HOUSTON — In the opener of a brief two-game homestand at Toyota Center, the Rockets enjoyed a second-half explosion in Wednesday’s 111-91 blowout (box score) over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies.
Jalen Green scored 26 of his season-high 34 points in the second half, and the Rockets scored 66 in that half while limiting Memphis to only 45. Green shot 13-of-26 from the field (50.0%) over his 30 minutes on the night, and he was also tied for a team-high 4 assists.
Green’s exploits included an emphatic dunk over Jaren Jackson Jr., a perennial NBA Defensive Player of the Year candidate, in the closing seconds of the third quarter.
Besides Green, other standout players for the Rockets (7-6) — who are now 7-1 at home this season — included:
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 18 points, 9 rebounds; 6-of-10 shooting (60.0%), 3-of-4 on 3-pointers (75.0%)
- Fred VanVleet: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals; 5-of-12 shooting (41.7%), 4-of-8 on 3-pointers (50.0%)
- Dillon Brooks: 13 points, 5 rebounds; 4-of-14 shooting (28.6%), 0-of-5 on 3-pointers
- Alperen Sengun: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks; 4-of-9 shooting (44.4%), 1-of-1 on 3-pointers
Jackson led the Grizzlies with 23 points and 7 rebounds in 37 minutes, though Houston limited him to just 7-of-21 shooting (33.3%) from the field and 0-of-4 on 3-pointers. Memphis remains without superstar guard Ja Morant due to a 25-game league suspension.
Here’s our look at highlights and postgame interviews following Wednesday night’s game versus the Grizzlies, along with reaction by media members and fans. Next up for Houston is Friday’s homestand finale versus Denver, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. Central. That game will also count toward the NBA’s 2023-24 in-season tournament.
Nov. 22 Rockets-Grizzlies reaction
Thanksgiving started early for JG!
HE WAS EATING 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jfXc1pXJha
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 23, 2023
GOODNESS. https://t.co/sZFMzEWBt9 pic.twitter.com/hzlQCd8LOH
— NBA (@NBA) November 23, 2023
Jalen Green. I have no words. This is incredible.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) November 23, 2023
JALEN GREEN JUST PUT JAREN JACKSON JR. ON A POSTER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/F7wET9Qh18
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 23, 2023
Alperen Şengün pouring water on Jalen Green post game 😂 pic.twitter.com/lwq5anzZ3C
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) November 23, 2023
Every angle of Jalen Green’s dunk on JJJ!
34 PTS | 4 AST | W pic.twitter.com/SObRn3dIS7
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 23, 2023
Ime Udoka says he loved how Jalen Green stayed aggressive and focused on defense. He says he had a film session with Jalen coming back from San Francisco talking about being aggressive.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) November 23, 2023
Jalen Green is bouncing back in a big way. After a brutal start for much of the first half, Green has hit 10 of his last 13 shots.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) November 23, 2023
The #Rockets are on a 23-9 run since this dunk.
Jalen ignited the whole team. https://t.co/Pt2mJljqiD
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 23, 2023
The #Rockets continue to blow out bad/injured teams and take care of business as expected. That’s usually the mark of a pretty good team. This top-10 defense does not look like a fluke at all.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) November 23, 2023
Man what a bounce-back game for Jalen Green. This is everything. Next step for him is to do this with consistency and then we’re cookin.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) November 23, 2023
I told y’all it’s all mental 😂
Now it’s all about consistency and playing like this night in and out https://t.co/GufpuTVgGR
— Mitty (@MittyRockets) November 23, 2023
Fred Vanvleet is a remarkably clutch 3P shooter
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) November 23, 2023
I like this Jalen…When he is shooting that mid-range it opens up so much more for him….#Rockets #Sarge #RocketsWire
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 23, 2023
1. Maybe that Jalen Green poster on JJJ can be a turning point for him
2. Tari Eason is one of the best one-on-one defenders in the NBA
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) November 23, 2023
I like this Jalen…When he is shooting that mid-range it opens up so much more for him….#Rockets #Sarge #RocketsWire
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 23, 2023
Ime Udoka did *NOT* in fact get on the arena PA microphone to tell the crowd to stop cheering because it might hurt Jaren Jackson, Jr.’s feelings… #Rockets pic.twitter.com/5fN97WadzP
— Adam Clanton (@adamclanton) November 23, 2023
Alperen Sengun interrupting Jalen's interview, yelling "my boy's back" can make a grown man cry
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) November 23, 2023
The Rockets are now 4.5 games in front of the Grizzlies with Ja Morant out another 11 games
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) November 23, 2023
Fred VanVleet played 39-of-43 minutes before being subbed out with 4:46 to play
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) November 23, 2023
I know it was against a depleted team but that felt they started to figure some stuff out with Jalen. He still shot 3-13 from deep – they need to go in. But the driving was so much better and even that final possession was him curling around Sengun offball to the rim
— Nathan Fogg (@NathanFogg1) November 23, 2023
The Rockets scored 19 points in the first 4 minutes of the 4th quarter.
