Kings pull out one-point win over Grizzlies
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Darren Collison scored 23 points and made two free throws with 5.7 seconds left, and the Sacramento Kings edged the Memphis Grizzlies 91-90 on Monday at the Golden 1 Center for their second win in two days in the final seconds.
Memphis guard Mike Conley missed on a drive to the hoop with 14 seconds left, and Collison rebounded, drove the length of the court and drew a foul. His two ensuing free throws gave the Kings their first winning streak since February.
Sacramento was coming off a 98-97 road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers that came courtesy of a 22-3 run over the final 5:23 of the contest.
Collison also finished with seven assists and made eight of his first nine shots from the field to pace the Kings.
Conley scored 22 points to lead the Grizzlies, but Memphis couldn't overcome another lousy shooting night and lost for the fourth straight time, all on a road trip that concluded Monday.
Memphis made only 34.4 percent of its shots from the field, including just 5 of 26 from 3-point range. The Grizzlies haven't surpassed 45 percent shooting in seven straight games.
Sacramento found a way to win after nearly letting an 85-78 lead get away. Sacramento didn't score for nearly four minutes, and JaMychal Green's two free throws capped an 8-0 Memphis run that produced an 86-85 lead.
The Kings then scored the next four, setting the stage for the back-and-forth finish.
NOTES: The Kings issued a statement Tuesday night that they have no plans to hire former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie. Multiple media reports indicated that Kings owner Vivek Ranadive received permission from the league to reach out to Hinkie about a job in the organization. Hinkie has kept his thoughts on the subject to himself. The Kings in the statement also said they have no plans to bring in anybody above current GM Vlade Divac. ... Grizzlies C Marc Gasol (strained foot) has missed two straight games for the first time this season. Gasol has played 69 of Memphis' 74 contests, trailing only teammate G JaMychal Green. ... Sacramento's rally from 18 points down with 5:23 to go in the game to beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday was borderline absurd. It marked only the second time in 6,748 tries since 1997 that a team erased such a deficit to win. ... Green, getting near the end of his third season, is averaging 9.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, all career highs.