Grizzlies top turnover-prone Kings in NBA Summer League; top draft picks out with injuries
Turnovers proved to be a big problem for the Sacramento Kings in their Las Vegas Summer League opener.
The Kings committed 31 turnovers in a 103-83 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion.
Both teams were missing their first-round picks from June’s NBA draft. Zach Edey, a 7-foot-4 center who came out of Purdue as the No. 9 pick in the draft, was ruled out by the Grizzlies due to left ankle soreness. The Kings expect Devin Carter, a combo guard from Providence, to be sidelined for at least six months after undergoing left shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum.
Jake LaRavia had 22 points and six steals for the Grizzlies (1-0). GG Jackson II had 17 points and seven rebounds while Scotty Pippen Jr. added 16 points, four assists and five steals.
Jaylen Wells, a former Folsom High School star and Sacramento Bee All-Metro Player of the Year, came off the bench to score six points in 17 minutes for Memphis. The Grizzlies selected Wells out of Washington State with the 39th pick in the draft.
Mason Jones posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings (0-1). Adonis Arms came off the bench to score 13 points.
Keon Ellis and Drew Timme committed five turnovers apiece for Sacramento. Colby Jones, Mason Jones and Xavier Sneed had three turnovers.
The Kings trailed 15-4 after committing three turnovers in the first 1:10 and seven turnovers in the first 4:15, prompting coach Doug Christie to take a couple of early timeouts. They had as many turnovers (11) as field-goal attempts (11) in the first eight minutes and trailed 28-19 after committing 12 turnovers in the opening period.
The Kings committed another turnover when Drew Timme was called for traveling on their first possession in the second quarter. They trailed 55-35 at the halftime break after giving up 24 points on 17 turnovers.
The Grizzlies went up by as many as 26 points in the third quarter and carried a 79-57 lead into the fourth. The Kings got within 16 early in the fourth, but turnovers prevented them from getting any closer.
