Rockets-Grizzlies Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Feb 13 2012 9:52PM

Problems on both ends of the floor prevented the Memphis Grizzlies from a three-game home winning streak.

The Houston Rockets could point to any number of reasons why their longest road winning streak of the season ended.

Memphis goes for a third consecutive home victory in this series on Tuesday night when the Rockets look to secure a winning record in the finale of their longest trip of the season.

The Grizzlies (14-14) had won two straight - both at home - following a 2-7 slump, but fell to 2-2 on their five-game homestand after Sunday's 98-88 loss to Utah.

The Jazz shot 50.6 percent, while Memphis had more turnovers (19) than assists (17) for the fifth time this season. The Grizzlies are averaging 88.1 points and shooting 40.3 percent in 12 games - eight of them losses - since a season-best seven-game winning streak.

"We don't make shots," coach Lionel Hollins said. "If we don't make shots, we can't score, no matter how good we play defense."

Hollins' club will now try to avoid dropping two in a row in Memphis for the first time since a three-game home skid Nov. 10-16, 2010. The Grizzlies have won their last two home meetings with the Rockets (16-12), including a 113-93 victory Dec. 30.

"Memphis is a tough place to win, they have a very physical team and we're going to have to shore up some stuff," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.

Houston lost 106-97 at Golden State on Sunday, committing 19 turnovers as it dropped to 3-2 on its six-game road trip.

Leading scorer Kevin Martin had a solid effort for the Rockets in the defeat, making 5 of 11 3-point attempts and finishing with 28 points. He had totaled 16 points while shooting a miserable 19.2 percent from the field in the previous four stops on the trip.

Martin appears to have a good chance for a second consecutive strong outing, as his 25.8 career scoring average against Memphis trails only Kevin Durant (28.0) and LeBron James (27.7) among active players who have faced the Grizzlies at least 10 times. He hit three 3-pointers and finished with a team-best 21 points in the December loss.

Memphis starting point guard Mike Conley missed that matchup with an ankle injury, but Jeremy Pargo filled in admirably with 14 points and five assists. Conley is now back healthy, and had 17 points and six assists in Sunday's loss.

Rockets point guard Kevin Lowry, Conley's teammate in Memphis from 2007 until he was traded to Houston in 2009, had 15 points, eight assists and four steals the last time these teams played.

Perimeter defense is an area of concern for the Rockets, whose last four opponents have combined to shoot 44.8 percent (39 for 87) from 3-point range. Memphis may not be able to take full advantage, though, having gone 11 for 43 from beyond the arc during its homestand.

After concluding their longest road trip of the season, the Rockets will begin a season-high six-game homestand Wednesday versus league-leading Oklahoma City. That stretch includes a rematch with the Grizzlies next Monday.

Conley, Gay lead Grizzlies over Rockets, 93-83

Posted Feb 15 2012 3:12AM

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Tony Allen was determined to stop Rockets leading scorer Kevin Martin.

He completely shut him down.

Mike Conley scored 21 points, Rudy Gay added 20 points and eight rebounds and the Memphis Grizzlies held Martin scoreless for the first time in six years in the Grizzlies' 93-83 victory over the Rockets on Tuesday night.

Martin, who entered the game averaging 18.4 points per game this season and 25.8 in his career against the Grizzlies, played only 19 minutes. He was 0-for-3 shooting and limited to seven minutes in the second half.

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins credited his defensive stopper, Tony Allen, for making matters difficult for Martin from the outset.

"He didn't get off to a quick start," Hollins said of Martin. "I thought Tony came out with the mindset that he was going to try to play him as hard as he could. Then the kid didn't make a couple of shots and things weren't going his way and they made a sub and played Courtney Lee."

Allen knew of Martin's success against the Grizzlies. Martin averaged 31.4 points in four games against Memphis last season.

"I got a video edit of his last three games before the game and I was studying his tendencies," Allen said. "We were talking about Kevin in shoot-around and about him being a Grizzlies killer. We had our antennas up."

Gay wasn't surprised by Allen's ability to shut down Martin.

"That's Tony Allen for you," he said. "He's going to be active. He's going to pressure you and that's what we love about him."

Rockets coach Kevin McHale said the Grizzlies did a good job defensively on his entire team, not just Martin. The Grizzlies defense held Houston to 38 percent shooting. Kyle Lowry led the Rockets with 24 points, but the other four Houston starters were limited to 27 points on 12-for-32 shooting. No other starter was in double figures.

"They played harder than we did tonight," McHale said. "It took us a long time to get engaged in the type of game it was, which was going to be a grind-it-out one, as you could see (from) the first quarter. You can't ease into a game like that."

Despite the strong defensive showing by the Grizzlies, the Rockets made a late run in the closing minutes. Memphis led by 15 early in the third quarter, but the Rockets trimmed the advantage to five points, 84-79, on Lowrys steal and layup with 2:58 left.

