Sacramento @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 19, 2018 ) Sacramento 88, Memphis 106

The Sacramento Kings are struggling on the offensive end as they turn the team over to the young players and play out the string in another losing campaign. The Memphis Grizzlies, who host the Kings on Friday, are in the same boat and are experimenting with different lineup combinations down the stretch.

Sacramento earned the dubious honor of helping Phoenix snap a franchise-record 15-game losing streak when it dropped a 97-94 decision at the Suns on Tuesday, marking the eighth time in the last 10 games that the Kings failed to reach 100 points. The Kings shot 37.1 percent from the floor in the setback as the rookie point guard tandem of De'Aaron Fox and Frank Mason III combined to go 3-of-19. Memphis is playing out the string as well and was rocked 123-95 at New Orleans on Wednesday to suffer its third straight loss. The Grizzlies will play their next two games against teams eliminated from postseason contention before getting another chance to impact the race by finishing against Minnesota and Oklahoma City.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Sacramento), FS Southeast (Memphis)

ABOUT THE KINGS (25-54): The rookie bright spot in Tuesday's loss came from small forward Justin Jackson, who is making the most of increased playing time of late and scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting while adding eight rebounds and four assists. "So, if it's defensively and I don't touch the ball for seven minutes that's OK," Jackson told the Sacramento Bee. "If it's I'm getting shots, I'm going to try to knock them down the best I can. So, just trying to keep that mindset because when you start acting selfish, that's when it all blows up in your face." Jackson went 3-of-5 from 3-point range on Tuesday after going a combined 1-of-11 from beyond the arc in the previous three contests.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (21-57): Memphis is looking for signs of growth from its young players and is getting positive results from rookie power forward Ivan Rabb. The 21-year-old scored a season-high 16 points and added eight rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench on Wednesday. "I think Ivan competed his tail off," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "I think he showed the ability to score the ball on the block and he showed his will to not give in. I watched him compete on the glass whether he was outsized physically. ... It didn’t matter to him. He continued to be aggressive on the glass. He never backed down once. He had a matchup with Anthony Davis. He went after Anthony Davis. He showed no fear."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Kings PF Skal Labissiere (ankle) sat out Tuesday and is day-to-day.

2. Grizzlies SG MarShon Brooks scored over 20 points in each of his three games since signing with the team last week.

3. Memphis took each of the first two meetings this season, including a 106-88 home win on Jan. 19.

PREDICTION: Kings 99, Grizzlies 92