Jimmer Fredette continued his excellent play off the bench for the Kings, but on the night troubled big man DeMarcus Cousins returned to the lineup, Sacramento was blown out 113-96 by the Memphis Grizzlies. Fredette scored a team-high 17 points in a team-high 29 minutes, while Cousins scored just four points and brought down eight rebounds.
In what seems to be a concerning trend, the Kings got off to a very poor start on Tuesday night and the team was unable to recover throughout the game. The Grizzlies, who were led by Rudy Gay and his 26 points, led for most of the contest and ended the first quarter with a 14 point lead. Six players reached double digits for Memphis, including Sam Young, who scored an efficient 20 points.
For the Kings, there really wasn't too much to look positively at. The team continues to not distribute the basketball (13 assists, 19 turnovers) and they were out rebounded and destroyed on the offensive glass. Paul Westphal and the coaching staff did not make any adjustments at halftime. Rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas had a strong game in the losing effort, scoring 15 points, brining down four rebounds and dishing out three assists.
Until the Kings learn to play together, wins will be tough to come by. Coach Westphal's days in Sacramento may be numbered if changes are not made.
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