Under normal circumstances, shooting 34.4 percent from the floor while committing 16 turnovers makes for a lamentable evening, but the Houston Rockets were again saved by their defense and rebounding on Monday.
The Rockets will seek to extend their home-court winning streak to 11 games on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies following their 93-82 win over the San Antonio Spurs. They held the Spurs to a season-low point total while winning with their lowest point total in seven years. Before Monday, Houston had lost 52 of its last 53 games when scoring fewer than 100 points.
This current iteration of the Rockets features the second-best defense in the NBA according to defensive rating, allowing 108.2 points per 100 possessions. That ability to shackle the opposition has proven to be the salve needed on nights when shots aren’t falling with regularity.
The Rockets also posted a plus-nine rebounding margin against the Spurs, marking the seventh time in the last nine games Houston has outrebounded its opponent. The Rockets improved to 7-3 in such games this season behind Tari Eason grabbing a career-high 14 boards off the bench while Alperen Sengun, 17th in the NBA in rebounding, matched his season average with nine.
Second-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. snagged 12 rebounds and is averaging 10.9 boards over his last nine games. His handiwork on the glass has been integral to the Rockets’ advantage of late.
“Just going after it, being more aggressive there,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said of Smith. “He’s battling on the defensive end, but I think the offensive glass has been his focus. He’s on the perimeter a lot and guys don’t always turn to box out and he’s had some free runs (to the rim).”
The Grizzlies are only three games shy of welcoming back All-NBA guard Ja Morant from suspension, but there is a question of how much damage has been done to their postseason hopes without him. Memphis fell 120-113 to the severely short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Monday, their second consecutive loss following a stretch of three victories over four games.
Without Morant, and with Steven Adams (knee), Brandon Clarke (Achilles), Luke Kennard (knee) and Marcus Smart (ankle) sidelined for varying lengths, the Grizzlies have become overly dependent upon guard Desmond Bane and forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who are averaging a combined 45.6 points per game. Against the Mavericks, that tandem poured in 69 points on 26-of-49 shooting, only for their nine teammates to shoot a combined 15 of 40 from the floor.
“We didn’t have many guys play well,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “There was a portion of the game here and there — second half was a little better — but we can’t just lean on Dez and J.J. We’ve all got to keep working and play better.”
Playing with the necessary vigor is challenging when bereft of so many frontline members of the rotation. The sporadic results Jenkins mentioned are apparent to everyone, and the Grizzles are aware of what is required to reclaim some semblance of positive momentum as Morant readies for his return.
“You’ve just got to go hard,” Jackson said. “You saw in the game there were moments of life. You just need a lot more of those to sustain momentum and runs and make them call time out.”
–Field Level Media