Grizzlies at Kings
The Memphis Grizzlies will try to salvage the finale of their four-game road trip when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Monday. The Grizzlies are averaging 88.7 points in dropping the first three contests on the trek, including a 106-94 setback at Golden State on Sunday that was their eighth loss in 12 games.
The swoon has left Memphis 1 1/2 games behind sixth-place Oklahoma City in the Western Conference, although it ends the season with six of its final eight games at home - beginning with a visit from Indiana on Wednesday. Memphis gets to end its trip against a team riding an emotional high following a remarkable comeback. The Kings were down 18 points with five minutes left against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday before storming back to claim a 98-97 road victory that showed there still is plenty of fight in the rebuilding squad. "We didn't lose hope," guard Darren Collison - who scored 19 points - told reporters. "I've been on a lot of winning teams, and the chemistry is not as good as on this team. People don't know how hard it is to be in our shoes and come to work every single day. To be together still, and still have fun, says a lot about this team."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Memphis), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (40-33): Center Marc Gasol sat out the loss to Golden State with a left foot strain and his status for the second half of the back-to-back set is uncertain. Point guard Mike Conley picked up much of the slack with 29 points and Zach Randolph stepped into the starting lineup in place of Gasol and produced 15. Gasol led the way with 28 points and nine rebounds when these teams last met Jan. 20 in Memphis, which resulted in the Grizzlies' 19th win in the last 22 encounters.
ABOUT THE KINGS (28-45): Willie Cauley-Stein had 14 rebounds to go along with the game-winning shot in the closing seconds against the Clippers and Buddy Hield made all three of his 3-pointers in the final three-plus minutes to fuel the rally. "I just stayed confident, found a good rhythm and made a few," Hield - who is averaging 19.3 points in the last three games - told reporters. "It was fun seeing Willie's shot go down and getting the win." The dramatic victory snapped a four-game slide for the Kings, who are 1-7 in their last eight at home.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Conley is averaging 21.4 points on the road, compared to 18.6 at home.
2. Kings PG Ty Lawson (knee) missed Sunday's win and is day-to-day.
3. Randolph has missed all seven of his 3-point tries on the road trip.