Sengun has 32 points and 14 rebounds as the Rockets beat the Grizzlies 119-115 in Morant's return
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Alperen Sengun had 32 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets held on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night in a showdown between two of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Jalen Green finished with 27 points and Fred VanVleet scored 22 as the Rockets won their third straight and solidified their hold on second place in the Western Conference, moving 1 1/2 games ahead of Memphis.
Ja Morant scored 27 points in his return from a five-game absence with a shoulder injury, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Memphis. Desmond Bane had 16 points.
Houston dominated the inside early, scoring 20 points in the paint before the halfway point of the first quarter. Memphis initially couldn't stop anything at the rim. Houston opened a 17-point lead before taking a 68-63 advantage at the break.
Rockets: Houston is 12-5 on the road, including six straight wins away from home.
Grizzlies: After allowing the Rockets to score inside and build a big lead, Memphis chipped into the advantage to make it a more competitive game.
With 3.8 seconds left in the game and Houston leading 117-114, Bane fired up a 3-pointer that rattled in. But Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins called timeout before the shot was made. Bane was fouled on the ensuing inbounds, and Memphis wouldn't get another chance for a winning shot.
Houston is 19-3 when score at least 110. Houston hasn't allowed more than 115 points in past 15 games.
The Rockets are at Atlanta on Saturday. Memphis travels to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Saturday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Alperen Sengun vs. Zach Edey (Jaren Jackson Jr. gains possession) | ||
| 11:46 |  | Amen Thompson shooting foul (Jaylen Wells draws the foul) | ||
| 11:46 | | +1 | Jaylen Wells makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 0-1 |
| 11:46 | | +1 | Jaylen Wells makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 0-2 |
| 11:32 | | +2 | Dillon Brooks makes two point cutting dunk (Amen Thompson assists) | 2-2 |
| 11:31 | | Dillon Brooks technical foul (Rim hanging) | ||
| 11:31 | | +1 | Desmond Bane makes technical free throw 1 of 1 | 2-3 |
| 11:19 | | +2 | Ja Morant makes two point driving floating jump shot | 2-5 |
| 11:05 | | Dillon Brooks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:03 | | Jaylen Wells defensive rebound | ||
| 10:56 | | Ja Morant misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 10:52 | | Amen Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 10:49 | | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point running dunk (Fred VanVleet assists) | 4-5 |
| 10:37 | | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point turnaround hook shot (Desmond Bane assists) | 4-7 |
| 10:18 | | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point driving finger roll layup | 6-7 |
| 10:09 | | +3 | Zach Edey makes three point jump shot (Jaren Jackson Jr. assists) | 6-10 |
| 9:56 | | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point driving finger roll layup | 8-10 |
| 9:56 | | Zach Edey shooting foul (Alperen Sengun draws the foul) | ||
| 9:56 | | +1 | Alperen Sengun makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 9-10 |
| 9:44 | | Desmond Bane turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 9:38 | | +3 | Alperen Sengun makes three point jump shot (Amen Thompson assists) | 12-10 |
| 9:19 | | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point driving layup | 12-12 |
| 9:00 | | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point driving finger roll layup | 14-12 |
| 9:00 | | Grizzlies 60 second timeout | ||
| 8:50 | | +3 | Ja Morant makes three point stepback jump shot | 14-15 |
| 8:32 | | +2 | Amen Thompson makes two point finger roll layup (Jalen Green assists) | 16-15 |
| 8:32 | | Zach Edey shooting foul (Amen Thompson draws the foul) | ||
| 8:32 | | +1 | Amen Thompson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 17-15 |
| 8:07 | | Jaylen Wells misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 8:03 | | Dillon Brooks defensive rebound | ||
| 7:56 | | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point driving finger roll layup (Dillon Brooks assists) | 19-15 |
| 7:45 | | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point driving floating jump shot | 19-17 |
| 7:31 | | Jalen Green misses two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 7:28 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 7:20 | | +2 | Ja Morant makes two point driving finger roll layup (Desmond Bane assists) | 19-19 |
| 6:59 | | +3 | Fred VanVleet makes three point jump shot (Alperen Sengun assists) | 22-19 |
| 6:48 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Fred VanVleet steals) | ||
| 6:44 | | +2 | Fred VanVleet makes two point running layup | 24-19 |
| 6:44 | | Desmond Bane shooting foul (Fred VanVleet draws the foul) | ||
| 6:44 | | +1 | Fred VanVleet makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 25-19 |
| 6:34 | | Desmond Bane turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Green steals) | ||
| 6:30 | | +2 | Jalen Green makes two point running finger roll layup | 27-19 |
