MEMPHIS, Tenn. — GG Jackson scored 20 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 18, including 11 in the fourth quarter, and the Memphis Grizzlies ended their nine-game losing streak with a 121-113 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
Luke Kennard finished with 17 points, including a pair of free throws in the closing minute as the Rockets tried to overtake Memphis down the stretch. Lamar Stevens finished with 14 points.
Dillon Brooks, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Aaron Holiday all scored 19 points in Houston’s fifth loss in the last six games.
Houston's defense became a bit more aggressive to open the second half, causing mishandling of the ball by Memphis and poor shooting compared to the first half. The Rockets cut the Memphis lead to 84-81 after the third. The Rockets would grab their first lead of the game at 88-87 when Thompson split a pair of free throws with 10:07 remaining.
Memphis answered with a 17-5 run to go back ahead by double digits and the lead would later reach 11 on a pair of free throws by Stevens.
Both teams entered the night in the lower section of the Western Conference. Memphis was on the skid as they piece together lineups through injuries. The Rockets had lost four of the last five, the lone win coming on Monday night when they defeated the New York Knicks 105-103. Holiday's two winning free throws with less than a second left came when the Knicks' Jalen Brunson was called for a foul that officials later said was an incorrect call.
Memphis built a 23-point lead in the first half behind accurate 3-point, which was still hovering around 50% midway through the second quarter. The Grizzlies couldn't maintain the shooting pace, and then got lackadaisical with the ball, allowing the Rockets to get back into the game with a 26-8 run late in the half. A couple of late baskets allowed Memphis to hold a 58-49 lead at intermission.
