Today, the Rockets hosted the Grizzlies at home, with the Rockets starting lineup consisting of Dillon, Amen, Shen Jing, Jalen Green, and VanVleet; while the Grizzlies started with Wells, San Gou, Eddy, Bane, and Morant.
In the first quarter, the Grizzlies hit two consecutive three-pointers, to which Amen responded with a corner three-pointer, followed by Jalen Green accelerating for a layup. San Gou and Morant combined for 4 points, and the Rockets also maintained a fast pace, with both teams exchanging leads in a back-and-forth scoring battle. Green scored another layup, prompting a Grizzlies timeout. Returning from the timeout, Morant scored 5 points to extend the lead, but Dillon's three-pointer stopped the bleeding, and the Rockets responded with a 10-0 run to take the lead. Shen Jing missed several shots, and the Grizzlies made two difficult baskets, while Green faced tight defense. After a 22-21 score, a timeout was called. Following the timeout, San Gou erupted again, and Green assisted Adams with a 2+1 play. The first quarter ended with the Grizzlies leading 30-23, a 7-point advantage.
In the second quarter, during the rotation phase, after White Magic hit a three-pointer, the Grizzlies extended their lead to 9 points. Holiday responded with a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, and White Magic's steal and fastbreak basket narrowed the gap. The Grizzlies called a timeout. Returning from the timeout, the Grizzlies once again extended their lead into double digits. White Magic hit another three-pointer to stop the bleeding, adding a steal and fastbreak dunk. Jalen Green scored on a step-through move, prompting a Grizzlies timeout. After the timeout, Shen Jing made a steal, and Green assisted Dillon with a three-pointer, followed by Green getting fouled on a dunk attempt and making free throws. He then continued to hit threes, including a 3+1 play, single-handedly leading the team to complete the comeback. However, a ridiculous misjudgment by the referees gave the Grizzlies an opportunity, and the half ended with the Rockets trailing 57-60, a 3-point deficit.
In the third quarter, the Rockets continued to focus on Shen Jing, with the score difference still at 3 points. After Amen defended against Morant and drew a foul on a steal, San Gou began to single out Dillon for consecutive scores. After Van Jordan's three-pointer, Amen blocked a shot and made free throws to tie the game. However, Shen Jing's defensive lapses allowed him to be continuously targeted, and after Jalen Green hit a three-pointer, Bane responded with a trailing three-pointer to force a Rockets timeout. After the timeout, the Rockets struggled to score, while the Grizzlies extended their lead to 12 points. Green's free throws and White Magic's three-pointer provided some relief. The third quarter ended with the Rockets trailing 97-92, a 5-point deficit going into the final quarter.
In the early stages of the fourth quarter, the Rockets committed consecutive turnovers and failed to score, while the Grizzlies went on an 8-0 run. However, the Rockets did not give up. After Amen scored consecutive dunks, Jalen Green hit a trailing three-pointer to close the gap to just 3 points, forcing a Grizzlies timeout. After the timeout, Green and Morant engaged in a scoring duel. The Grizzlies double-teamed Jalen Green, and the Rockets turned to Shen Jing, who then assisted Amen with an alley-oop dunk. Clark scored against Shen Jing to take a 1-point lead, but Jalen Green made a crucial shot over the defender to regain the lead. Morant made a costly turnover, and Amen was fouled, making both free throws to lead by 3 points. The Rockets then executed a foul strategy.
Ultimately, the Rockets staged a comeback, defeating the Grizzlies 120-118, securing their fourth consecutive victory. Let's take a look at the specific performances of the players!
Jalen Green completely outplayed Morant, scoring an impressive 42 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the first quarter, he went 5 for 7 shooting, including 1 for 1 from three-point range, scoring 11 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist. In the second quarter, when the Rockets trailed by as many as 10 points, Jalen Green stepped up, scoring 11 points to stabilize the situation. At halftime, Green had 10 shots, making 8, including 3 for 3 from three-point range and 3 for 3 from the free-throw line, totaling 22 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. In the third quarter, when the Rockets were down by double digits, Green contributed points and assists at the end of the quarter to help the Rockets close the gap to 5 points. In the fourth quarter, after the Grizzlies' 8-0 run, Jalen Green took over, scoring 10 points through a combination of shooting and free throws to complete the comeback. In a critical moment, Jalen Green drove hard against the defense and scored, helping the Rockets regain the lead. For the entire game, Jalen Green played 40 minutes, shooting 13 for 18, including 5 for 6 from three-point range and 11 for 11 from the free-throw line, scoring an astonishing 42 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.
Amen transformed into an all-around warrior, excelling on both offense and defense. In the first half, he went 2 for 7 shooting, including 1 for 3 from three-point range, accumulating 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. In the second half, Amen executed baseline cuts effectively and sent multiple blocks on the defensive end. In the closing moments of the fourth quarter, he withstood the pressure, making both free throws, and after Morant missed two free throws, he grabbed a key rebound and passed to Van Jordan to secure the victory. In this game, Amen played 41 minutes, shooting 7 for 15, including 1 for 3 from three-point range and 4 for 7 from the free-throw line, contributing 19 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 5 blocks.
Shen Jing had another subpar performance today. In the first half, his offensive efficiency was not high, going 4 for 11 shooting, including 0 for 1 from three-point range, scoring 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. In the third quarter, the Rockets continued to focus on Shen Jing, but his efficiency remained low, and he even committed a screening foul. In the fourth quarter, it was entirely up to Jalen Green and Amen to carry the team, dragging Shen Jing out of the meeting.
Morant, in a showdown with Jalen Green, also engaged in a scoring duel, scoring 29 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the first quarter, he had a hot hand, scoring 10 points alone. Although his shooting percentage dropped slightly in the second quarter, he still delivered exciting plays like alley-oop dunks. In the first half, Morant went 6 for 14 shooting, including 2 for 7 from three-point range and 1 for 2 from the free-throw line, totaling 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. In the fourth quarter, he matched Jalen Green shot for shot, but ultimately missed two crucial free throws that cost the Grizzlies the game. For the entire game, Morant played 39 minutes, shooting 11 for 24, including 4 for 11 from three-point range and 3 for 6 from the free-throw line, scoring 29 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.