Memphis Grizzlies Repeat Over SA Spurs, Overtake Houston Rockets for 2nd in West
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 04 Feb 2025
The resurgent Memphis Grizzlies repeat over the San Antonio Spurs, 128-109 at home to take over second place in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma as Houston Rockets dropped its game against the New York Knicks.
Houston lost to New York, 124-118 at the Madison Square Garden Arena as Jalen Brunson's 42 led three other Knicks in scoring 105 points, outscoring the Rockets' extended line-up which missed main pieces ace center Alperen Sengun and point guard Fred Van Fleet.
At the Fedex Forum Arena in Memphis, the streaking Grizzlies practically led from the start to overpower the Victor Wenbanyana-led Spurs with six Memphis players scoring in double figures. Six foot ten power forward Jaren Jackson Jr led the scoring parade with 31 points followed by GG Jackson II with 27. Ja Morant amassed 25 points and night high 11 assists while center Zach Edey tallied 16 points and night high 14 rebounds. Scottie Pippen Jr added 11 points coming off the bench for Memphis which had earlier beaten the Spurs in San Antonio twice.
Wenbenyama led the Spurs with 27 points and ten rebounds. He was supported by forward Stephon Castle with 21 points plus six boards and guard Devon Vassell who scored 11 points. But they were the only Spurs in double figures. Veteran guard Chris Paul had 8 dimes but only 3 points.
The win raised the Grizzlies record to 34-16, overtaking the Rockets for second behind the Oklahoma City Thunder which also won today 125-96 over the Milwaukee Bucks upping its record to 39-9 in the West.
Brunson sparked the Knicks come from behind victory over the Rockets which led by ten points beginning the fourth quarter. Karl Anthony Towns exploited the absence of Sengun, the Rockets' seven foot center, to score 22 points and haul down 9 rebounds to back up Brunson's 42 big points. Guard Mikal Bridges also scored 22 points while the strong rebounding Josh Hart added 19 points and 8 rebounds Relief center Precious Achiuwa also had 9 rebounds for the Knicks which remained a strong third in the East at 33-17.
Six players still scored in double figures for Houston led by Amen Thompson with 25 points and 11 rebounds followed by Jalen Green 21, Cam Whitmore 18, Aaron Holiday 15, Tari Eason 12 and Dillon Brooks with 11. But the Rockets which saw their record fall to 32-17 missed the imposing presence at the slot of Sengun and the leadership of Van Fleet though veteran back up center Steven Adams pulled down a night high 13 bords for the Rockets.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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