Insider Insights: Grizzlies Outmatched by the Sacramento Kings to End 2023

The Grizzlies ended 2023 on a sour note, with a 123-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Here’s to hoping 2024 provides better results for the team moving forward.

The game began with an open flow, as both teams traded leads multiple times in the game’s first six minutes. The Grizzlies led 14-12 midway through the first quarter.

Desmond Bane was especially hot to begin the game, making his first three attempts, and the team began the game shooting 6-10 from behind the arc. The Grizzlies continued to hold a small lead (22-21) with 2:45 remaining in the first.

However, the Kings ended the quarter making three three-pointers in a row, followed by a layup, and led the Grizzlies 34-29 at the end of the first. While the Grizzlies shot an impressive 7-13 from three in the quarter, the Kings shot 6-11 from deep in the first period and never looked back.

The Kings extended their lead to 41-29 in the opening minutes of the second quarter as the Grizzlies’ league-worst second-quarter scoring woes showed up. The Grizzlies cut their deficit to 43-37, but the Kings responded with a 6-0 run to lead again by 12. That flow continued as the Kings led by as many as 14 points on their way to a 70-58 halftime lead.

The Kings were led by Malik Monk’s 17 points as three players scored in double figures, and the Grizzlies had four players score double figures in the first half, including Ja Morant and his 12 points.

The Kings began the third quarter on an 8-1 run as they took a 19-point lead in the opening minutes of the second half. The Grizzlies’ free-throw woes (missed two of five) and Sacramento’s excellent shooting extended the deficit to 85-61 midway through the third quarter. The Grizzlies couldn’t close the deficit to closer than 15 points as the Kings led 101-79 to end the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was just another quarter to play as the Kings continued to roll the Grizzlies, with six players finishing the game in double figures. Luke Kennard scored 17 points in his return to the lineup, but Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox were too much as they combined to score 51 points, and the Grizzlies’ big three struggled, finishing with merely 52 total points.

The Grizzlies' big three don't have it tonight

— Parish Sharkey (@DaOne_PShark) January 1, 2024

Now for the main takeaway:

First Iteration of the Main Rotation

The Grizzlies entered their New Year’s matchup against the Kings as close to fully healthy as they could get for the first time all season. Knowing that Steven Adams is out for the season and Brandon Clarke’s status is up in the air for later in the year, this is the roster going forward into the near future.

With this development, the team’s regular rotation is beginning to set in place. Tonight, it consisted of starters Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Bismack Biyombo. Meanwhile, the bench players who were deployed were Santi Aldama, Derrick Rose, Luke Kennard, and Vince Williams Jr.

Santi Aldama and Derrick Rose were the first two players off the bench, followed by Luke Kennard in the first quarter. After missing the previous 20 games with a knee injury, Luke Kennard began the game by making his first two shot attempts, including a three. Vince Williams Jr. entered the game to begin the second quarter to round out the nine-man rotation for the first half.

d rose back. pic.twitter.com/srD9ewnLWp

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) January 1, 2024

Luke Kennard provided the spark off the bench, scoring in double-digit at halftime with 11 points in the first half. Unfortunately, Jaren Jackson Jr. got into foul trouble, which hurt the first-half rotation for the team.

David Roddy and Xavier Tillman entered into the game in the second-half rotation towards the back half of the third quarter, but with the team down 20+ points, there wasn’t much that could be done to slow down the Kings’ offensive arsenal.

So far, there is not a good sample size of the initial 9-man rotation, with it being just one game. It will take time to see just how well this rotation can work. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies don’t have much time to figure it out with a 10-22 record. They will have to find a way to stack wins while they gel with their current players.

Start/Stop/Continue

START getting back to the Grizzlies brand of basketball of getting out in transition and into the paint more often while also defending the paint. Shockingly, 22 of the teams’ first 38 field goal attempts came from the three-point line, and the defense allowed an average paint-scoring team in the Kings to score 30 in the first half and 58 for the game. Beating the Kings from the three-point line wasn’t logical, but the Grizzlies tried just that and paid for it.

Coming Up

The Grizzlies remain home to begin the new year, with the San Antonio Spurs coming to town on Tuesday and the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Both games will be at 7:00 PM CST at the FedExForum.

Final Quote

“No matter how many times we get knocked out, we got to continue to get back up, brush ourselves off, and continue to throw punches” – Marcus Smart.