http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/115575.html
A Grizzly ending
Kings let one slip away, allowing Memphis to score 41 points in fourth
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Tuesday, January 30, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Corliss Williamson said, "We have had so many low points this season. I don't know if we can get lower."
On the other hand:
Memphis Grizzlies 124, Kings 117 on Monday night at FedExForum.
At least playing with a determination to find their actual depths, the Kings lost a little more of their dignity, along with a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, along with what had been their game to win, until the team that began the day with the fewest victories in the NBA pushed them aside. The 12-34 Grizzlies scored 41 points in the final period and shot 58.6 percent in all, the latest showing for a unit the Kings say concerns them but doesn't get fixed.
The 58.6 percent was a season high for an opponent. The 41 was tied for the second most for an opponent, topped only by the 44 the Wizards got Dec. 21. Only three times have the Kings allowed more than 124 points in a regulation game, with the concession that those were against Phoenix, Golden State and Washington, teams that run up big numbers on everyone.
The Grizzlies have too, since Tony Barone replaced Mike Fratello as coach in late December and threatened the players who didn't fire away. On the other hand, they're still the Grizzlies, the team that rolled over on the structure-happy Fratello to get him fired and the team whose star, Pau Gasól, wants to be traded. So some consolation for the Kings that Memphis has been on a hot offensive streak for a month.
"I'm not sure what happened," Ron Artest said, "because it's not like it's anything new to us."
The losing, for sure. The Kings have dropped three in a row and 11 of 14, and they have just wasted opportunities against two worse teams, New Orleans and Memphis. Or at least teams with worse records.
But the defense. What had already been an issue moved backward yet again with a showing that has come to be expected from them but was shocking anyway, given the opponent and the timing. The Grizzlies and the fourth quarter.
The Grizzlies factor alone would have been bad enough. But the Kings scored 66 points in the first half, good for an 11-point lead and the rare chance to end the suspense before it began. The three previous wins had come by five, one and eight points, after all, setting up the likelihood of an especially welcome night for an inconsistent offense that had broken triple digits in a regulation game just twice in the previous 13 tries.
The Kings pushed the lead to 13 early in the third quarter, and the advantage was at 10 entering the fourth, 93-83.
What could possibly go wrong?
Only everything.
Memphis needed all of 1:22 to reduce the cushion to 93-91. The Kings recovered and went back ahead by eight with 8:50 remaining. It could still have come out as a resilient win, two nights after they were understandably pleased with the heart in staying with the Mavericks while playing for the second time in 24 hours.
The Grizzlies finally took the lead at 114-112 with 1:14 remaining and never gave it back. The Kings stayed as close as 116-115 after Mike Bibby's three-pointer with 38 seconds left, but Mike Miller countered with one of his own, a straightaway 26-footer that made it an insurmountable 119-115.
By the time the worst was over, for the night, the Kings had been hit by a 41-24 margin in the fourth quarter as Memphis made 68.8 percent of its shots (11 of 16) and outrebounded Sacramento 11-4.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
A Grizzly ending
Kings let one slip away, allowing Memphis to score 41 points in fourth
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Tuesday, January 30, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Corliss Williamson said, "We have had so many low points this season. I don't know if we can get lower."
On the other hand:
Memphis Grizzlies 124, Kings 117 on Monday night at FedExForum.
At least playing with a determination to find their actual depths, the Kings lost a little more of their dignity, along with a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, along with what had been their game to win, until the team that began the day with the fewest victories in the NBA pushed them aside. The 12-34 Grizzlies scored 41 points in the final period and shot 58.6 percent in all, the latest showing for a unit the Kings say concerns them but doesn't get fixed.
The 58.6 percent was a season high for an opponent. The 41 was tied for the second most for an opponent, topped only by the 44 the Wizards got Dec. 21. Only three times have the Kings allowed more than 124 points in a regulation game, with the concession that those were against Phoenix, Golden State and Washington, teams that run up big numbers on everyone.
The Grizzlies have too, since Tony Barone replaced Mike Fratello as coach in late December and threatened the players who didn't fire away. On the other hand, they're still the Grizzlies, the team that rolled over on the structure-happy Fratello to get him fired and the team whose star, Pau Gasól, wants to be traded. So some consolation for the Kings that Memphis has been on a hot offensive streak for a month.
"I'm not sure what happened," Ron Artest said, "because it's not like it's anything new to us."
The losing, for sure. The Kings have dropped three in a row and 11 of 14, and they have just wasted opportunities against two worse teams, New Orleans and Memphis. Or at least teams with worse records.
But the defense. What had already been an issue moved backward yet again with a showing that has come to be expected from them but was shocking anyway, given the opponent and the timing. The Grizzlies and the fourth quarter.
The Grizzlies factor alone would have been bad enough. But the Kings scored 66 points in the first half, good for an 11-point lead and the rare chance to end the suspense before it began. The three previous wins had come by five, one and eight points, after all, setting up the likelihood of an especially welcome night for an inconsistent offense that had broken triple digits in a regulation game just twice in the previous 13 tries.
The Kings pushed the lead to 13 early in the third quarter, and the advantage was at 10 entering the fourth, 93-83.
What could possibly go wrong?
Only everything.
Memphis needed all of 1:22 to reduce the cushion to 93-91. The Kings recovered and went back ahead by eight with 8:50 remaining. It could still have come out as a resilient win, two nights after they were understandably pleased with the heart in staying with the Mavericks while playing for the second time in 24 hours.
The Grizzlies finally took the lead at 114-112 with 1:14 remaining and never gave it back. The Kings stayed as close as 116-115 after Mike Bibby's three-pointer with 38 seconds left, but Mike Miller countered with one of his own, a straightaway 26-footer that made it an insurmountable 119-115.
By the time the worst was over, for the night, the Kings had been hit by a 41-24 margin in the fourth quarter as Memphis made 68.8 percent of its shots (11 of 16) and outrebounded Sacramento 11-4.
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
