The NBA is about making adjustments. Early in the season, teams have struggled to figure out the Kings and their frenetic pace, but the Memphis Grizzlies had a game plan and forced Sacramento into plenty of mistakes in their 112-104 win Friday night.
It was a game of contrasting styles. Memphis came into the night last in pace in the NBA, while the Kings ranked first, leading the league at 105.3 possessions per 48 minutes.
“You know how they’re going to play, you try to speed them up,” Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox told reporters in Memphis following the game. “You might be able to speed them up for a three- or four-minute stretch, but they’re going to do what they’re going to do. They’re going to slow the ball down, they’re going to get into their sets and they’re going to execute.”
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After losing in Sacramento three weeks ago, the Grizzlies forced the Kings into a methodical game, and the Kings struggled. They forced the action on too many occasions and were careless with the ball.
“They were locked in, they were physical, they got into us,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said of the Grizzlies. “They forced 21 turnovers. That’s just way, way too many for us.”
Turnovers were the stat of the night, especially late in the game. Fox led the team with six mistakes, but he wasn’t the only one to give it up. The Kings finished the night with 21 turnovers, including five in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line.
“It’s hard playing against a team like that,” Fox said. “They play so slow. They get what they want, they get where they want. I just think turnovers hurt us.”
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The Kings had plenty of chances. After trailing 87-78 going to the fourth, Sacramento pulled within three points with just under two minutes remaining. But the Grizzlies' experience showed, and they found a way to stem the tide.
“That’s a veteran team, they’ve been through it all,” Fox said. “We’d make a run, and they answered the run pretty well. We gave ourselves a chance to win, and then shot ourselves in the foot with turnovers.”
While Fox struggled to hold onto the ball, he still led the Kings with 23 points, 10 assists and four rebounds.
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Buddy Hield added 16 points, but he played fewer than two minutes in the fourth quarter. Following the game, Hield told reporters he didn’t know why.
It’s a long season, but Sacramento is in most contests. While no one likes losing, this appeared to have gotten under the skin of the young Kings.
“We had the game right in our hands, that’s what the game presents to you sometimes,” Hield said. “But it is what it is. You've got to suck it up and move on. This is the NBA.”
The Kings need to have a short memory. They will return to the court on the second night of a back-to-back Saturday in Houston against the Rockets. It’s another opportunity for a win, and another chance for the Kings to show they can compete with the league’s best.