The Houston Rockets saw their four-game winning streak come to an end heartbreakingly Thursday night, falling 120-119 to the Memphis Grizzlies after Jaren Jackson Jr. sank go-ahead free throws with 8.6 seconds left. Jalen Green led Houston with 25 points, while Dillon Brooks added 22 against his former team, and Amen Thompson contributed 21 points and seven rebounds.
Despite building an 11-point first-half lead with strong 3-point shooting and dominating the offensive glass with 19 rebounds leading to 30 second-chance points, the Rockets couldn’t hold off Memphis in the final minutes. Without All-Star big man Alperen Sengun, who sat out with a left calf contusion, Houston still found ways to score but struggled to contain Desmond Bane, who had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Jackson, who finished with 21.
The game took a bizarre turn in the final seconds when Memphis’ Jaylen Wells appeared to have a go-ahead fast-break layup, but the play was stopped due to an inadvertent timeout call by official Marat Kogut. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins, who was visibly frustrated, insisted he never called for a stoppage. Despite the confusion, the Grizzlies regrouped, and Jackson was fouled on the next play, hitting both free throws to put Memphis ahead for good.
The Rockets had one final chance but couldn’t convert, as Memphis moved within a half-game of Houston for second place in the Western Conference. Let’s grade each Rockets player after a nail-biter ended against them on Thursday.
Jalen Green: B+
Stats: 25 PTS, 6 REB (1 OREB, 5 DREB), 5 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 1 PF, 8-21 FG, 5-10 3PT, 4-5 FT, +10, 39 MIN
Green led the Rockets in scoring with 25 points, showcasing his offensive versatility. He hit 5-of-10 from deep and added 6 rebounds and 5 assists, but his 8-of-21 shooting from the field reflected some inefficiency. Still, his ability to create shots and his +10 plus/minus demonstrated his positive impact.
Amen Thompson: B+
Stats: 21 PTS, 7 REB (1 OREB, 6 DREB), 4 AST, 1 STL, 4 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 7-15 FG, 0-0 3PT, 7-9 FT, -1, 38 MIN
Thompson was highly effective, contributing 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. He aggressively attacked the rim and got to the free-throw line frequently (7-of-9 FT). His defensive presence was also felt, with 4 blocks and a steal. However, his -1 plus/minus showed that the team struggled slightly with him on the floor in key moments.
Dillon Brooks: B+
Stats: 22 PTS, 2 REB (1 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 6 PF, 9-17 FG, 3-7 3PT, 1-1 FT, 0, 30 MIN
Facing his former team, Brooks was locked in, scoring 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting. He was efficient from three (3-of-7) and provided his usual physical play, though his 6 fouls limited his availability late. With zero assists or steals, he didn’t contribute much outside of scoring, but his intensity kept Houston in the game.
Tari Eason: B
Stats: 13 PTS, 12 REB (4 OREB, 8 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 1 PF, 6-12 FG, 1-3 3PT, 0-1 FT, -1, 30 MIN
Eason had a strong double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, including 4 on the offensive glass. His hustle on the boards contributed to Houston’s dominance in second-chance points. However, he didn’t record an assist, steal, or block, and his -1 plus/minus suggests he wasn’t as impactful in crunch time.
Steven Adams: B-
Stats: 11 PTS, 10 REB (7 OREB, 3 DREB), 3 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 4-9 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-3 FT, -6, 23 MIN
Adams provided a solid inside presence, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds (7 offensive). His ability to crash the boards helped Houston generate second-chance opportunities, but he struggled offensively (4-of-9 FG) and wasn’t much of a defensive force, with just 1 steal and no blocks.
Fred VanVleet: C+
Stats: 13 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 1 PF, 4-12 FG, 2-8 3PT, 3-3 FT, -11, 36 MIN
VanVleet had a rough shooting night, going just 4-of-12 from the field and 2-of-8 from three. While he dished out 5 assists and played decent defense (1 steal, 1 block), his -11 plus/minus was the worst on the team. He struggled to control the tempo and wasn’t able to step up when Houston needed a late-game leader.
Jock Landale: C+
Stats: 8 PTS, 3 REB (2 OREB, 1 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 2-3 FG, 1-1 3PT, 3-4 FT, +7, 16 MIN
In limited minutes (16), Landale was efficient, scoring 8 points on 2-of-3 shooting and adding 3 rebounds. He didn’t turn the ball over and contributed a steal, but his defensive presence was lacking. His +7 plus/minus was one of the better marks on the team, showing that he made a positive impact off the bench.
Cam Whitmore: C
Stats: 5 PTS, 2 REB (1 OREB, 1 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 3 PF, 2-6 FG, 1-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, +3, 17 MIN
Whitmore had a quiet night with just 5 points in 17 minutes. He shot 2-of-6 from the field and didn’t get to the free-throw line. His +3 plus/minus suggests he wasn’t a liability, but he didn’t make a major difference either.
Jae’Sean Tate: C
Stats: 1 PTS, 2 REB (2 OREB, 0 DREB), 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 0-2 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, -6, 11 MIN
Tate played just 11 minutes and scored 1 point, adding 2 rebounds, an assist, and a steal. He missed both of his shot attempts, and his -6 plus/minus showed that the team struggled when he was on the floor. His hustle was there, but he wasn’t much of a factor offensively.