| 6:17 | | Jalen Green blocks Ja Morant's two point driving layup | ||
| 6:14 | | Alperen Sengun defensive rebound | ||
| 6:11 | | +2 | Amen Thompson makes two point running finger roll layup | 29-19 |
| 6:11 | | Grizzlies 60 second timeout | ||
| 5:58 | | Luke Kennard misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 5:55 | | Amen Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 5:49 | | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point running dunk (Amen Thompson assists) | 31-19 |
| 5:41 | | +2 | Jay Huff makes two point driving dunk (Luke Kennard assists) | 31-21 |
| 5:29 | | Alperen Sengun misses two point driving layup | ||
| 5:28 | | Alperen Sengun offensive rebound | ||
| 5:28 | | Jay Huff shooting foul (Alperen Sengun draws the foul) | ||
| 5:28 | | Alperen Sengun misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 5:28 | | Rockets offensive rebound | ||
| 5:28 | | Alperen Sengun misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 5:27 | | Grizzlies defensive rebound | ||
| 5:14 | | Santi Aldama misses two point driving floating bank jump shot | ||
| 5:10 | | Jae'Sean Tate defensive rebound | ||
| 5:01 | | +2 | Alperen Sengun makes two point driving layup (Jalen Green assists) | 33-21 |
| 4:41 | | Brandon Clarke misses two point driving reverse layup | ||
| 4:41 | | Grizzlies offensive rebound | ||
| 4:41 | | Grizzlies turnover (5-second violation) | ||
| 4:24 | | Dillon Brooks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:21 | | Jake LaRavia defensive rebound | ||
| 4:10 | | Santi Aldama misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 4:07 | | Brandon Clarke offensive rebound | ||
| 4:07 | | +2 | Brandon Clarke makes two point tip layup | 33-23 |
| 3:53 | | Jalen Green misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:51 | | Grizzlies defensive rebound | ||
| 3:44 | | +3 | Luke Kennard makes three point jump shot (Scotty Pippen Jr. assists) | 33-26 |
| 3:24 | | Fred VanVleet misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 3:22 | | Rockets offensive rebound | ||
| 3:22 | | Brandon Clarke personal foul (Loose ball) (Jae'Sean Tate draws the foul) | ||
| 3:22 | | Jae'Sean Tate misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 3:22 | | Rockets offensive rebound | ||
| 3:22 | | +1 | Jae'Sean Tate makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 34-26 |
| 3:08 | | +2 | Brandon Clarke makes two point floating jump shot (Scotty Pippen Jr. assists) | 34-28 |
| 2:50 | | Jae'Sean Tate misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:50 | | Rockets offensive rebound | ||
| 2:50 | | Brandon Clarke personal foul (Loose ball) (Alperen Sengun draws the foul) | ||
| 2:50 | | +1 | Alperen Sengun makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 35-28 |
| 2:50 | | +1 | Alperen Sengun makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 36-28 |
| 2:40 | | Santi Aldama misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:39 | | Rockets defensive rebound | ||
| 2:31 | | Jake LaRavia blocks Cam Whitmore's three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 2:28 | | Steven Adams offensive rebound | ||
| 2:25 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. blocks Cam Whitmore's two point layup | ||
| 2:23 | | Steven Adams offensive rebound | ||
| 2:18 | | Jump ball. Jaren Jackson Jr. vs. Steven Adams (Jake LaRavia gains possession) | ||
| 2:18 | | Steven Adams turnover (lost ball) (Jaren Jackson Jr. steals) | ||
| 2:10 | | +3 | Santi Aldama makes three point pullup jump shot (Jaren Jackson Jr. assists) | 36-31 |
| 1:54 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. shooting foul (Amen Thompson draws the foul) | ||
| 1:54 | | +1 | Amen Thompson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 37-31 |
| 1:54 | | +1 | Amen Thompson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 38-31 |
| 1:43 | | Jae'Sean Tate personal foul (Jaren Jackson Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 1:36 | | Santi Aldama misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:34 | | Steven Adams defensive rebound | ||
| 1:17 | | +3 | Jalen Green makes three point pullup jump shot | 41-31 |
| 1:02 | | +3 | Luke Kennard makes three point stepback jump shot (Jake LaRavia assists) | 41-34 |
| 0:38 | | Cam Whitmore misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 0:37 | | Grizzlies defensive rebound | ||
| 0:29 | | +2 | Ja Morant makes two point driving finger roll layup | 41-36 |
| 0:21 | | Cam Whitmore misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 0:17 | | Jalen Green offensive rebound | ||
| 0:17 | | Jalen Green misses two point tip dunk | ||
| 0:17 | | Jae'Sean Tate offensive rebound | ||
| 0:16 | | +3 | Jalen Green makes three point jump shot (Dillon Brooks assists) | 44-36 |
| 0:16 | | Desmond Bane flagrant 1 (Jalen Green draws the foul) | ||
| 0:16 | | Jalen Green misses flagrant free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 0:16 | | Rockets offensive rebound | ||
| 0:16 | | +1 | Jalen Green makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2 | 45-36 |
| 0:06 | | Dillon Brooks misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:02 | | Ja Morant defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | Ja Morant misses three point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Grizzlies offensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |