Late free throws help Memphis Grizzlies end Houston Rockets’ NBA win streak

MEMPHIS – Jaren Jackson Jr sank two free throws with 8.6 seconds remaining to lift the Memphis Grizzlies to a 120-119 National Basketball Association (NBA) victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Jan 30.

Houston had an opportunity to win at the buzzer, but Fred VanVleet missed a three-point attempt at FedExForum.

Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Luke Kennard scored 22 points and Jackson finished with 21. Memphis (32-16) ended the contest to register their seventh win in eight games.

Houston, who had their four-game winning streak snapped, got 25 points, six rebounds and five assists from Jalen Green, while Dillon Brooks contributed 22 points.

In a meeting of two of the Western Conference’s top-three teams, the game featured 14 ties and 13 lead changes.

After giving up 38 points in the opening quarter and falling behind by seven in the second, the Grizzlies had difficulty closing the gap. Houston, who made eight three-pointers in the first half, extended their advantage to 66-55 in the closing minutes of the second period and led 66-56 at the half.

Trailing by 10 entering the third quarter, the Grizzlies opened the period on an 8-0 run powered by consecutive three-pointers from Kennard. Using that momentum, Memphis chipped away at the Houston lead and eventually took a brief advantage at 79-78 on a shot by Santi Aldama.

The Rockets (32-15) recovered to pull ahead 96-92 at the end of the quarter. As the game came down to the wire in the fourth period, Jackson drove into the paint and was fouled, setting up the go-ahead free throws.

In news off the court, San Antonio Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama has been chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game as one of seven reserves from the Western Conference. Both conferences’ reserves were revealed on Jan 30 on TNT.

Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 draft and 2023-24 Rookie of the Year, is averaging 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and a league-high 3.9 blocks per game in 39 starts for the Spurs this season.

He was one of six players named to his first All-Star Game, joined by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams and Rockets centre Alperen Sengun from the Western Conference, and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro out of the East.

The other Western reserves were Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (third selection), Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (10th), Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (11th) and Grizzlies forward Jackson (second).

The other reserves from the Eastern Conference were Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (fourth), Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (third), Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (second) and Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (ninth).

Meanwhile, Hall-of-Famer Dwyane Wade had surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his right kidney in December 2023, he revealed on his The Why with Dwyane Wade podcast on Jan 30.

Doctors removed 40 per cent of his right kidney, said Wade, who called it one of the most vulnerable moments in his life.

“Thank God that I did the surgery, because the tumour was cancerous,” said the 43-year-old.

“It was the first time my family, my dad, my kids, they saw me weak. That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life.” REUTERS