I expected them to blow the Grizzlies out. I didn't expect them to look like mid for 3 quarters and then absolutely erupt in the 4th.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) November 23, 2023
The Grizzlies have figured out they have no answer for Jalen, so now they're blitzing him, and the Rockets have gotten 2 consecutive 3 point plays out of it.
What a beat down ever since the big Green dunk.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) November 23, 2023
Jalen will now be well above 65% when he drives without a roll man with him https://t.co/z7agTP0Rwx https://t.co/ydStWdVMhM pic.twitter.com/gAvavSzOjp
— Nathan Fogg (@NathanFogg1) November 23, 2023
Fred VanVleet in tonight's #Rockets 111-91 win over Memphis
🏀16 PTS🏀4-8 3'S🏀7 REB🏀4 AST🏀2 STL🏀@HoustonRockets on Space City Home Network pic.twitter.com/wbOapDISBg
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) November 23, 2023
Please don’t forget about Jabari Smith Jr. tonight. In just 27 minutes:
– 18 PTS
– 9 REB
– 2 AST
– 1 BLK
– 6/10 FG
– 3/4 3PPlayed his role flawlessly. I have absolutely no complaints.
He’s been playing the best basketball of his career recently. #Rockets pic.twitter.com/hj6LLKvmOn
— ᵂᴵᴸᴸ (@BiasedHouston) November 23, 2023
THIS looks like Jalen Green from last year. Relentless, confident, and guess what? He's too talented to keep missing.
I appreciate the Rockets taking that approach with him. 1 Point game, looks like they're slowly waking up.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) November 23, 2023
Exciting news for @HoustonRockets fans…
The “Hometown Heroes” theme has been so overwhelmingly popular, the Rockets have moved the number of Hometown Heroes games from 13 to 21.
(MORE DUNKSTRONAUT ‼️)
Here’s the updated list: pic.twitter.com/uE6Ac8jOP5
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) November 22, 2023
This is what I was talking about earlier. Coach Udoka is constantly talking to Jalen and you saw some of that pay off tonight https://t.co/vWq6qeemkF
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) November 23, 2023
Back court chemistry seems to be at all time high pic.twitter.com/MmnT9k208n
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) November 23, 2023
#Rockets beat the Grizzlies, 111-91. Dillon Brooks catches up with his former teammates after the Rockets pull away – game was tied at 65 late in the 3rdQ, then Rockets built a 24-point lead. pic.twitter.com/jHnaOv4Jnj
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) November 23, 2023
48 hours later — 34 on 50% from the field 🥱 https://t.co/unK4SKkHmf
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) November 23, 2023
This Rockets team is supposed to win these games. That is the difference between this season and the last three seasons
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) November 23, 2023
Give Jabari credit that is three straight good games. He doesn't have to be spectacular but does have to be productive. Ime holding players accountable makes a big difference. Jabari since not playing the fourth quarter two straight games has been a lot better
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) November 23, 2023
Alperen Sengun scores over Jaren Jackson Jr. and does the “too small” celebration running back. pic.twitter.com/T6J1Fn5iyK
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) November 23, 2023
7-for-11 from the field since. Leads all scorers with 28 and is playing with control and aggression. Important response from 4th quarter benching at GSW. https://t.co/sptYqxtoUd
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) November 23, 2023
Jalen Green found his confidence again.
He looks completely unguardable right now.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 23, 2023
A live look at #Rockets guard Jalen Green inside the Toyota Center pic.twitter.com/3t3U78H9zS
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) November 23, 2023
Jalen took every bit of frustration he has had the last five games on the rim…That was a crowd rising dunk…#Sarge
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 23, 2023
Jalen is the dunkstronaut.
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) November 23, 2023
If you're a #Rockets fan you have to absolutely love the way Jabari Smith Jr and Jalen Green have responded to a bit of adversity in this young season.
— Don Dougan (@don_dougan) November 23, 2023
Asked Jabari Smith Jr. about Jalen Green's dunk on Jaren Jackson Jr.:
"It was a momentum shift. Kinda woke us up a little bit. You saw my reaction, I fell. We ended up getting a tech. I was excited."
📺 https://t.co/qJwFZ9k0g2 pic.twitter.com/fsTfKM2WPA
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) November 23, 2023
Jalen Green tonight:
34 PTS || 2 REB || 4 AST || 60% TS
Blew the game wide open in the 4th.
He’s back and it feels so good 🥹 pic.twitter.com/rKpW2SVjD9
— Paulo Alves (@PauloAlvesNBA) November 23, 2023
poster from all angles 😤 @JalenGreen pic.twitter.com/axA03cJ6xi
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 23, 2023
Jalen Green has heated up, the Rockets' defense is buckling down and you can feel the momentum Houston has right now.
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) November 23, 2023
FINAL: Rockets 111, Grizzlies 91.
Jalen Green with a season-high 34 points. Rockets' defense got the job done in the end while Green and Fred VanVleet nailed shots to create more distance.
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) November 23, 2023
Jalen Green 3⃣4⃣ points tonight in the #Rockets win over the Grizzlies@JalenGreen with our @SportsVanessa after the WIN … with special appearances by Alpi & Fred@HoustonRockets on Space City Home Network pic.twitter.com/XDep60FVMN
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) November 23, 2023
