Rockets 119-115 Grizzlies (January 9, 2025) Game Recap

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — – Alpine Sengun had 32 points and 14 rebounds and the Houston Rockets held on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night in a matchup between two of the top teams in the Western Conference.

Jalen Green finished with 27 points and Fred VanVleet scored 22 as the Rockets won their third straight and moved into second place in the Western Conference, moving 1 1/2 games ahead of Memphis.

Ja Morant scored 27 points in his return from a five-game absence with a shoulder injury, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Memphis. Desmond Bane had 16 points.

Houston dominated the inside early, scoring 20 points in the paint before halfway through the first quarter. Memphis initially couldn’t stop anything at the rim. Houston opened a 17-point lead before taking a 68-63 advantage into halftime.

Takeaways

Rockets: Houston is 12-5 on the road, including six straight road wins.

Grizzlies: After letting the Rockets score inside and build a big lead, Memphis got the edge to make it a more competitive game.

Key moment

With 3.8 seconds left in the game and Houston leading 117-114, Bane fired a 3-pointer that rattled in. But Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins called timeout before the shot was made. Lane was fouled on the ensuing inbounds, and Memphis would not get another chance for a game-winning shot.

Key state

Houston is 19-3 when scoring at least 110. Houston has not allowed more than 115 points in its last 15 games.

Next

The Rockets are in Atlanta on Saturday. Memphis travels to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Saturday.

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