Jackson scores season best leading Memphis over Kings

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a season-high 27 points Friday night, leading the host Memphis Grizzlies to a 112-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Grizzlies centre Marc Gasol scored 10 of his 19 points in a 22-7 run that closed the first half and opened an 11-point halftime lead. Memphis never trailed in the second half.

Jackson, whose previous high was 24 against Atlanta last month, combined with Garrett Temple for all the Memphis scoring in a game-opening, 15-2 burst. Jackson had four hoops in the run, including a 3-pointer.

Sacramento rallied to go up 44-40 with 7:02 remaining in the half, but the Grizzlies used their 22-7 burst to take charge for good.

The Kings got as close as 101-95 on a 3-pointer by Troy Williams with 5:51 to play, before Temple hit a 15-footer and Jackson threw down a dunk to reopen a double-digit advantage, and the Grizzlies held on from there.

Jackson hit 11 of his 16 shots en route to his game-high point total. He also added six rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots.

Mike Conley contributed 19 points to the win, which improved Memphis' home record to 6-1. Temple (14 points) and Wayne Selden (10) also scored in double figures for the Grizzlies.

Gasol completed a double-double with a game-high 15 rebounds.

De'Aaron Fox totalled team highs in points (23) and assists (10) points for the Kings, who defeated the Grizzlies 97-92 at home last month. Fox had 21 points in that game.

Buddy Hield added 16 points for Sacramento, while Bogdan Bogdanovic and Iman Shumpert chipped in with 12 points apiece and Willie Cauley-Stein 11.

The Kings outscored the Grizzlies 36-33 on 3-pointers, but hurt themselves with 21 turnovers.

(With inputs from agencies.)