Ty Jerome scored 31 points and dished out six assists as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Sacramento Kings 123-112 on Sunday at Golden 1 Center. The win pushed Memphis to 3-0 to start the season, while Sacramento dropped to 0-3.
Jerome shot 8 of 17 from the field and made all 14 of his free throw attempts. The Grizzlies broke the game open in the second quarter, outscoring the Kings 42-31 in the period to take control for good. Zach LaVine led Sacramento with 37 points on 13-of-25 shooting, but the Kings could not overcome 22 turnovers between their two leading scorers combined and a poor night at the free throw line, where they shot just 64%.
Key Moments: How The Grizzlies Pulled Away
Memphis trailed 22-28 late in the first quarter before a 3-0 run by Jaylen Wells cut the gap to three at the break. The second quarter belonged to the Grizzlies. Jerome scored 10 of his 31 points in the period, including a pair of free throws that put Memphis ahead 34-33, and a Scotty Pippen Jr. three-point jumper assisted by Jerome extended the lead to 41-33.
Jerome added two more free throws to push the margin to 43-35, and Cameron Boozer capped the surge with a 25-foot three-pointer that made it 48-40. Memphis carried that momentum into the second half, but Sacramento answered with a 31-29 third quarter before the Grizzlies closed out 27-22 in the fourth. The Grizzlies’ largest lead of the night reached 14 points, compared to Sacramento’s high-water mark of just six.
Top Performers
Jerome’s 31-point, six-assist night led all Memphis scorers, and he finished a team-best plus-27 in the box score. Boozer added 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, while Jaylen Wells contributed 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and finished plus-24. Cedric Coward chipped in 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Isaiah Stewart scored 13 off the bench.
For Sacramento, LaVine’s 37 points came with eight free throws made on eight attempts, though he finished a team-worst minus-21. Darius Acuff Jr. added 22 points and seven assists, and Domantas Sabonis recorded 15 points and 15 rebounds. Precious Achiuwa logged 39 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, but went 0 for 6 at the free throw line.
What It Means
Memphis is one of two unbeaten teams in the Southwest Division standings, tied atop the group with Houston at 3-0. The Grizzlies lead the season series with Sacramento 1-0. The loss leaves the Kings winless through three games and tied with Golden State at the bottom of the Pacific Division.
Memphis shot 89% from the free throw line as a team compared to Sacramento’s 64%, a gap that proved significant in a game decided by 11 points. The Grizzlies also won the turnover battle on points allowed off giveaways, 13 to 12, despite committing 13 turnovers of their own.
What’s Next
The Grizzlies next face the Golden State Warriors, continuing their early-season road trip, while the Kings look to pick up their first win of the campaign in their next outing.
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