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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – James Harden has done everything in his power to bring back the Houston Rockets after a big deficit in the fourth quarter. He allowed them to work overtime, but his 57 points were not enough.
All because of a free throw last second.
Mike Conley scored 35 points and Jonas Valanciunas set a career record of 33 goals, including the free throw with less than a second. The Memphis Grizzlies survived the Houston 126-125 on Wednesday night.
"We got into a hole and tried to pick it up, but it was too late," Harden said. "We were down (17), so I had to do something."
Harden led a 17-2 rally in Houston in fourth – scoring 15 points in that stretch – to bring the Rockets down to 106-104. He hit three free throws 4 seconds from the end of the game to equalize the extension tied at 115.
Harden scored the 10 points for Houston in overtime and the teams were still tied at 125 when Clint Capela made a mistake with Valanciunas with 0.1 second to go. Valanciunas, who also had 15 rebounds, made the first of two free throws. The clock ran out after missing the second free kick.
Chris Paul had 18 points and seven badists for Houston, who had won three in a row. Capela added 14 points and 10 rebounds. The loss was only second in Houston in the last 14 games.
"It was one of those games, from time to time, it comes back," said Rockets coach Mike D & # 39; Antoni. "You have to go on, it's a pity, but we just threw it."
Memphis dominated the game for three and a quarter quarters until Harden's return. Conley made all six throws, including a quartet of three pointers, in the first quarter. Valanciunas shot nine shots in the first half.
Despite a double-digit lead in the fourth, the Grizzlies had to overcome 28 points after the third quarter.
"It started to go crazy," said Conley. "It was a fun game, it's the kind of game you want to be part of – great games, great opportunities for everyone, and the way it ended was wild.
"I'm just glad we managed to win."
TIP-INS
Rockets: Harden's 57 points were just under his career best, 61 against the Knicks on Jan. 23. Eric Gordon (rest) was put to rest and Kenneth Faried sat down with left knee pain. Harden ended his series of five doubles doubles. Houston scored 21 three points, the largest number by an opponent from Memphis this season and the second in the history of the Grizzlies franchise (23 by the Pistons on April 8, 2018).
Grizzlies: Quarterback Johnny Manziel, winner of the Heisman Trophy, recently signed a contract with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football. … Conley has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games, which is the longest stretch of his career of this type. … Memphis has not registered any blocks for the first time this season.
Bad start
Houston had little response for the Grizzlies at the start, while Memphis opened the lead at 19, scoring 74% of their first quarter shots, including 7 of 11 off the arc. "We were not doing anything," Harden said. "Defensively, they got what they wanted, Offensively, we were not aggressive, and in the fourth quarter and overtime we played well."
WORK OF THE COUNCIL
Memphis overtook the Rockets 50-39, which included a 14-11 advantage over the offensive shot – the biggest coming from Valanciunas that led to the free kick. "They hit us all night long," said Antoni, adding, "We have not played with much force for a long time."
SPOILERS
The win was Memphis' fourth in the last six games – three of four against teams in the Western Conference playoff race. The fourth was on Orlando, which is just outside the post-season picture in the East. "It's not like:" Oh, they're forming a playoff team, we want to play better, "said Delon Wright, Grizzlies goaltender. "We're just trying to win every game, and we just beat the playoff teams."
FOLLOWING
Rockets: Welcome the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
Grizzlies: At Orlando Magic Friday.
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