The Memphis Grizzlies are 3-0, and they had to sweat for this one.
Memphis knocked off the Sacramento Kings 123-112 on the road, pushing its perfect start to the season and doing it in a way that felt a little more taxing than the first two wins. The Grizzlies led by as many as 14, then had to absorb a Kings push in the fourth quarter before closing the door.
Ty Jerome kept driving the whole thing. After hanging 45 on opening night and 28 against Golden State, he dropped 31 points on 8-for-17 shooting against Sacramento.
The free throw line was his best friend all night: Jerome went a perfect 14-for-14 there, repeatedly punishing the Kings for overplaying him. His biggest shot came on a stepback three that restored an eight-point Memphis lead soon after Sacramento had tied the game at 106.
If he keeps producing anywhere near this level, he’ll be right in the middle of the NBA Most Improved Player conversation.
Jaylen Wells also delivered in a building he clearly knows well. The Sacramento native entered the game averaging 19.3 points per game and shooting 69 percent from three-point range in Sacramento over four previous games.
This time, he posted 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting and went 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. He also handled the dirty work on defense, taking on physical screens and drawing multiple illegal screen calls.
Memphis also got a useful night from Cedric Coward after he missed the Warriors game on Friday. Coward finished with 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting and tied for the team lead with 11 rebounds. Boozer matched him with 11 boards, but the night was bumpier for him overall.
Boozer’s debut had already included a 2-for-15 shooting line, and this one brought another round of frustration. He finished 6-for-21 from the field and 2-for-7 from three.
There were moments where he tried to bait foul calls on mismatches near the rim, but he couldn’t get the veteran whistle he was looking for. Precious Achiuwa made life harder too, using swipe-down moves on Boozer and other Memphis bigs whenever they came up with the ball.
The absence of Zach Edey gave this game a different feel. It was Memphis’ first without the 7-4 center, and against Domantas Sabonis, that could have been a problem.
Instead, the Grizzlies held their own on the glass and won the rebounding battle 54-44. Sabonis still grabbed 15 rebounds, but foul trouble limited him for much of the night and he picked up his fourth early in the third quarter.
Memphis did have some slippage around the rim. The Grizzlies shot 24-for-49 in the paint, good for 49 percent, and only seven of those attempts came in the restricted area. Some were difficult looks, but there were also a handful of layups that Memphis usually finishes.
For Sacramento, Zach LaVine was the headache Memphis knows all too well. He has averaged 24.7 points per game against the Grizzlies since joining the Chicago Bulls in 2017-18, and he kept that reputation intact here.
LaVine scored 37 points on 13-for-25 shooting, though he was only 3-for-10 from deep. He and Darius Acuff Jr. were the only steady sources of creation for the Kings.
Memphis now turns around quickly for the second night of a back-to-back, meeting the Utah Jazz again on Monday in Salt Lake City.
In Other News...
Ty Jerome Is Giving Grizzlies Fans A Wild Early Season Debate
Ty Jerome has turned the first week of the season into an early talking point around Memphis, and not just because the Grizzlies are getting scoring in places they did not necessarily expect. He opened with 45 points against Utah, then followed it up with 31 against Sacramento, and the production has come fast enough to make him one of the leagues most surprising breakout stories. Stephen Curry even took notice after Memphis game against the Warriors, praising Jeromes improved play and the role hes found with the Grizzlies.
For Memphis fans, the debate is already obvious: how sustainable is this, and what does it mean if Jerome keeps carrying that kind of offensive load? Through the opening stretch, he has looked comfortable attacking bigger minutes worth of responsibility without the usual buildup period, and his start has pushed his name into a conversation few would have predicted this early. The larger question now is whether this is a hot streak or the start of something more lasting for a roster trying to sort out its identity. [Read more 🡒]
Draymond Green Just Added To One Warriors Concern After Memphis Loss
Memphis 111-108 win over Golden State in the second game of the season did more than give the Grizzlies an early edge in the standings. It also gave rookie Cam Boozer a national showcase, with the young forward piling up 25 points and flashing the kind of all-around game that tends to stick with opponents long after the final buzzer.
Draymond Green was the latest to take notice, and his reaction on his podcast only added to the sense that Memphis may have found something real. Green said Boozers polished skill set caught him off guard, especially the way he handled the ball and moved on the floor, while also drawing a comparison to Tim Duncan that says plenty about the kind of player the Warriors think they just saw up close. [Read more 🡒]