1B234253-02FD-49B0-BCCE-325AA0211969 — © Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The Memphis Grizzlies Fall To The Houston Rockets; Go 0-4 On Deflating Road Trip

The Memphis Grizzlies 140-112 loss to the Houston Rockets may have served as a sense of relief compared to the previous two games on their four-game skid. Although they were on the wrong side of a lopsided affair, they finally ended a road trip that resulted in four straight deflating losses that also added injury to insult.

Author:
Anthony Sain
Publish date:
Feb 27, 2020 10:14 AM EST

My Thoughts On The Grizzlies Loss

The Rockets, led by Russell Westbrook's 33 point outburst, took a commanding 35-17 lead after one quarter. Westbrook would score 13 points in the opening quarter alone. The Rockers would maintain a convincing lead for the entire game with James Harden adding 30 points and Austin Rivers adding 23 points.

Dillon Brooks had a productive yet inefficient game as he tallied 22 points on a disappointing 9 of 26 shooting performance. Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Ja Morant chimed in with 12 points and 9 assists.

Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jnkinks would share his thoughts on his team's performance.

“Heck of a game by the Rockets," said Jenkins. "I mean they were clicking on all cylinders. (James) Harden, (Russell) Westbrook, knocked down 23 threes. Big night for them, (and) something we have to learn from to get better.”

"We are ready to get home and continue to get back to work," Jenkins added. "This is a great experience for our guys, it’s a tough four-game stretch, but there’s a lot of games to be played. We just have to keep our spirits up and keep getting better.”

Jenkins on getting their opponent's best punch at this time of the season

"Other teams are going to set a tone against us, it’s that time of year. We got to raise our level, even when we’re starting our offense, we can’t just be giving up layups in transition over and over again. Incrementally we’re going to just get better from these learning experiences and come out better night after night.”

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Ja Morant shared his thoughts on the game as well.

“We just got to find out how to start better," said Morant. "The last three games, teams started real hot on us and kind of got us in a hole. Some stuff we can’t control, some stuff we can control. We’re just going to get better all around.”

“I mean, it happens," said Morant on facing up against some of the best teams in the league. "You try to be the best player and show you can compete with the best in the league or how the best in this league could guard you. I had Kawhi (Leonard) last game. Everybody knows what type of defender he is, so at this point – I’m used to it. I’ve seen many different coverages. I’ve seen blitzes and double-teams, and packing in. I’ve seen it all, but I still just try to go out and try to play my same game and continue to be very unselfish, but also look for my shot.”

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Dillon Brooks on the Rockets team and what his team needs to do going forward.

“They got hot," said Brooks. "Russell Westbrook kept getting downhill. He’s playing his game and we couldn’t take it away. A lack of rebounding at some points in the game and we started missing shots. We couldn’t find a way to stop the bleeding. We go back home and we’ll try to figure it out.”

“They’re very different," Brooks said when asked about this version as compared to the last time that they played them. "When we first played them, they came off back to backs and Russell (Westbrook) doesn’t play back to backs, so this was a new feel. We see them at the end of the year in the last game. It’s going to be a crucial game and we really have to prepare for that.”