Week in review: Kings defense improving, team secures .500 season

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Weekly Record: 3-1

Season Record: 41-29 

After a tough loss to the New York Knicks last Saturday at Golden 1 Center, the Sacramento Kings finished their six-game homestand against a completely depleted Memphis Grizzlies squad.

Like so many other games this season, the Kings allowed a lesser opponent to hang around way too long. They avoided the snake bite in this one, by handing the ball to Malik Monk in an overtime session and allowing him to cook.

Monk, who is the odds on favorite for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, delivered with 12 of the Kings’ 16 points in the five minute extra session. He singlehandedly doubled the Grizzlies output in the overtime session as the Kings escaped with a 121-111 victory.

The highflying Monk led the Kings in scoring with 28, but he had plenty of help in this one. Domantas Sabonis scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to extend his double-double streak. Sabonis also held Jaren Jackson Jr. to 8-for-27 shooting on the night and earned the defensive player of the game chain.

De’Aaron Fox added 23 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and Keegan Murray chipped in a 15-point, 1-rebound double-double.

While the Kings came away with the win, they lost starting shooting guard Kevin Huerter just a minute and 51 seconds into the game when he was fouled hard by Desmond Bane in transition and dislocated his left shoulder.

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