National Basketball Association
Grizzlies 128, Kings 95
National Basketball Association

Grizzlies 128, Kings 95

Published Jan. 22, 2012 3:46 a.m. ET

Rudy Gay had 23 points, Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo added 22 apiece and the Memphis Grizzlies won their sixth straight, 128-95 over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

Marc Gasol had 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Marreese Speights contributed 12 points and 15 rebounds for Memphis, which scored a season high.

Jimmer Fredette led the Kings with a season-high 20 points and six assists, while Donte Greene and DeMarcus Cousins scored 19 apiece. Cousins also had 11 rebounds and Tyreke Evans had 13 points.

The Grizzlies led by only eight at halftime, but opened the second half with a 12-0 run to push the lead to 20. The Kings, who snapped a two-game winning streak, trailed by as many as 39 in the fourth quarter.

ADVERTISEMENT

The victory moved the Grizzlies atop the Southwest Division, percentage points ahead of San Antonio and Dallas.

Conley's shooting gave Memphis an early 16-point lead, as the Grizzlies point guard hit all seven of his shots for 15 first-quarter points. He eventually would hit eight straight and 10 of 11 in the half for 22 points.

The Memphis lead expanded to 19 early in the second quarter, but the Kings battled back behind Fredette, who scored all 15 of his first-half points in the second quarter.

That helped the Kings outscore Memphis 39-34 in the quarter by hitting 17 of 26 shots and cut the halftime lead to 68-60.

Gay and Mayo had 12 points apiece for Memphis. Cousins had 12 for the Kings.

Memphis again took over the game at the start of the second half, scoring the first 12 points for an 80-60 lead. The Grizzlies eventually would lead by 28 points in the third period by outscoring the Kings 34-16.

Gasol had 11 in the quarter for Memphis, and, by the early stages of the fourth period, the Kings' reserves were on the floor with Memphis owning a 30-point advantage.

Notes: Grizzlies C Hamed Haddadi, who has not played this season because of visa problems, dressed for the game. Asked before the game if Haddadi was on limited minutes, Memphis coach Lionel Hollins replied: ''Unlimited minutes. He'll play as long as my desire for him to play.'' Haddadi played just over 5 minutes with two points and five rebounds. ... Memphis has won seven of the last eight in the series. .The Kings are now 4-6 under coach Keith Smart. ... Gasol hit a 3-pointer midway through the third, only his second long-range attempt this season. ... Kings G Marcus Thornton left the game in the first half with a stiff left thigh. ... Kings F John Salmons missed his first game of the season. Kings officials said he stayed at the team's hotel with an illness. Francisco Garcia started in his place.

share


Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more