Rockets-Grizzlies Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Nov 08 2012 4:38PM

The Memphis Grizzlies have been on a roll since a season-opening defeat. The Houston Rockets appeared to be getting on one too, until they played at home.

The Grizzlies can match the best five-game start in franchise history Friday night when they host the Rockets, who have a chance to open 3-0 on the road for the first time in 16 years.

With three straight wins, Memphis needs one victory to equal the club's best start set in 2000-01 when it was based in Vancouver.

All-Star center Marc Gasol leads the Grizzlies with 19.3 points per game and is second on the team with 7.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Memphis is getting other production from throughout the lineup, with seven players scoring at least 6.8 points per game and four averaging 5.5 rebounds or more.

The Grizzlies had a season-high 28 assists in a 108-90 road win over the Bucks on Wednesday and Mike Conley recorded 12 - also his best total so far.

"We moved the ball, we got everybody involved," Gasol said.

The Rockets' inability to do that in two straight home games led to a pair of losses. Houston (2-2) had a season-low 18 assists Wednesday in a 93-87 defeat to Denver.

"These last two games we haven't had ball movement, we haven't had body movement, we're not cutting, the ball's sticky - just a lot of stuff that we've got to correct," coach Kevin McHale said. "The bottom line is we have to correct it."

That could happen as the Rockets' new-look lineup meshes over time. Newly acquired James Harden leads the league with 30.3 points per game, but he struggled in the last two contests after a spectacular start.

The guard totaled 82 points and went 28 for 44 from the field during the 2-0 start, but has scored 39 and shot 13 for 39 over the past two. He had 15 points Wednesday.

"As the games go on, we'll get better," Harden said. "We haven't played together. We didn't have a training camp or have time to really put in some sets, so we're kind of just figuring things out as we go."

Harden may face a tough challenge in getting back on track Friday, as he'll likely be defended by Tony Allen. A member of the NBA all-defensive first team last season, Allen helped the Grizzlies hold Bucks star Monta Ellis to 15 points and 5-of-18 shooting Wednesday.

"I don't really want any kudos. It's just what I do," Allen told the league's official website.

Memphis, winner of 12 in a row at home, won by a total of 30 points in taking both matchups with Houston at FedExForum in 2011-12.

The Rockets, though, have averaged 107.0 points during their undefeated road start. They last opened 3-0 away from home in 1996-97, when they took their first eight road contests.

Houston is shooting just 40.7 percent from the field, but is among the NBA leaders with 50.5 rebounds, 16.8 offensive boards and 15.0 second-chance points per game.

Rockets center Omer Asik is averaging 14.0 boards, while the Grizzlies' Zach Randolph leads the NBA with 15.3 per contest.

Randolph, Gay lead Grizzlies over Rockets 93-85

By CLAY BAILEY
Posted Nov 10 2012 12:16AM

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Tony Allen was determined to stop James Harden. The rest of the Memphis Grizzlies clamped down on defense, too.

Zach Randolph had 15 points and 14 rebounds, Rudy Gay finished with 21 points and a key basket with 1:03 left, and the Grizzlies won their fourth straight with a 93-85 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Memphis' defensive pressure in the second half took the Rockets out of their game, forcing turnovers and leading Harden, who entered the night as the NBA's leading scorer at 30.3 points per game, to shoot 2 of 11 from the field and have only six points after the break.

Allen was the primary defender on Harden, acquired from Oklahoma City just before the start of the season.

"I knew he was capable of getting that 30-something number," said Allen, one of the league's premier defenders. "He's been coming out there with a vengeance. I just wanted to go out there and compete and not be one of those guys getting hit up for 30.

"I just took it as a challenge, and we had great guys step up and put fresh bodies on him."

Despite its struggles in the second half, Houston was within 87-85 in the final 2 minutes. But Memphis scored the last five points of the game, including Gay's rebound bucket with 1:03 left, to win its 13th consecutive regular-season game at home.

Mike Conley had 14 points for Memphis, including a 3-pointer down the stretch, and Jerryd Bayless added 12.

Chandler Parsons led the Rockets with a season-high 19 points, including 15 in the second half. Harden had 18 points, but shot only 4 of 18 from the field and 1 of 6 outside the arc. Jeremy Lin had 15 points, while Omer Asik added 10 points and 13 rebounds.

"Right now, it is just not easy," Parsons said. "It is hard to score, and it is hard to run our offense. We have got to look ourselves in the mirror and address the problems because it has to get better."

The loss was the Rockets' first on the road this season, but third straight overall.

Memphis won despite shooting only 37 percent from the field. Randolph was 5 of 13 and Marc Gasol (six points) missed nine of his 12 shots.

Houston managed 41 percent from the field but was stymied by 20 turnovers, including 12 in the second half.

"We had 20 turnovers, and they had 18 offensive rebounds," Houston coach Kevin McHale said. "That's too much. We have got to control that."

Memphis, as it did in its home opener against Utah this week, started out misfiring, hitting only three of its first 13 shots. That, along with 12 points from Harden, helped the Rockets carry a 46-42 lead into halftime.

Memphis opened the second half with a 12-2 run to take its largest lead of the game at that point. But the Rockets pulled even, and Memphis held a 69-68 lead entering the final period.

