Green scores 29, Gasol 22 as Grizzlies defeat Kings 121-117

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 February 20, 2009.

The Kings, who lost their fourth straight, pulled within 118-117 on a 3-pointer from Darren Collison with 18.7 seconds left.

The pattern is several steps forward and several steps back for the Sacramento Kings, who are riding the downside of that wave at the moment.

Lee finished with 18 points, while Vince Carter had 13 points on 5 of 8 shooting from the field. Tony Allen had 12 and Zach Randolph scored 10 for Memphis.

Off the bench, Omri Casspi also had 17 points. Sacramento closed the score to 104-94 with just over seven minutes left.

Undoubtedly, Cousins is going to be a handful for the Grizzlies and stopping him is something they should make their first priority.

Garrett Temple led the Wizards with 20 points. Thankfully, we’ve gotten some kind of resemblance of that right now. Collison scored 20 points, a lot of them coming in the fourth. The Grizzlies were still holding a 92-77 advantage after three periods.

“It’s fine, I can walk on it”, Cousins said following the game. “The effort isn’t there”. Kings PG Rajon Rondo had a string of 14 straight games with at least 10 assists come to an end when he posted eight on Saturday.2. Gay returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a corneal abrasion to his left eye. National Basketball Association oddsmakers favor the Grizzlies by 4-points, but if Sacramento plays to its talent level it may be too tough for Memphis to keep pace with Sacto’s offense. He was 11 of 16 against the Kings. “They pack the paint, get you passing the ball out and we’re the type of team that likes to bury the ball into the paint”. The talk of playoffs has once again been put on the back burner as the Kings try to find a way out of another skid.

Kosta Koufos was a solid addition in the offseason, and he ideally brings some of the rim protection the Kings lack when Cousins is on the court, even if that hasn’t been the case for much of this year. He injured the ankle midway through the second quarter and limped to the locker room.

Cousins twisted the same ankle in the first half but was able to return after he had it wrapped tighter. Sacramento is 1-7 on the season without their star big man and there is no word yet on his availability for Monday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Other reserve team members include: Golden State Warrior’s Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, Houston Rockets’ James Harden, San Antonio Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge, LA Clippers’ Chris Paul and New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis.