Villain’s Revenge: Brooks’ Late Dagger Seals Rockets’ 103-96 Comeback Over Grizzlies, For 5th Straight Win
Revenge is a Dish Brooks Served. Fighting Back. Busy Road Ahead.
In his first game back to Memphis, Dillon Brooks made sure to leave a lasting first impression against his former team. Brooks scored a season-high 26 points, including a clutch three-pointer with under a minute remaining that sealed a 103-96 victory for the Rockets. The win is Houston’s fifth straight, and puts the team’s record at 13-9, good for 7th in the brutally competitive Western Conference. The Memphis fans were very classy as they saw a familiar face for the first time in different threads. They cheered for Brooks when the Grizzlies displayed a tribute video for their former player during a first half timeout. You could tell this was not just another game for Dillon the Villain. Brooks shot 10-for-20 from the field and fueled a second-half Houston comeback.
The Rockets got off to another slow start in Memphis, and found themselves fighting to get back into the game. Houston trailed by as many as 17 points, 29-12, late in the first quarter. Luckily, the squad was able to weather the early storm, and another strong game from Desmond Bane, who had 28 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Grizz. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 22 points, but the Rockets did an improved job on Triple J in this contest, preventing another 40-point explosion. Jabari Smith Jr. continues to be a force on the boards, grabbing 12 in his latest outing. This was truly a team victory for Houston, and that’s how this squad is winning.
The Rockets are now 3-0 against the Grizzlies this season, and they’ve had a different leading scorer in each win. First it was Jalen Green, last game Tari Eason, and in this contest, Dillon Brooks. Alperen Sengun leads the team in scoring, but has struggled particularly against Memphis. Sengun had 15 points and 7 boards on a night that saw six Houston players reach double-figures in scoring. Jeff Green continues to be a savior off the bench for the Rockets. At age 37, Green is still one of the best role players in the entire league. Along with Tari Eason, Jae’Sean Tate, and Jabari, he leads the charge for Houston when they need toughness on the court. Green scored 12 points in only 19 minutes, providing the squad with another efficient performance in limited minutes off the bench. Jalen Green came alive for a little bit during the comeback, but overall shot just 4-for-12 form the floor for 14 points, as he continues to be the definition of inconsistency on the court.
The road ahead is tough, and busy for the Rockets. Up next, Houston embarks on a stretch where they’ll play five games in seven nights. First up is a back-to-back in Milwaukee and Cleveland. The Bucks will give the Rockets one of the toughest challenges they’ll face all season. Milwaukee is hot, and Giannis is coming off a 64-point game, and a stolen game ball. Houston can’t afford to fall behind early against the Bucks. The Rockets desperately need to get off to a faster start if they have any chance of extending their winning streak to six games.