Cam Spencer delivered in crunch time, knocking down three pivotal baskets in the final minutes and finishing with 20 points as the Memphis Grizzlies held off Sacramento 129–125 on Wednesday night, handing the Kings their season-worst 10th straight loss.
Spencer buried a 3-pointer with 2:08 remaining to give Memphis a 122–118 lead. After GG Jackson answered with a jumper, Spencer followed with a 16-footer with 43 seconds left to keep the Grizzlies up four. When Sacramento closed within one on a DeMar DeRozan 3-pointer, Spencer struck again, drilling another triple with 18 seconds remaining to restore a four-point cushion and seal the win.
Ty Jerome led Memphis with 28 points, while Jaylen Wells scored 18, Jackson added 16 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 15 as the Grizzlies won their second straight. Santi Aldama returned after missing four games with a right knee injury and contributed 12 points and six rebounds.
The game marked Memphis’ first since trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah on Tuesday in an eight-player, three-draft-pick deal. The Grizzlies have also been engaged in trade discussions involving star guard Ja Morant with the deadline looming Thursday afternoon.
Domantas Sabonis paced Sacramento with 24 points — 20 of them in the first half — and 15 rebounds. The Kings’ last win came Jan. 16 against Washington, the finale of a four-game winning streak.
DeRozan scored 20 points for Sacramento, Nique Clifford added 14, and Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk chipped in 13 apiece. Zach LaVine finished with 11 points and Devin Carter had 10 as the Kings endured their third extended skid of the season after earlier seven- and eight-game losing streaks.
Westbrook reached a milestone early, moving into 14th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with a first-quarter 3-pointer, passing Hakeem Olajuwon. He now has 26,597 career points, trailing Elvin Hayes for 13th.
De’Andre Hunter, acquired in a trade with Cleveland on Saturday, made his Sacramento debut, starting the game and hitting his first shot — a 3-pointer — on his way to nine points.
Up next:
Grizzlies visit Portland on Friday and Saturday.
Kings host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
