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Down by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter, the Kings got back in the game with a 10-2 run and pulled ahead behind the clutch play of Salmons, Francisco Garcia and Brad Miller, who had 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
Rudy Gay scored 31 points for Memphis, which lost its second straight and has dropped 18 consecutive games in Sacramento going back to 1998 when they played in Vancouver. Pau Gasol had 19 points, Mike Miller made four 3-pointers and scored 18, Michael Conley had 15 and Juan Carlos Navarro had 10 points and six assists.
Beno Udrih scored 25 points and Garcia had 22, including a huge 3-pointer late in the game. The Kings, who won their second straight, outscored Memphis 35-28 in the fourth quarter.
Down 113-111, Salmons was in trouble and almost lost the ball near the top of the circle. But he found Garcia open on the baseline and his 3-pointer put the Kings ahead for the first time since late in the second quarter.
Trailing 114-113, Gay made one of his few mistakes all game, losing the ball on a dribble drive to the basket. Brad Miller made two free throws with 2.5 seconds left, then stole the inbounds pass at midcourt to end the game.
Quiet for most of the game, reserve Quincy Douby hit a driving bank shot to cut the Memphis lead to 112-111 with 18.7 remaining.
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The Kings continue to play short-handed, missing their three top scorers from last season, injured Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest. Martin may return Saturday, Bibby is due back Wednesday and Artest should be playing by the end of the month.
Mike Miller scored 11 points in the third quarter when the Grizzlies pushed the pace in taking an 85-81 lead in the fourth.
During a first half where neither team seemed too interested at the defensive end, Gay scored 14 points and Gasol had nine to give Memphis a 56-54 lead. Salmons scored 15 for the Kings, who were outscored 32-24 in the second quarter.
Notes: Abdur-Rahim, who has been injured most of the season for the Kings, was selected as the 2008 Usher Raymond Altruism Trumpet Award for his community work. Mike Miller made his first six shots, including four from 3-point range for Memphis, which shot 13-for-28 from long range. Gary Gerould, the voice of the Kings, was behind the microphone again after missing his first home game (Tuesday) due to illness in 23 years.
[Associated Press]
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