"We think we are just not running," Lin said. "We are not running with urgency and speed. Some of it is on me, too, not getting back (when opponents) do run the ball. We just need to make a conscious effort as a team of getting everybody up the floor."

The Rockets were within 76-75 when Memphis turned up the defensive intensity and began forcing turnovers. The pressure contributed to 11 unanswered points from Grizzlies reserves, including five from Wayne Ellington and four more from Marreese Speights.

When Quincy Pondexter forced another turnover on his fourth steal of the night, it led to a drive from Bayless, and Memphis had built its biggest lead at 87-75.

But the Rockets had one more push left led by Lin's defense and layups. Lin scored seven of nine straight points for Houston and the Rockets were within 87-85 with 2:21 left.

Conley's 3-pointer, followed by the rebound basket from Gay, provided enough of a buffer for the Grizzlies.

"We aren't a team that shoots it well all the time, but we always give forth the effort," Conley said. "Tonight was one of those cases where we didn't shoot the ball well. Guys stepped up defensively and made plays, got out in transition, and once again the second group put us on their back."

NOTES: Houston has lost four straight in Memphis. ... Harden, who started the season with 37 and 45 points, respectively, has hit only 17 of his 57 shots over the last three games. ... The game featured two of the NBA's top three rebounders in Asik and Randolph. Asik had three offensive boards. Randolph, who leads the league in rebounding, grabbed five on the offensive glass. .Houston, which leads the league with 11.75 steals a game, had only five. Memphis had a season-high 14 steals, including four by Pondexter and three each by Conley and Bayless. ... Randolph has recorded a double-double in all five Memphis games.

Notebook: Grizzlies 93, Rockets 85

Phil Stukenborg, for NBA.com
Posted Fri Nov 09, 2012 11:52 PM - Updated Sat Nov 10, 2012 1:37 AM

THE FACTS: Rudy Gay scored 21 points and Zach Randolph added 15 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies to their fourth straight win, 93-85, over the Rockets. The Grizzlies are 4-1, matching the best start in the franchise's history.

In addition to getting strong play from their bench, the Grizzlies were able to limit the NBA's leading scorer, James Harden, to 18 points on 4-of-18 shooting. Harden entered the game averaging 30.3 points, but went 0-for-5 in the third quarter and 2-of-11 in the second half.

"Tony Allen did a great job on him and kept him out of his rhythm," said Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.

Allen deflected the credit, noting that several players took turns guarding Harden. "Unfortunately, I got into foul trouble," Allen said.

The Grizzlies bench outscored the Rockets bench, 29-15, and was led by Jerryd Bayless, who had 12 points and three assists in 18 minutes. It was the Grizzlies' reserves that helped Memphis pull away early in the fourth quarter and survive a late Rockets' rally. Houston trimmed the lead to two points at 87-85 with 2:21 to play before Mike Conley drained a 3-pointer and Gay had a putback on successive possessions for a 92-85 advantage.

"We are trying to create havoc and play faster," Bayless said of the bench's contributions. "So far, we are having a little success."

QUOTABLE: "I think our team is focused, I think our team is healthy." -- Grizzlies coach Hollins on reasons for the team's 4-1 start.

THE STAT: Randolph has had a double-double in each of the team's five games this season. He is averaging 15.8 points and 15 rebounds.

TURNING POINT: A lineup featuring reserves Bayless, Marreese Speights, Quincy Pondexter, Wayne Ellington and starter Randolph limited the Rockets to seven points in the opening seven minutes of the fourth quarter. As a result, the Grizzlies extended a 69-68 lead to start the period to 12 points (87-75) with 4:55 to go and never trailed again. "Our bench has been absolutely magnificent in every game but the first one," Hollins said.

QUOTABLE II: "We had 20 turnovers and they had 18 offensive rebounds. That's too much. We have to control that." -- Rockets coach Kevin McHale on what led to the team's third straight loss.

HOT: The Grizzlies extended their franchise-record regular season home-winning streak to 13 games. Memphis' last regular-season home loss was March 16, 2012 to Toronto in overtime.

NOT: Harden, who made 28-of-44 shots in the Rockets first two games, has gone 18-of-57 in the last three, all losses. Harden is averaging 19 points in the last three games.

GOOD MOVE: Gay had two offensive rebounds on the same possession with the Grizzlies ahead 90-85 in the closing minutes. He rebounded a Conley miss on the first one and a Pondexter miss on the second, which he put back for a seven-point lead with 1:03 to play.

BAD MOVE: The Rockets entered the game leading the NBA in turnovers (19.8) and did nothing to lower the average. Houston committed 20.

NOTABLE: The Grizzlies finished with a season-high 14 steals and scored 21 fast break points.

UP NEXT: Grizzlies: Sunday vs. Miami; Wednesday @ Oklahoma City; Friday vs. New York. Rockets: Saturday vs. Detroit; Monday vs. Miami; Wednesday vs. New Orleans.

• Rockets: Machado, White
• Grizzlies: --

• Rockets: --
• Grizzlies: --

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #47 Bennie Adams, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 16087
• Duration: 2:12