Grizzlies Visit Rockets for Second Game of Season Series

The Memphis Grizzlies (6-16) travel to Houston tonight to take on the Rockets(11-9), the second of a four game series. Tipping off at 7pm tonight, December 13th, this marks another reunion between Dillon Brooks and his former team, now at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Catch the game on Bally Sports channels and services, NBA League Pass, or 92.9 ESPN FM. 

Other teams in the league have likely woken up to the fact that this Rockets team is not the team of yesteryear, disorganized and rudderless, but instead a focused franchise working to recover the winning culture from the James Harden era. Ime Udoka’s influence has transformed the young Rockets core into the second best defensive team in the league, with a DRTG of 108.2 (Statmuse). 

This defense, and its classically antagonistic quarterback, Brooks, will be another difficult challenge for the struggling Grizzlies offense. In fact, Brooks sat most of the second half of the last meeting, with Udoka recognizing that the risk of antics wasn’t necessarily when Memphis couldn’t score anyway. 

Scoring against the Rockets could become more difficult if Desmond Bane is reduced or absent tonight. Bane, who has yet to miss a game despite plenty of bump and bruising injury, is questionable tonight with an illness. Bane’s absence could be devastating for a team getting very little from the role players.

Bane is not one to sit out. “Obviously I’m not 100%, but that’s no excuse,” said Bane to the media after the loss to the Phoenix Suns. “That’s my MO, period. If I can play, ima play every time” (via SportsIllustrated). 

Bane, although questionable, is the only name on the injury report outside of the expected names. Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, out with a sprained ankle and a bone bruise, will likely return with or within very few games of Ja Morant. For now, though, Memphis will have to make due with the players they’ve had, and the results they’ve produced. 

Limiting Houston’s inside presence will be a major key for the game tonight. Alperen Sengun brings finesse and footwork in the paint, while Jabari Smith brings physicality, energy, and shot making, a nice compliment as their young core grows together. Those threats are manageable, so long as X-factors are limited– a good game from a struggling Jalen Green, or a few bench runs from veteran Jeff Green, can determine the result if allowed. 

Finally, it’s a given that Bane and Jackson Jr. will see double teams with frequency tonight, as each team has gameplanned the two threats and shifted responsibility to the rest of the roster. Open shots will be present, for those able to make them tonight. It sounds like an easy and obvious answer, and it is, even if it hasn’t been achieved with consistency. Make them, and victory is within reach.

Make sure to tune in tonight, December 13th, for the 7:00 pm tipoff of Grizzlies versus Rockets!