Jaren Jackson Jr. made two free throws with 8.6 seconds left, giving the Memphis Grizzlies a 120-119 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.
Houston had a chance to win at the buzzer, but Fred VanVleet missed a 3-point shot.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Luke Kennard added 22 points, and Jackson finished with 21. Memphis ended the game with a 13-4 run, marking their seventh win in the last eight games.
Houston’s four-game win streak ended with this loss. Jalen Green scored 25 points, had six rebounds, and five assists. Dillon Brooks added 22 points, and Amen Thompson contributed 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four blocks.
The Rockets were hoping to sweep the Grizzlies in the season series for the first time since 2009-10, having won the last three matchups.
The game, which saw 14 ties and 13 lead changes, was between two of the top three teams in the Western Conference.
Key players for both teams were missing — Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, out with right shoulder soreness, missed his 20th game this season, while Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun, who had a left calf contusion, missed his first game of the season.
Down by 10 to start the third quarter, the Grizzlies went on an 8-0 run, fueled by back-to-back 3-pointers from Kennard. Memphis used that momentum to chip away at the Houston lead and briefly took a 79-78 lead after a shot by Santi Aldama.
However, the Rockets regained control and led 96-92 going into the fourth.
The Grizzlies struggled in the first half, giving up 38 points in the opening quarter and falling behind by seven in the second. Houston, which made eight 3-pointers in the first half, stretched its lead to 66-55 in the final minutes of the second period and held a 66-56 advantage at halftime.
Green had three 3-pointers and 15 points in the first half, while Thompson added 14. Bane and Jackson led Memphis with 12 points each in the first half.
