Gametime: Grizzlies at Rockets: 12/22/12

Gametime

Final: Grizzlies 96, Rockets 121 December 22, 2012

Highlights

Photo Galleries

Key Stats of the Night

  • Houston outscored the Grizzlies by a 33-3 count off the break tonight. 

Key Run of the Night

  • The Grizzlies showed signs of life after halftime, trimming a 13-point deficit to 70-64 with 8:50 remaining in the third quarter. But Houston quickly stretched the lead to 77-64 after three consecutive defensive stops, including a Harden steal, which led to three transition buckets and a free throw for Harden. The Rockets' lead never dipped below double-digits after that.

Player Notes

  • Mike Conley led five Grizzlies in double-figure scoring with 16 points (7-12 FG, 2-2 FT), six assists and three steals tonight. Conley came into this contest averaging a career-high 2.43 steals (second in NBA).
  • Zach Randolph totaled 10 points (5-8 FG) and 10 boards tonight for his NBA leading 21stdouble-double.
  • Rudy Gay, who averaged a team-best 18.3 points in four starts for the Grizzlies last season against the Rockets, had just six points (3-6 FG) tonight.
  • Tony Allen, who had 11 points (5-8 FG) tonight, has now scored 10-plus points four times this season.

The Rockets ended the Memphis Grizzlies' four-game winning streak with a 121-96 defeat on Saturday at Toyota Center. Mike Conley paced Memphis (18-7), which has lost three of its last four road games, with 16 points and six assists, while Quincy Pondexter scored 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting off the bench.

Highlight

Next Game:

  • Grizzlies vs. Sixers Wed, Dec. 26, 7pm The Grizzlies return to FedExForum for their first post-holiday matchup. Find Tickets.
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    Grizzlies Tickets

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They said...

Coach Hollins

On the game

"Well it wasn’t much of a game. 121-96, they pretty much handed it to us. They’re a good offensive team. They got and ran and made shots. Early on when you looked at the numbers, they were pretty close. They had 44 field goals, we had 42 field goals but the 26 free throws, to our 14 was the difference in the game. We just had no juice, no energy and were not mentally tough. We just kind of packed it in early and I decided to give some other guys a look in the fourth quarter and they didn’t do much better."

On why James Harden was difficult to stop tonight

“He’s difficult to stop every night. He’s a very good player. He’s a good scorer, he gets to the foul line and he just plays. Houston’s been playing well. We played them the first time at home and we did a good job but tonight he did a good job on us. Sometimes you get the bear and the bear gets you.”

Mike Conley

On the game

“I think we cut it to six at one point in third quarter and then Houston got some easy fast break opportunities because we turned it over too many times. Houston kept getting to the free throw line, I think they doubled us in attempts we had and they were just more aggressive and they got more easy stuff in the paint and we weren’t able to match their intensity.”

On the Rockets

“They play a style of basketball that’s up and down and they are a very good offensive team when every body is clicking and guys are making shots. They’re very tough to beat at home and we knew that coming in and we just let this one get away.”

Rudy Gay

On the game

"Transition hurt us and we turned the ball over and they scored almost every time it seemed like. We couldn’t hit any shots and we didn’t make tough plays and you can’t win like that. Up until the end of third quarter, I thought we still had a chance and I thought we could still come back and win and the game. They just didn’t take their foot off the pedal and we’re just not going to win games like that. We’re going to try to move on from this game and it’s just not easy."