National Basketball Association
Houston 123, Memphis 112
When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, March 6, 2022
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Officials: #35 Jason Goldenberg, #21 Dedric Taylor, #8 Marc Davis
Attendance: 18055

Christian Wood recorded his 29th double-double and teammates Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green combined for 53 points as the Houston Rockets snapped their 12-game losing skid with a 123-112 victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

Wood finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds and teamed with Porter (29 points, five assists) and Green (24 points, eight rebounds, four assists) to carry the Rockets offensively.

Wood scored 20 points in the first half before Porter and Green took over in the third quarter, when the Rockets outscored the Grizzlies 40-30.

When the Grizzlies fashioned one last push, Green and Porter slammed the door shut. Green beat the shot-clock buzzer with a corner 3-pointer for a 116-108 lead, and Wood recorded a steal against Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Porter added a driving layup with 2:42 remaining.

Ja Morant finished with 22 points and six assists for the Grizzlies, but he made only 7 of 20 attempts from the field. Steven Adams posted 23 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, while Desmond Bane scored a team-high 28 for the Grizzlies, who are 3-4 over their last seven games.

Porter had 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the third quarter, while Green added nine points and four assists.

But after the Rockets grabbed their first lead of the game on a pair of free throws by Green with 2:27 left in the period, Bane single-handedly erased a four-point deficit with two free throws and back-to-back 3-pointers.

Memphis pulled even at 92-92 entering the fourth when Brandon Clarke beat the buzzer with a dunk.

A dominating start on the interior bolstered the Grizzlies. Memphis tallied 26 points in the paint in the opening period and shot a robust 15 of 19 from inside the arc to offset 0-for-8 on 3-point shooting. Adams closed the first quarter 5-for-6 from the field with 11 points and five rebounds to pace Memphis.

Wood, with 13 points in the first, was instrumental in helping the Rockets remain in contact. Memphis extended to a 14-point lead in the second quarter before Wood scored on a finger roll and then drilled a 3-point that shaved that deficit to 54-45.

But the Grizzlies kept punishing the Rockets inside and off turnovers, registering 20 points off 14 Houston miscues prior to the intermission.

Green completed a three-point play late in the half, and the Rockets trailed 62-52 at the break.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Memphis   Houston
Desmond Bane 28 Scoring Kevin Porter Jr. 29
Tyus Jones 6 Assists Kevin Porter Jr. 5
Steven Adams 12 Rebounds Christian Wood 13
Ja Morant 8 Free Throws Made Christian Wood 8
Kyle Anderson 2 Steals Garrison Mathews 2
Steven Adams 3 Blocks Alperen Sengun 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Memphis 112 45.4 5-26 19-27 27 40 8 12 11
Houston 123 52.4 13-34 24-36 23 45 5 4 17
Upcoming Games
  • Houston will play their next game on the road against Miami. The Rockets have a W/L % of .467 after a win and .184 after a loss.
  • Memphis will play their next game at home against New Orleans. The Grizzlies have a W/L % of .659 after a win and .682 after a loss.