Rockets defeat Grizzlies 117-104, extend home winning streak to 11 games

Eason, coming off the bench, had an impressive performance, shooting 10 for 16 and matching his career high with 14 rebounds.

"I always give my all on the court," Eason stated. "When you play with intensity, good things happen. But I'm not trying to do anything beyond my capabilities."

The Rockets and Grizzlies will meet again on Friday night in Memphis for the second game of their back-to-back series.

Houston's bench outscored the Grizzlies' reserves by a significant margin, with a score of 58-19.

"This has been crucial in our recent games," said Houston coach Ime Udoka. "Having those guys back and their energy and change of pace has been a welcome sight. Sometimes we get a bit sluggish, and they inject some much-needed energy. They gave us a lead and helped us regain it in the fourth quarter."

Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks each contributed 11 points, while Jae'Sean Tate recorded 10 points and seven rebounds for Houston. The team shot 45% from the field, including 12 of 32 from beyond the arc. Additionally, Houston dominated the rebounding battle, outrebounding Memphis 58-39.

The Rockets' current 11-game winning streak at home is their longest since their franchise record of 20 consecutive wins from January 10 to April 5, 2018.

Jaren Jackson Jr. had an outstanding performance for Memphis, scoring a career-high 44 points and grabbing seven rebounds. However, it wasn't enough to secure a victory as the Grizzlies suffered their third consecutive loss. Derrick Rose contributed 19 points and six assists, while Vince Williams Jr. added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Jackson was particularly impressive in the second half, scoring 29 points and displaying excellent balance on the court.

"I focused on maintaining my balance," Jackson explained. "I didn't try to change my approach too much, keeping it simple. Even when I missed shots, I didn't try to completely alter my game. Instead, I looked for opportunities to find my teammates when I faced double teams."

The Grizzlies shot 43% from the field but struggled from long distance, making only 10 of their 38 attempts from beyond the arc. Memphis capitalized on Houston's turnovers, converting them into 23 points.

Desmond Bane, Memphis' leading scorer with an average of 24.8 points per game, was unable to play due to illness. Bane became the 11th Grizzlies player to miss a game due to injury or illness this season.

Houston had a commanding lead of 19 points in the second quarter, but Memphis managed to reduce the deficit to 57-43 by halftime. The Grizzlies started the second half with a strong 15-3 run, bringing the Rockets' lead down to 60-58 with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter thanks to a free throw by Williams.

Entering the fourth quarter with a slim lead of 82-81, Houston began the final period with a 10-2 run, extending their advantage to 92-83 after a jumper by VanVleet with 9 1/2 minutes left. From that point on, Memphis never came closer than six points for the remainder of the game.