Grizzlies defeat Rockets 151-114 to clinch a postseason spot.
The Memphis Grizzlies secured a playoff spot on Friday night by defeating the Houston Rockets 151-114 with a 31-point halftime lead and a franchise-record 10 3-pointers made by Luke Kennard, who also scored 30 points, Desmond Bane, 25, and other players.
Kennard, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in a trade deadline deal on February 9, made 10 of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc, becoming just the second player in NBA history to do so. When Memphis made 25 3-pointers to set a franchise record, Bane shot 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
"I start feeling it a little bit when you start hitting a couple in a row, usually about three for me," Kennard said. "After it leaves your palm, you tend to believe it is going inside." So, it was enjoyable.
In his second game after serving an eight-game league-imposed suspension for posting a video in which he is seen brandishing a gun at a strip club in the Denver area, Ja Morant scored 18 points and had eight assists. Morant again came off the bench, just like he did in his return game against the Rockets on Wednesday night. With 5:08 remaining in the opening frame, he entered.
For Memphis, which recorded the second-most points in team history, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. After their 11th straight home victory, the Grizzlies closed the gap on Denver, which now occupies the top spot in the Western Conference, to just three games.
Memphis won the Southwest Division on Wednesday night, but since division champions don't automatically earn playoff spots, they weren't guaranteed a spot until their victory Friday night.
Houston was led by Tari Eason, who scored 21 points, followed by 20 each by Kevin Porter Jr. and Jabari Smith Jr. Porter also had six rebounds and seven assists. Smith took eight boards in.
Memphis made this game unwinnable in the first half, unlike their closely contested game on Wednesday night. The Grizzlies led 83-52 at halftime after shooting 60% overall in the period, making 14 of 25 shots from beyond the arc to increase their lead to as many as 31.
"We didn't assault them physically." They were aggressive toward us, according to Rockets coach Stephen Silas. We basically let them go free, anywhere they pleased. Naturally, Kennard started playing, and we were simply running late (in defense of the 3-point line).
Silas remarked that Kennard and Bane combined to make 15 long-range shots, despite Memphis not often being recognized for its 3-point shooting.
Kennard hit 10 of 11 shots. "The man was leaving," said Silas.
It was Memphis' greatest performance since the deal, according to Kennard. He was reluctant to attempt shots at first once he arrived, but he grew accustomed to his new team. All the players and coaches have urged him to take the shot.
Coach Taylor Jenkins of Memphis stated, "Clearly, he's going out talking about how we've been on him, his teammates have been on him, talking about being more aggressive." " You can see how his confidence grows one game at a time.
"This is the reason we dealt for him,"
TIP-INS
Kenyon Martin Jr. of the Rockets was 4 of 6 from the floor, improving his field goal percentage to 59% since the All-Star break. Houston has had the longest losing skid of any team in the series with five straight losses. In their previous six road contests, the Rockets are 1-5.
Grizzlies: After serving a second one-game suspension for technical fouls, Dillon Brooks started the game again. This season, Brooks has 18. His 20th technical is the next benchmark for another one-game suspension. Memphis defeated the Southwest Division at home without losing a game. They only lost to Dallas and New Orleans in the division, and they both happened on the road. In terms of 3-pointers made in franchise history, Bane overtook Rudy Gay for fifth place.
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