In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, the Memphis Grizzlies overcame the Houston Rockets with a nail-biting score of 120-119. Desmond Bane was pivotal for Memphis, contributing 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. also made a significant impact, scoring 21 points and sinking the crucial free throws that put the Grizzlies ahead with just 8.6 seconds remaining in the game. Luke Kennard and Santi Aldama supported the effort with 21 and 15 points, respectively. This victory marks Memphis’ sixth win in their last seven games.
On the opposing side, Jalen Green stood out for the Rockets, leading his team with 25 points. Dillon Brooks contributed 22 points, while Amen Thompson finished with an impressive 21 points and seven rebounds. Unfortunately for Houston, this game marked the end of their four-game winning streak.
With this win, Memphis improved their record to 32-16, inching within half a game of Houston, who currently sits in second place in the Western Conference.
Both teams were missing key players: Houston’s Alperen Sengun was sidelined with a left calf contusion, despite being named a Western Conference All-Star reserve just hours earlier. For Memphis, star guard Ja Morant was out due to right shoulder soreness.
In the first half, the Rockets managed to build an 11-point lead, mainly due to their effective three-point shooting. However, they were unable to maintain this momentum as the game drew to a close.
One particularly noteworthy moment occurred with just 13 seconds left on the clock. The Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells was driving to the basket for a potential go-ahead layup when the referee, Marat Kogut, unexpectedly called for a timeout. Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins was visibly frustrated, asserting that he had not called for a timeout and gestured for Wells to keep pushing toward the hoop. Following the timeout, Jackson drove into the lane and was fouled, which set up his game-winning free throws.
A significant statistic from the game revealed that the Rockets managed to secure 19 offensive rebounds, which translated into 30 crucial points for the team.
Looking ahead, the Rockets will be hosting the Brooklyn Nets this Saturday, while the Grizzlies are set to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
