Kings at Grizzlies
Memphis is a city in which the Sacramento Kings typically fall short and
the Kings strive to halt a 10-game road losing streak in the series
when they visit the Grizzlies on Saturday. Sacramento broke a 14-game
losing streak in Oklahoma City earlier this season and now look to win
in Memphis for the first time since Feb. 20, 2009.
The Grizzlies have won six of their past seven games after registering a 103-83 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. Memphis has scored between 101 and 108 points in each of the past seven contests in a rare extended splurge of stellar offensive performances. "It's about not giving up a hundred," Gasol told reporters. "It's not about what we get. Obviously, if we score a lot of points, that gives us confidence and gets some of the guys going." Sacramento dropped a 114-105 decision to the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday - its third straight loss after rattling off a season-best five straight victories.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN California (Sacramento), FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE KINGS (20-26): DeMarcus Cousins was named to the Western Conference All-Star team for the second time in his career and he has experienced a torrid January with averages of 32.6 points and 12.8 rebounds. "You go back and check my comments two, three months ago and when I got here - no doubt he's the best big man in the game," Sacramento point guard Rajon Rondo told reporters. "Obviously, the numbers speak for themselves." Rondo's assists numbers are verbalizing loudly as well, and his 15 assists against New Orleans marked his 14th consecutive game with 10 or more, tying the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Nate Archibald in 1972.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (27-20): Center Marc Gasol was passed over for the Western Conference All-Star squad after making the team in two of the previous four seasons. His season stats of 16.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 45.6 field-goal percentage are all slightly down from last season - 17.4, 7.8 and 49.4, respectively - and he didn't agree when teammate Tony Allen said he was "snubbed" by not being selected. "I don't know what snubbed means," Gasol told reporters. "If you look at the list, (everybody) deserves it that's there. If we would've been 30-15, then we'd probably have somebody up there. At the end of the day, that's how it works."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cousins was sidelined with an Achilles' injury when the Grizzlies recorded a 103-89 win in Sacramento on Nov. 3.
2. Kings SF Rudy Gay (eye) has missed the past two games and is questionable for the Memphis contest.
3. Grizzlies PF Jeff Green is averaging 25.5 points on 20-of-33 shooting over the past two games.