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Without Cousins, Kings have no answer for Memphis duo

Dec 1, 2014 - 5:23 AM Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol benefited from DeMarcus Cousins being sidelined as the frontcourt duo combined for 40 points in leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 97-85 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Randolph totaled 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Gasol scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the NBA-best Grizzlies, who have won five straight and nine of their last 10 overall.

Tony Allen chipped in 13 points, while Courtney Lee and Mike Conley added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the victors.

Reggie Evans produced a solid 17-point, 20-rebound showing off the bench, but the Kings could not overcome 23 turnovers and the absence of Cousins, who missed a second straight game due to a virus.

Rudy Gay netted 20 points and Ben McLemore added 18 in the setback.

"Turnovers have always been our biggest focus. Limiting turnovers," said McLemore. "Our turnovers kind of hurt us tonight, but this game is behind us. We know what we have to do."

Sacramento has dropped nine straight meetings against Memphis, including a controversial loss on Nov. 13 when Lee made a layup off an inbounds pass at the buzzer. The play was reviewed for several minutes before being upheld.

The Kings protested the outcome, but NBA commissioner Adam Silver denied the request on Friday.

They trailed by as many as 21 Sunday but pulled within seven at one point in the third quarter and scored the first six points of the fourth, cutting their deficit to 74-71.

Jon Leuer ended a string of six straight Memphis misses with a jumper, and the Kings never pulled closer than three the rest of the way.

Gasol scored three straight times down the floor to give the Grizzlies some breathing room. He made two free throws, rattled in a hook shot and hit a 20- footer that yielded an 85-76 cushion with under five minutes to play.

"He's a clutch performer," Conley said of Gasol. "He knows when to get his offense going when we need him to. Tonight was one of those nights."

Memphis shot 8-of-11 from the free throw line over the final four minutes to seal the win and improve to 15-2 on the young season.

Randolph scored on four consecutive possessions to break an 18-18 tie and help the Grizzlies take a 28-20 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Memphis' bench scored 19 points in the second, including nine during a 13-4 that extended the margin to 51-30 with four minutes left in the half.

The visitors led 58-42 at the break.

Game Notes

Darren Collison finished with 16 points, seven assists and seven rebounds for the Kings ... The Grizzlies end a four-game road trip in Houston on Wednesday ... Sacramento opened a five-game homestand Sunday that continues Tuesday against the Raptors.