Adding insult to injury, Grizzlies crush Kings as losing streak continues

Chris Biderman, The Sacramento Bee on Nov 20, 2025

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Sacramento Kings continue to find new depths to their miserable season.

Their losing streak extended to eight against a Memphis Grizzlies team that came in 4-11 and was missing its two best players in Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

The Kings lost by a laughable score of 137-96 at FexExForum and fell to 3-13. They haven’t won a game since Nov. 5 and all eight losses of their skid have been by double digits.

It came on the day the team lost center Domantas Sabonis to a partial meniscus tear in his left knee for a minimum of three or four weeks. The Kings were playing on the second night of a back-to-back after their loss Wednesday to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The only silver linings: the return of Keegan Murray to action after missing the first 15 games of the season with a thumb injury and Zach LaVine showing signs of life offensively after scoring in single digits in back-to-back games for the first time since joining the team last February.

LaVine finished with 26 points, with 12 coming in the third quarter. No other regular in the rotation had more than 11. He appeared in only two-plus fourth-quarter minutes in the previous two games, while both were within reach. He sat the entire fourth quarter on Thursday because the Kings were getting blown out.

The Grizzlies’ numbers on offense were eye popping. They finished with 42 assists and just seven turnovers. Their previous high this season was 36 on Nov. 11 against the New York Knicks.

For Memphis, Santi Aldama scored 29 points, backup big man Jock Landale had 21 and rookie Cedric Coward added 19. The Grizzlies had six players in double figures.

The Grizzlies were without Morant (calf), who hasn’t played since Nov. 15, and Jackson (ankle). The Kings were playing their third back-to-back of the season.

Murray returns in bench role

Kings coach Doug Christie chose to have Keegan Murray make his season debut in a bench role after he missed the first 15 games due to an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his left thumb.

It was the first time Murray wasn’t in the Kings’ starting lineup since the first two games of his rookie season in 2022. He had started 231 straight regular-season games.

Murray entered with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter for DeMar DeRozan. His first bucket was a fadeaway along the left sideline after a post move over his right shoulder. Murray’s first stint lasted 8:41. He made 1 of 2 shots with a rebound.

Murray’s first dunk of the season came on a fast break midway through the third quarter.

Halftime report

LaVine’s offensive game showed signs of life in the first half as he led the Kings with 14 points while no other Kings player had more than seven. DeMar DeRozan (4 points), Russell Westbrook (3 points, 3 turnovers) and Precious Achiuwa (no points) were all quiet offensively.

Murray had seven points on 3-of-6 shooting in his first action of the season.

The Grizzlies were dominant, getting 16 points in the first half from Zach Edey and 15 from Aldama. Landale added 13 off the bench combining with Edey to shoot 12 of 13 while Memphis outscored Sacramento in the paint 38-18. Edey finished with 16 points.

Up next

The Kings will finish off their five-game road trip Saturday for their third matchup of the season against the Denver Nuggets. They return home Monday for another tilt against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They will host the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.