MEMPHIS — Effort and desperation. That’s what Rockets coach Ime Udoka said he wanted to see from his team Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies as they tried to bounce back from a devastating overtime defeat to Minnesota.
Taking on a Memphis team that had lost nine of 10 offered reason to believe Houston could snap a two-game skid, but the Rockets have often underestimated opponents that were worse on paper — look no further than their recent loss to the tanking Chicago Bulls. Udoka said he wanted his team to play with physicality from the start rather than going through the motions.
It was closer than you’d like, but the Rockets emerged from FedExForum with a 119-109 win.
The Rockets went cold from the field early and trailed by seven with a little under five minutes left in the opening quarter. Houston surged to take a two-point lead at the end of the first. It maintained that edge through three quarters but couldn’t pull away, leading by just five entering the fourth.
Memphis got within three with 7:21 left in the game. Soon after, Udoka brought stars Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün back in the game. Durant instantly gave Houston some breathing room with a 3-pointer that kicked off a 10-3 Rockets run. Houston stretched its lead to 13, but Memphis wasn’t done, cutting the deficit to six with 53 seconds left. A crisp passing sequence led to a Jabari Smith Jr. dunk that helped Houston fend off the comeback and emerge for a much-needed win.
In a game where their offensive execution varied, the Rockets saved their best work for late — shooting 52.4% from the field and 50% from deep in the fourth quarter.
Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 25 points and 10 assists. Olivier-Maxence Prosper paced the Grizzlies with 31 points.