Kings rout Grizzlies to ring in new year after Mike Brown makes change to starting lineup
The Kings ended 2023 — and their short three-game road trip — on a high note in the home of the blues.
The Kings throttled the Memphis Grizzles 123-92 on New Year’s Eve, earning their second straight road win on the back of a strong defensive performance Sunday at FedExForum. It came while locals were gearing up to ring in 2024 a block away on famous Beale Street.
Domantas Sabonis recorded his sixth triple-double of the season with 13 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists for the Kings (19-12). Malik Monk scored a season-high 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting. De’Aaron Fox added 24 points. Sabonis reached his triple-double midway through the third quarter while Sacramento opened up a 25-point lead.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 18 points to lead the Grizzlies (10-22).
The Kings did the dirty work in the arena the Grizzlies call the “Grind House,” outrebounding them 59-34 and holding them to 35.5% shooting through three quarters.
Memphis came in after winning four of six since star guard Ja Morant returned Dec. 16 from an NBA-imposed 25-game suspension for conduct away from the court. The Kings held the explosive guard in check with 17 points on 4-of-12 shooting. Seven of his points came from the free-throw line, all coming in the first half.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins emptied the bench with 4:49 left and the Kings leading by 25.
The Kings took a 70-58 lead into halftime and never looked back thanks largely to Monk, their Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
Monk paced the Kings with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the first half, including a whirling left-handed layup plus a foul and two made 3s. Sabonis had 15 rebounds in the first half, becoming just the fourth player in the NBA this season to have 15 rebounds in a half. Fox scored 13 points in his first nine minutes.
Both teams shot well from distance in the first quarter. The Kings made 6 of 11, including three in a row from Trey Lyles and Monk, while Memphis opened making 7 of 13. A late spurt had Sacramento leading by five after the first quarter.
The win came as head coach Mike Brown made a change to his starting lineup, moving Kevin Huerter to the bench and elevating Chris Duarte to the starting lineup. Huerter had been mired in a long shooting slump and left Friday’s win over Atlanta with an injury to his left finger and thumb area.
It was the first time Huerter came off the bench in 105 games with the Kings. He made his first appearance with 4:20 left in the first quarter, joining Monk and Davion Mitchell in the first round of substitutions. He finished with nine points in 17 minutes while making one of his three 3-pointers. The Kings were plus-16 with Huerter on the floor.
The Kings will return to Sacramento to play back-to-back games against the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic on Tuesday and Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
