Rockets Hope Listless Grizzlies Cure Recent Skid

Houston looks to bounce back against struggling Memphis squad

Mar. 27, 2026 at 12:49am

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The Houston Rockets, who have lost four of their last six games, visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. The Grizzlies have lost 12 of their last 13 games and are dealing with a rash of injuries, including the absence of star guard Ja Morant. The Rockets are hoping to gain ground in the Western Conference playoff race against the struggling Grizzlies.

Why it matters

The Rockets are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, 3.5 games behind the third-place Los Angeles Lakers. A win over the Grizzlies could help them gain ground and improve their playoff positioning. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are in a tailspin, having lost by an average of 32 points in their last two games.

The details

The Rockets are led by Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, who have been putting up big numbers despite the team's recent struggles. Sengun recorded a triple-double in the Rockets' loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are dealing with a rash of injuries, including the absences of Ja Morant, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr., Santi Aldama, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Brandon Clarke. Without those key players, the Grizzlies were no match for the Spurs, who outrebounded them 59-33.

  • The Rockets and Grizzlies will face off on Friday, March 27, 2026.

The players

Kevin Durant

A star forward for the Houston Rockets who has been putting up big numbers despite the team's recent struggles.

Alperen Sengun

A young center for the Houston Rockets who recorded a triple-double in the team's loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Ja Morant

The star guard for the Memphis Grizzlies who is out with an injury.

Zach Edey

A key big man for the Memphis Grizzlies who is also out with an injury.

Tuomas Iisalo

The head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, who has been dealing with a depleted roster due to injuries.

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What they’re saying

“I'm still trying to figure out how they won that game.”

— Kevin Durant

“A bad start to the game. I thought our guys responded (after falling behind by 22 in the opening quarter). We made a decent run. But going against the Spurs and Wembanyama, it was a riddle we couldn't solve, especially on the offensive end.”

— Tuomas Iisalo, Head Coach, Memphis Grizzlies

What’s next

The Rockets will look to gain ground in the Western Conference playoff race with a win over the struggling Grizzlies on Friday.

The takeaway

This game highlights the contrasting fortunes of the Rockets and Grizzlies, with Houston hoping to use the depleted Grizzlies as a cure for their recent skid, while Memphis continues to search for answers amid a rash of injuries.