The Grizzlies needed someone to replace Ty Jerome on Halloween night. They got help from nearly everywhere in a 136-105 victory over the Sacramento Kings at FedExForum, matching the best start in franchise history at 6-0. After sweeping a four-game road trip, Memphis returned home shorthanded and gave its fans another treat: a sixth straight win and a reason to fill the building with “6-0” chants.
Cam Spencer moved into the starting lineup with Jerome sidelined by upper-back soreness and delivered 10 points, a career-high-tying 13 assists, and no turnovers. Cameron Boozer led Memphis with a career-high 27 points and nine rebounds, while Isaiah Stewart and GG Jackson II combined for 45 points off the bench. The next-man-up mentality carried beyond replacing a starter. Players throughout the rotation were ready to do more.
That mattered to head coach Tuomas Iisalo, who said the group was tired after the road trip and still dealing with availability questions Saturday morning. Coming home had not removed the demands of the schedule. “Everybody’s got to be ready when their number is called,” Iisalo said. “I feel like our guys did exactly that.”
Sacramento supplied an early scare, scoring the game’s first seven points, but Memphis responded with a 23-4 run. Jackson gave the Grizzlies another push in the second quarter, making four three-pointers as Memphis built a 66-55 halftime lead. He and Stewart had 15 points apiece at the break, accounting for nearly half of the team’s scoring.
Jackson finished with a season-high 21 points in 21 minutes and made all five of his three-point attempts. Iisalo called it his breakout game. Jackson spoke afterward about maintaining a consistent routine while adjusting to different teammates and lineup combinations. The work remained the same even when his opportunities changed, and Saturday he was ready for the shots that came to him.
Stewart scored a season-high 24 points on 8-of-9 shooting, tying the third-highest scoring game of his career. In his walkoff interview with Grizzlies sideline reporter Rob Fischer, Stewart credited Iisalo with encouraging him to take on more offensively. He said the coach had told him this would be his largest offensive role yet. “He’s just putting that battery pack in my back,” Stewart said, “allowing me to have that freedom and confidence.”
Even after that scoring performance, Stewart pointed first to the other end of the floor. “Man, it all starts with defense,” he told Fischer, explaining that stops allow Memphis to get out in transition. Stewart said the Grizzlies took pride in limiting Domantas Sabonis and making other Kings supply the scoring. Sabonis finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Darius Acuff Jr. scored a career-high 38 points, including nine three-pointers.
Spencer kept Memphis’ offense organized through the lineup change. Iisalo praised his poise and his ability to involve teammates, while emphasizing that he still wants Spencer taking available shots. Javon Small earned praise for running the second unit after playing little during the first five games. Between them, the Grizzlies had dependable play at point guard despite Jerome’s absence.
Kris Murray helped defensively, with Iisalo staggering his minutes with Jaylen Wells’ to keep a taller perimeter defender available. The coach valued Murray’s ability to contribute without needing a big scoring night. “I never have that feeling that anybody’s worried about their stats or who’s scoring,” Iisalo said. “They all want the best for the team, and that’s why we’ve been performing.”
Memphis pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Sacramento 42-25 with a 22-6 advantage in the paint. The Grizzlies made all 14 free throws in the period and pushed the lead to 30 shortly before the quarter ended. They finished shooting a season-high 55.3 percent from the field and made a season-high 19 three-pointers on 38 attempts. Acuff’s shooting could not keep Sacramento from falling to 0-6.
The bench finished with a season-high 81 points, and Boozer needed only 26 minutes to establish his career scoring mark two nights after recording a triple-double in Portland. The margin also created opportunities for younger Grizzlies, including Karim Lopez, who scored his first NBA points. Iisalo noticed the enthusiasm from teammates on the bench as those milestones arrived, another part of the night he appreciated.
Jackson believes the road trip helped bring the group together. Playing in different environments and recovering from deficits taught the Grizzlies how to respond together. “Although we are young, we’re hungry and we do want to win,” he said. Asked how the team could reflect Memphis, he pointed to continuing to improve, refusing to become complacent and not giving up.
For Iisalo, the crowd’s response carried the weight of last season’s disappointment. He traced the improvement back to the players’ summer work and the condition in which they arrived at training camp. “It’s easy to say things, and it’s very difficult to do things,” he said. Being hard-working and unselfish, he explained, requires players to keep making those choices each night.
Memphis can move beyond the 2014-15 team’s six-win start when New Orleans visits Monday. Stewart was already looking past the Halloween celebration when Fischer asked about the challenge ahead. “We can’t get comfortable,” he said. “It’s great that we put ourselves in a great position, but there’s a ton of work to be done.”
