Grizzlies at Kings Preview
Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images
January 10, 2008
The Grizzlies are in Sacramento Thursday to take on the Kings in the first meeting of the season between the two teams. Here are a few storylines to watch in the game.
A win a decade in the making?
There was a lot to like about 1998: Michael Jordan hit a dramatic championship-winning shot over Bryon Russell to give the Bulls their sixth title, Pearl Jam released their vastly underrated album Yield, and slackers everywhere rejoiced in the greatness of Jeffrey Lebowski. Unfortunately, 1998 also marks the last time the Grizzlies won a game in Sacramento, a losing streak that has extended to 17 games since their 112-108 win on April 19, 1998.
The Grizzlies have been close a number of times, particularly in recent seasons, as three of the last five losses in Sacramento have been by four points or fewer, including last season’s 115-111 loss. But for whatever reason, they haven’t been able to topple the Kings in Arco Arena since that night in April 1998. However, if you believe in omens, there was a positive one that occurred last week when the Grizzlies beat the Pacers in Indiana, a city where they’d never won since the team’s inception in 1995. With that streak now history, perhaps the Sacramento streak is next.
Salmons Run
The NBA’s Most Improved Player Award can sometimes be a misnomer. In many instances, players considered candidates for the award haven’t necessarily improved their game in a given year, they’ve just seen their minutes increase, and thus the numbers followed. But like Rudy Gay, who has shown marked improvement this year, Sacramento’s John Salmons should be considered a legitimate candidate for the award. His numbers are up across the board, while his nine minutes more per game than he played last season is only a modest increase. He’s averaging 22.5 points per 48 minutes, up from 15.1 last season.
Furthermore, his shooting percentages have gone up across the board. His field goal percentage has gone from a pedestrian 45.6% last season to 51.2% this year, his three-point percentage has jumped from 35.7% to 43.%, and his free throw percentage is up from 77.9% to 81.8%. The decimated Kings, who have been without Mike Bibby all season, Kevin Martin since early December and Ron Artest since late December, have relied on Salmons to carry the load. He’s responded with 22.0 points on an incredible 66.1% shooting through Sacramento’s first four games of January after posting 17.9 points on 51.1% shooting in December.
Stopping Salmons has to be a top priority for the Grizzlies in this game.
Bibby vs. Beno
Sacramento Kings point guard Mike Bibby has yet to play this season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb in October, and his absence has clearly affected the Kings this season.
His replacement, Beno Udrih, has done a reasonable job trying to fill his shoes, averaging 13.7 points and 4.8 assists per game, but it’s clear Sacramento misses the steady Bibby. The Kings rank 29th in the NBA in assists with 17.9 per game, while also committing the second-highest number of turnovers in the league, with 16.7. The turnovers in particular have to be a source of concern for the Kings and new coach Reggie Theus, as last season Sacramento committed just 14.6 miscues per game, ranking them 10th in the league.
The numbers aren’t necessarily an indictment of Udrih, as the offense has also been hampered by an injury to leading scorer Kevin Martin that has kept him out for over a month, but Bibby is a steadying force on the offensive end. The sooner he gets back, the better it will be for the Kings.
Tune in to tonight's game on FSN South and 103.5FM. See channel listing.