But Conley answered by scoring seven of the Grizzlies' final nine points, starting with a 3-pointer with 2:26 to go. His 3-pointer followed a scramble for a loose ball under the Grizzlies basket and gave Memphis an 87-79 advantage.

"It thwarted their momentum," Hollins said.

The Grizzlies built a 52-43 halftime lead behind Gay, who had 12 of his 16 first-half points in the second quarter. Memphis led by 11 on two occasions in second quarter, the first on a 3-pointer by Conley from the left wing with 1:17 to go and again, at 52-41, following a three-point play by Marc Gasol with 39 seconds left. Gasol scored 18 points and had seven rebounds for the Grizzlies (15-14).

Memphis opened the second half on a 10-4 run to go up by 15.

In the first quarter, the Grizzlies fell behind, 13-8, before going on a 9-0 run ignited by Conley's first 3-pointer of the game. Memphis did not trail again in the opening half.

The Grizzlies shot 52 percent in the first half and their starters - Conley, Gay, Gasol, Allen and Marreese Speights - combined to go 21-of-31 for 68 percent.

NOTES: Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph has been cleared to begin non-contact drills and may return to the lineup by early March, according to team officials. Randolph tore his right medial collateral ligament Jan. 1 in a game against the Bulls in Chicago. ... Gay scored 20 or more points for the 14th time in 20 games. The Grizzlies are 11-4 when Gay scores 20 or more points. ... Houston finished its six-game road trip with a 3-3 record.

Notebook: Grizzlies 93, Rockets 83

Posted Wednesday February 15, 2012 12:15AM

By Marlon W. Morgan, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Memphis forward Rudy Gay made sure the Grizzlies got off to a quick start, scoring 16 of his 20 points in the first half at the Grizzlies concluded their season-high, five-game homestand with a 93-83 victory over the Houston Rockets Tuesday night. The Grizzlies had five players score in double figures.

QUOTABLE: "They just played harder. It took us a long time to get engaged in the game mentally and physically. When we finally did, we were okay, but we had spotted them between 12 and 14 points. We got it down to five points with a missed ball, they threw out a rebound and [Mike] Conley hit a big 3. That was kind of the end of the game right there."
-- Houston coach Kevin McHale.

THE STAT: Houston guard Kevin Martin has been notorious for shooting the lights out against the Grizzlies, with a career 25.8 scoring average against Memphis. This time around, it was the Grizzlies who put out Martin's light and they held the Rockets high-scoring guard scoreless for the first time since April 9, 2006. Martin, averaging 18 points, was 0-for-3 from the floor in only 19 minutes of action.

TURNING POINT: Led by point guard Kyle Lowry and his attacking play in the fourth quarter, the Rockets managed to cut a 13-point deficit down to 84-79 after Lowry's steal and layup with 2:58 to go, capping an 8-0 Houston run. But Conley halted the spurt by burying a 3-pointer that was followed by a Houston turnover and a layup by O.J. Mayo to push the Grizzlies lead back to 89-79 with 2:06 to go.

HOT: In losing four of their last six games, the Grizzlies have managed to get off to slow starts offensively, that eventually lingered throughout the game. On Tuesday, they hit five of their first six shots and went on to shoot 50 percent or better in each of the first three quarters.

NOT: Lowry led the Rockets with 24 points, 19 coming in the second half. The remaining Houston starters combined for just 27 points, with Chandler Parsons, Luis Scola and Samuel Dalembert each scoring nine points. Along with Martin, the four starters were 12-for-32 from the floor (.375).

QUOTABLE II: "We were talking about [Martin] being a Grizzlies killer, or whatever. We were just joking with each other, but for the most part, we had our antennas up on him."
-- Grizzlies guard Tony Allen discussing a pregame shoot-around conversation with teammate O.J. Mayo, both of whom had a hand in Martin's scoreless effort.

NOTABLE: The Grizzlies win was their third straight against the Rockets in FedExForum, including a 113-93 victory in December. ... The Grizzlies ended their home stand with a 3-2 record. It was their first five-game home stand since Dec. 12-22, 2008. The Rockets ended a six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark and will return home to face Oklahoma City Wednesday night. ... The Grizzlies are now 11-4 this season when Gay scores 20 or more points. ... Conley led the Grizzlies 21 points and four assists. He has now led Memphis in assists in 25 consecutive games, the longest streak by an NBA player this season. ... All-Star center Marc Gasol had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Grizzlies, but also committed six of the team's 17 turnovers.

UP NEXT: For the Rockets, Wednesday vs. Oklahoma City, Friday vs. Minnesota, Sunday vs. Utah. For the Grizzlies, Wednesday at New Jersey, Friday vs. Denver, Saturday vs. Golden State.

• Rockets: Morris, Smith
• Grizzlies: Arthur, Randolph, Selby

• Rockets: --
• Grizzlies: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
• Officials: #9 Derrick Stafford, #50 Olandis Poole, #54 Nick Buchert
• Attendance: 13042
• Duration: 2:16