Memphis Grizzlies (1-2) at Sacramento Kings (0-3)
Tip-off at 7:00 pm
TV: Comcast SportsNet California
Radio: Sports 1140 KHTK

Opening Night couldn’t come any sooner for the Sacramento Kings. After starting the season with an 0-3 road trip, the Kings could use some good old-fashioned home-cooking from thankfully, a sold out ARCO Arena crowd.

Thanks to a campaign committee led by Mayor Kevin Johnson, the Kings will play in front of 17,317 fans tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. The announcement came Wednesday during the Kings first regular season contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Who’s who on Memphis?
The Grizzlies come to Sacramento after losing their home opener to the Detroit Pistons, defeating the Toronto Raptors and falling to the Denver Nuggets on the road. The team boasts a young nucleus of OJ Mayo, Marc Gasol, Haseem Thabeet, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley Jr. But what makes them most dangerous is the presence of power forward Zach Randolph, who scored 30 points against All-Star power forward Chris Bosh in their win against Toronto.

The marquee player of the Grizzlies, more so on paper than in reality, is Allen Iverson, acquired in the offseason via free agency. The Hall of Fame guard is expected to make his team debut after battling a hamstring injury since October 3rd.

Will the Answer start for the Grizzlies?
Head Coach Lionel Hollins indicated prior to the season Iverson would come off the bench to begin his Grizzly career. But last year, Iverson scoffed at a reserve role with the Detroit Pistons.

Conley, the Grizzlies incumbent starting point guard, hasn’t solidified his status in Memphis' first three games. And with Iverson being the biggest personality in the Memphis locker room, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 2001 MVP start tonight.

Four Matchups to Watch
1. Tyreke Evans vs. Mike Conley Jr./Allen Iverson
Opposing point guards will find themselves mismatched against the bigger Evans all season long. This was no more evident than when Evans held his own against perennial MVP candidate Chris Paul on Friday night. The former Memphis Tiger did sprain his ankle midway through the fourth quarter against the Spurs on Halloween. But with two days rest, his attack-the-basket mentality should give Conley and Iverson fits.

2. Kevin Martin vs. OJ Mayo
Mayo is coming off his best night as a pro, scoring a career-high 40 points against a defensively-stout Denver unit. And after having an unusually inefficient outing against the Hornets, Martin bounced back with a 29-point effort on eight for 14 shooting against the Spurs. With the Grizzlies and Kings porous defenses, fans can expect both guards to light up the scoreboard against each other this evening.

2. Jason Thompson vs. Zach Randolph
Randolph has the size advantage against Thompson. He also has a more polished offensive arsenal than the second-year power forward, which could cause Thompson problems on the defensive end. In order for Thompson to come out triumphant, the Ryder alum will need to provide the Kings with solid rebounding. Also, getting teammates involved might be more important than finding his own offense this evening. The Kings power forward leads the team in assists, averaging four per game.

3. Marc Gasol vs. Sean May/Spencer Hawes
Posting 19, 21 and 20 points in his first three contests this year, Gasol has resembled his older brother Pau to start the season. The Grizzlies second-year center is going to be a handful for the Kings center-by-committee of Spencer Hawes and Sean May. Hawes, who lost his starting position to May, has had trouble with his stroke, shooting only 41 percent from the field. May hasn’t been impressive either, especially on the boards, averaging only three rebounds per game.

What Can the ARCO Crowd Expect from the Home Team?
To be realistic - not much.

The Kings haven’t shown any progress on defense under the new regime. After three games, they’re being outscored 12 points per game by opposing teams - close to their minus-nine point differential of last season.

The percentage of three-pointers scored against the Kings is equally disheartening. So far they’re allowing teams to shoot 46 percent from beyond the arc. That stat places the Kings fourth in opponent three-point percentage. With trouble closing out shooters, this could be an issue against a Memphis team looking to find its three-point stride this season.

But if last season’s success in sell-outs is any indication, the Kings have a shot at winning their home opener. Two of the three Kings sell-outs last year were decided by four points or less. And against a Memphis team still learning the ropes - that difference might be all the Kings need to come away with a victory.

Jonathan Santiago is a podcaster for the Davis Sports Deli Podcast.