The Rockets stormed past the Grizzlies on the road with a commanding 107-91 victory, snapping a three-game losing streak against Memphis and extending their own winning run to four. Their record now stands at 20-19, pushing their win rate above the .500 mark. Crickex Sign Up tracked that the Rockets hit an astonishing 18 of 35 from beyond the arc, finishing with a blistering 51% from three-point range.

James Harden led the charge with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 6-of-13 from the field and 4-of-9 from deep. Despite his solid performance, the Rockets had a sloppy start, committing five turnovers in the first five minutes. A risky tactic of leaving Tony Allen open backfired, as Allen sank consecutive mid-range jumpers to help Memphis jump to a 10-3 lead. But Dwight Howard’s alley-oop sparked a 7-0 Rockets response, and the teams exchanged runs throughout the quarter. Though Zach Randolph is now coming off the bench, he remained a threat, averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in his last four games. He attempted just once in the first quarter, but his presence gave Marc Gasol room to operate, scoring 10 in the opening frame. Memphis led 24-22 after one, as Houston committed 8 turnovers.

Marcus Thornton ignited the Rockets bench early in the second quarter, converting a three-point play against Vince Carter, then hitting back-to-back threes to notch 9 points in under two minutes. Randolph responded with consecutive buckets to retake the lead. Midway through the period, the Rockets grabbed four offensive boards in one possession but failed to convert each time—a frustrating yet gritty sequence. Houston’s hustle paid off with blocks from Howard and Capela and a steal from Ariza that led to a three-point play on the fast break. Ariza followed it with a corner three as Houston launched a 16-1 run, building a 13-point cushion. Turnovers dropped dramatically, with only two in the quarter.

The Grizzlies amped up their aggression, with Randolph elbowing Harden in the throat while fighting for a rebound. Though it was ruled a common foul, coach Dave Joerger protested so vehemently that he was hit with a technical. Fired up, Memphis closed the half on a 6-0 run, cutting the deficit to 44-51 after Courtney Lee’s three-pointer.

In the third quarter, Memphis played both Gasol and Randolph together, and Mario Chalmers scored 5 quick points. Tony Allen drilled another open three, and Patrick Beverley picked up a technical while complaining to the refs. A 13-2 Memphis surge gave them a 57-53 lead. Harden answered with a tough step-back three over Allen and scored 7 straight to tie things up.

However, Harden picked up his fourth foul and was benched. His teammates stepped up, with Beverley, Terry, and Brewer all hitting timely threes. The Rockets led 72-69 heading into the final quarter. Thornton and Brewer opened the fourth with more threes, but the Grizzlies didn’t back down. Carter soared for an alley-oop dunk and Gasol’s scoring spree tied the game at 80. Trouble brewed again for Houston as Howard picked up his fourth foul and was given a technical for protesting.

The Rockets didn’t flinch. Terrence Jones hit back-to-back threes and blocked Carter’s shot on defense. Houston’s suffocating defense forced Memphis into five straight turnovers. A 16-2 burst sealed the game, pushing the lead to 99-85. Even a late “Hack-a-Howard” strategy failed, as Dwight knocked down all four free throws. With just 90 seconds left, Memphis waved the white flag, subbing out their starters.

Thanks to their resilience and three-point shooting, the Rockets earned a statement win. Crickex Sign Up notes this was one of their most well-rounded performances of the season, a testament to their growing momentum in the West.