Preview: Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies - prediction, team news, form guide

Two of the frontrunners successful the Western Conference of the NBA volition bash conflict for the 2nd clip successful 5 days arsenic the Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies spell caput to caput astatine the Toyota Center connected Tuesday.
 
The sides served up a thrilling brushwood successful their astir caller meeting, which the Rockets conscionable astir managed to look victorious from, and the Grizzlies volition person 1 oculus connected exacting revenge.

Match preview

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After finishing good adrift of playoff contention past clip out, the Houston Rockets amazingly made nary important additions during the off-season commercialized window, though it remained unclear however blessed they were with their existent roster.
 
A 12-6 grounds implicit their archetypal 18 matches indicated Ime Udoka's men were acceptable to compete, and the Rockets person since gone from spot to strength, winning 13 of their consequent 19 matches to beryllium 2nd successful the West.
 
Just down them successful the standings are the Grizzlies, who the Rockets overcame successful their astir caller outing astatine FedExForum connected Friday acknowledgment to Alperen Sengun's 32 points and 14 rebounds, some of which were crippled highs.
 
Having had their clash against the Atlanta Hawks initially scheduled for Saturday postponed owed to a wintertime storm, the Rockets person been handed an further play of remainder up of a pugnacious tally of fixtures.
 
Following the adjacent of enactment connected Tuesday, the location broadside volition caput retired for a three-game roadworthy trip, the archetypal 2 of which are against the Denver Nuggets (third successful the West) and a resurgent Sacramento Kings (ninth successful the West).

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Like the Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies besides endured an underwhelming play past clip retired but person overseen a singular turnaround approaching the midway constituent of the existent campaign.
 
Taylor Jenkins's men person won 25 of their 39 matches truthful far—just 2 victories little than they managed passim the full 2023-24 season, wherever they finished bottommost but 2 successful the Western Conference.
 
Off the backmost of their decision to the Rockets 48 hours prior, the Grizzlies played retired different thrilling brushwood against past year's league finalists, the Minnesota Timberwolves, connected Sunday astatine Target Center.
 
Tallying conscionable 12 points connected 5-19 shooting from the field, Ja Morant recorded his 3rd lowest scoring crippled this term, though the defender deed 2 clutch shots successful the last infinitesimal to pb his broadside to a 127-125 victory.
 
Averaging much points per crippled than immoderate different squad successful the NBA this season, Tuesday's visitors person been connected a rotation offensively each play agelong but are acceptable to beryllium extensively tested against the squad presently giving up the 3rd fewest points per game.

Houston Rockets NBA form:

Memphis Grizzlies NBA form:

Team News

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Jabari Smith Jr suffered a breached near manus earlier this period and is unavailable for the Houston Rockets until the archetypal week of February astatine the earliest.
 
Meanwhile, Tari Eason is simply a immense uncertainty for the location broadside present arsenic helium is yet to afloat shingle disconnected a little limb problem, which would person ruled him retired of the crippled against the Hawks had it been held.
 
After managing conscionable 1 20-point crippled successful his last 4 outings of 2024, Jalen Green has kicked disconnected the caller twelvemonth with 5 20-point games successful a enactment and is 1 to support an oculus connected here.
 
Marcus Smart is making important advancement towards returning to enactment from a digit problem, but Tuesday's crippled is expected to travel excessively soon for the veteran.
 
Guards Cam Spencer and Vince Williams Jr are besides acceptable to miss retired connected Tuesday owed to thumb and ankle injuries respectively, though the erstwhile is closing successful connected making his comeback.

We say: Rockets to triumph by 4+ points

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