The longest losing streak in team history is finally over.
Russell Westbrook scored 25 points to lead the Kings to a 123-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday at FedExForum, snapping Sacramento’s franchise-record 16-game losing streak.
Westbrook was one of seven players who scored in double figures for the Kings (13-46), who had not won a game since Jan. 16 and had not won on the road since Dec. 6. Precious Achiuwa matched his season-high with 20 points and 12 rebounds as part of Sacramento’s plan to pound the Grizzlies inside.
“We needed this,” Achiuwa told NBC Sports California. “It’s been a bit of a rough path for us the past couple games. We’ve played really well a lot of those games. We were just unfortunate not to come out with a win, but tonight we’re glad. It feels good to win.”
Two-way player Daeqwon Plowden scored a career-high 19 points, going 6 of 12 from the field and 4 of 9 from 3-point range, DeMar DeRozan also scored 19 points. Rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford had an outstanding all-around game with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and six steals. Maxime Raynaud now leads all NBA rookies with 11 double-doubles after posting 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Javon Small scored 21 points to lead the Grizzlies (21-35), who are missing Ja Morant due to an elbow injury. Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 17 points, GG Jackson had 16 and former Folsom High School star Jaylen Wells added 12.
The Grizzlies aren’t the same team that beat the Kings three times earlier this season. They traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3. Their size and depth have been further depleted by injuries to 7-foot-3 center Zach Edey, 7-0 forward Santi Aldama and 6-8 forwards Brandon Clarke and Kyle Anderson.
As a result, Memphis started a small frontline with Wells (6-7) and Jackson (6-9) at the forward spots and Prosper (6-7) at center. The Kings capitalized on a rare opportunity to punish a smaller opponent, repeatedly going inside to pound the Grizzlies in the paint.
“Taking advantage of their size, we just wanted to dominate inside tonight,” Achiuwa said. “Especially using our size and athleticism and our skillset. We just took advantage of that, and it was successful today.”
Sacramento led 33-25 at the end of the first quarter and 63-61 at the halftime break. The Kings outscored the Grizzlies 40-38 on points in the paint with a 20-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Achiuwa and Raynaud did most of the damage for Sacramento. Achiuwa had 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting with 10 rebounds in the first half. Raynaud had eight points on 4-of-6 shooting with eight rebounds.
The Kings went up by 10 midway through the third quarter and led 92-89 going into the fourth. They stretched the lead to 13 after Plowden converted a four-point play as part of a 10-0 run that put Sacramento up 104-91 with 8:47 remaining.
After several weeks of frustration, Kings coach Doug Christie was pleased with the way his team played despite the absences of Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, De’Andre Hunter and Dylan Cardwell.
“More than anything, man, we’ve obviously struggled,” Christie said. “… There are some ups and downs, thing you go through in an NBA season, injuries and a lot of different stuff, but I’m super proud of the way these guys continue to come and compete at a really high level, holding each other accountable and getting after it. It’s never perfect, but when I look at the stat sheet and I see 30 assists, that means the ball is moving around and guys are sharing the basketball.”
Up next
The Kings will return to Texas to face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. They will come back to California to play the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in the final game of their five-game road trip.
The Rockets (34-21) had lost two of three going into Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz. They are led by future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, who is averaging 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists.