3 Takeaways From Kings’ Close Win vs. Shorthanded Grizzlies
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Winning can never come easily for the Sacramento Kings, and that stayed true as they took on an 8-man Memphis Grizzlies squad on Monday night. The Kings won an overtime thriller 121-111 as they barely scratched by an injury-riddled Grizzlies team.
Victory came through thanks to a massive clutch-time performance from Sixth-Man of the Year favorite Malik Monk, who scored 12 points in overtime to secure a win for Sacramento. It's not the first time fans have seen a performance like that from him, as he did nearly the same exact thing in a big game against the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this month.
Head coach Mike Brown knows that his team didn't put up the cleanest of performances, and talked about how scrappy Memphis played with only eight on the active roster. It was another sloppy game from the Kings, leading to the first takeaway from the win.
The Kings need to limit turnovers as much as possible.
With 19 team turnovers on the night, it wasn't a pretty game to watch at all. Star point guard De'Aaron Fox ended the game with six turnovers by himself, but managed to make up for it a bit with a team-high ten assists.
As a team, the Kings have now turned the ball over 12 times in seven of the nine games this month. For a team that plays a fast-paced offense, it makes sense that turnovers may be an issue. On the flip side, turnovers are what allow lesser opponents to stay in the game, and Sacramento has had an issue with that all year.
Giving away possessions that often isn't a recipe for success, and Sacramento will need to clean it up before heading to Toronto for their first road game in two weeks.
Keon Ellis should be the starter if Kevin Huerter misses time.
It was a rough start on Monday night after Golden1 Center watched G Kevin Huerter walk off the court early in the first quarter clutching his left arm. While it's unclear how much time Huerter will miss with what is being called a "left shoulder injury", it is clear that Keon Ellis should be his replacement.
Ellis has cemented himself as one of the best defensive players on the team, and was in the running for defensive player of the game last night according to Mike Brown. The second-year guard played 34 minutes and finished with five blocks and a steal in a massive performance off the bench. Ellis became the first Kings guard in the Sacramento era to finish with five blocks in a single game.
On top of some great defensive play, the numbers back Ellis as a starter. The Kings have yet to lose a game that Ellis is featured in the starting lineup, giving coach Brown the easy choice as to who's next in-line.
Malik Monk has solidified his 6MOY award.
For Monk, it's one monster showing after another as the former Kentucky Wildcat continues to put on a masterclass every night off the bench. The guard continues to carry a career high 15.9 points per game along with over 5 assists per game.
In the victory on Monday night, Monk posted a game-high 28 points in a much-needed takeover performance. On top of being the leading scorer, Monk finished the game +19 in the time he was on the court, showing just how much of an impact his playmaking had.
The only other player to have matched Monk's numbers off the bench in NBA history is Lou Williams, who won the 6MOY award in 2018 and 2019. As the season dwindles down to a close, it's looking more and more likely that Monk takes home the silverware for the first time in his career.
The Kings will remain 6th in the Western Conference after taking down the Grizzlies. Standings have never been closer, with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks both giving Sacramento a run for their money.
Mike Brown & Co. will embark on a road trip that begins in Canada as they take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night as the team aims to gain some padding in a tight playoff race.
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