Rookie forward Cam Boozer scored a career-high 27 points and Isaiah Stewart added a season-high 24 off the bench as the Memphis Grizzlies remained the NBA’s only unbeaten team with a 136-105 victory Saturday night over the visiting Sacramento Kings.
The 6-0 start for the Grizzlies matches the franchise’s best opening stretch, which was first accomplished during the 2014-15 season.
Boozer was 8-of-14 from the floor nine rebounds. Stewart made 8 of 9 shots and scored his 24 points in only 21 minutes. Memphis got 81 points from its bench and made 19 of 38 (50%) from long range.
The Grizzlies also got 21 points from GG Jackson and 14 from Jerami Grant off the bench. Jackson was perfect on his five 3-point tries and made 7 of 10 shots. Cam Spencer added 10 points and 13 assists and did not commit a turnover.
Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. led the Kings with a career-high 38 points, including nine 3-pointers on 14 attempts. He was coming off a 34-point, 14-assist game against New Orleans. Acuff was 12-of-25 shooting with five rebounds and five assists, but Sacramento fell to 0-6 and remains one of two teams without a win.
Memphis played without starting point guard Ty Jerome and backup point guard Scotty Pippen Jr., both of whom sat out with back injuries. Jerome is the team’s leading scorer at 25.8 points per game.
The Grizzlies led by as many as 21 points in the first half behind solid long-range shooting (13-of-24).
Ahead 66-55 at the half, the Grizzlies pulled away in the third quarter, where they scored 42 points.
Acuff kept the Kings close in the opening half with a game-high 21 points, 13 coming in the final six minutes of the half.
