SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Ty Jerome scored 31 points, successfully converting all 14 of his free throw attempts, to guide the Memphis Grizzlies to a 123-112 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
Following a remarkable 45-point outing in Memphis’ season opener, Jerome is currently leading the NBA with an average of 36.5 points per game. Last season, he was restricted to just 15 games due to injuries.
Rookie Cameron Boozer added 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, while Cedric Coward matched that with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have started the season with a record of 3-0. Jaylen Wells also contributed 16 points.
Zach LaVine spearheaded the Kings with 37 points and five assists, while rookie Darius Acuff Jr. delivered 22 points on 9 of 23 shooting. Domantas Sabonis also had a noteworthy performance with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
The Grizzlies established a 54-44 advantage in the second quarter thanks to back-to-back three-pointers from Cam Spencer. Memphis held an 11-point lead at one point in the second quarter and finished the first half ahead 67-59.
In the second quarter, Memphis successfully made 7 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc, outscoring Sacramento 42-31, with seven different players connecting on at least one 3-pointer in the first half.
The Kings rallied to tie the contest at 106-106, courtesy of a three-point play by Sabonis with 5:41 left in the final quarter. The Grizzlies answered with a three-point play by Isaiah Stewart, followed by a basket from Coward and a 3-pointer by Jerome, extending their lead to eight points.
Zach Edey was unavailable for the Grizzlies due to management of a left ankle injury, and Keegan Murray missed the game due to an illness.
Up next
Grizzlies: At Utah on Monday night.
Kings: At San Antonio on Tuesday night.
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