On January 14th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued, with the Rockets playing against the Grizzlies at home. The two teams were locked in a tug-of-war battle from the start, with the Grizzlies taking the lead with a 12-2 run. However, the Rockets' Green and Whitmore kept scoring to narrow the gap. In the second half, although the Grizzlies managed to pull away, the Rockets fought back again, with Green scoring crucial points. Ultimately, the Rockets defeated the Grizzlies 120-118, securing their fourth consecutive victory.
In the first quarter, the Grizzlies quickly found their rhythm, with Morant and Bane hitting consecutive three-pointers. The Rockets' offense was also solid, with Green continuously scoring to keep up with the score. Wells and Morant hit three-pointers to give the Grizzlies an 18-11 lead. Brooks hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, followed by Green's three-pointer, and Amen's alley-oop dunk, allowing the Rockets to overtake the score. However, in the last five minutes of the quarter, the Rockets' offense suddenly faltered, while the Grizzlies kept breaking through for points. Jackson hit a three-pointer, followed by Llarvia's three-pointer, resulting in a 12-2 run that gave the Grizzlies a 30-23 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Whitmore hit a three-pointer, and Pippen scored on a breakthrough, but the Grizzlies remained in control. Holiday hit a three-pointer, and the Rockets launched a counterattack. Whitmore hit another three-pointer and then followed it up with a one-handed dunk on a fast break, helping the Rockets fight back. Green remained hot, nailing an outside three-pointer and then completing a 3+1 play, assisting the Rockets in overtaking the score 55-54. The Rockets made several mistakes at the end, but Wells hit a three-pointer to stabilize the situation. Morant scored on a fast-break dunk, and Shenjing scored under the basket to stop the bleeding, leaving the Rockets trailing 57-60 at halftime.
After halftime, both teams were locked in a tug-of-war battle. Jackson scored on a strong drive, and Bane received a technical foul. VanVleet hit a three-pointer, followed by Green's three-pointer, helping the Rockets stay close. Bane then scored consecutively inside and outside, helping the Grizzlies regain the lead. The Rockets' offense struggled, while Morant and Bane hit three-pointers, with Bane completing a 2+1 play, leading to an 11-0 run that widened the gap. Green stopped the bleeding with two free throws, while Whitmore hit two consecutive three-pointers. Bane responded with a three-pointer, and Shenjing and Green scored successively. Holiday hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer, leaving the Rockets trailing 87-92 at the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter, Morant continued to score, once helping his team widen the gap. However, the Rockets, led by Green and Amen, launched a 16-2 run to overtake the score. The two teams then engaged in a tug-of-war battle, with the score alternating in the lead. Green made a crucial breakthrough, and Amen made two free throws, ultimately securing the Rockets' 120-118 victory over the Grizzlies.
In this game, Green was in scorching form, scoring 42 points (13 out of 18 shots), tying his career-high; Amen had 19 points and 13 rebounds. Morant scored 29 points, and Bane had 22 points.