven playoff appearances in eight seasons.
De'Aaron Fox had 16 points and six assists, and Bogdan Bogdanovic and Vince Carter had 15 apiece for the Kings (13-32), who have lost 10 of their last 11 and are tied with Orlando for the worst record in the league.
Gasol had six points and eight rebounds in his return after missing the previous game with an illness.
McLemore is in his first season with Memphis after spending his first four seasons with the Kings. He had played only five minutes in the previous four games combined.
Buddy Hield had 13 points and Willie Cauley-Stein added seven points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, who have had games of 88, 86 and 88 points during their seven-game losing streak.
Brooks and McLemore made three 3-pointers apiece, and Brooks has made 10 of 17 threes in the last three games. Brooks had three of Memphis' 12 steals as the Kings committed 21 turnovers.
Neither team shot well, the Kings finishing at 40 percent and the Grizzlies at 44.3.
Brooks scored nine points during a 26-6 run in the final 8 1/2 minutes of the first quarter to give the Grizzlies a 30-17 lead.
Carter and Hield produced 3-pointers when the Kings countered with a 15-2 run to open the second quarter and tie it at 32. The Grizzlies made only five field goals in the period, which ended tied at 40.
Memphis had an 18-4 run to open the second half for a lead it never relinquished. The Kings never were closer than seven again.
Kings coach Dave Joerger rested Kosta Koufos and George Hill, continuing his plan of resting two veterans every game.
--Field Level Media