Imagine a fight between two rocket-powered grizzly bears. Then picture it as a basketball game. Then times it by three. On Thursday night, the Houston Rockets will play their first of three January matchups against the Memphis Grizzlies. With half a game between them, those matchups will likely determine the second seed in the Western Conference. But there’s more going on between these two teams than just that.
The Rockets and Grizzlies Are Battling for the 2 Seed
Best in the West (Outside Oklahoma)
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the only team that’s achieved meaningful separation in a loaded Western Conference. They were already a regular-season juggernaut last season and made defensive upgrades that, while geared toward post-season play, clearly haven’t impeded their regular-season romp. They’ve even brushed off key injuries. The one-seed seems wrapped up.
The two-seed, however, is up for grabs. The two teams in prime position to do the grabbing are the Rockets and the Grizzlies, currently in second and third place, respectively, and separated by only half a game. The Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers are all just three to four games back. One of those, or even another team, could easily put a streak together this season and enter the running for the two-seed themselves.
In the short term, it will stay in Houston or Memphis. The Rockets have three games to try to fend off the dangerous Grizzlies. The Grizzlies have three games to try to overtake the soaring Rockets. No ties are allowed in a best-of-three.
Winner Gets A Gold (All-)Star
Out West, competition for All-Star spots is fierce as always. The Rockets have only one player with a realistic shot at one this season, and that’s Alperen Sengun. One player potentially in his way of getting to that spot is Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr.
Neither player will start, so their selection would come down to the coaches. Coaches probably won’t pay too much attention to random games in January, but they might think twice about having the second seed unrepresented at the All-Star game. Also, these games will be hard-fought. Don’t be surprised if one of them makes the media cycle over some scuffle or another, drawing extra eyes.
Did the Rockets Steal the Grizzlies’ Identity?
But a clash between the Rockets and the Grizzlies isn’t all about this season. Not so long ago, the Grizzlies were the gritty, young up-and-comers. They emerged from a grizzly rebuild with a defense-first philosophy and picked fights with almost everybody. Sound like anybody else? Of course, the Rockets having purloined the Grizzlies’ cultural identity might have something to do with pilfering one of the key players behind it.
The former Grizzly, Dillon Brooks, has been head coach Ime Udoka‘s on-court stand-in ever since Houston acquired him. It’s one thing to preach toughness and togetherness from the sidelines, but it’s a lot easier to follow the example of it playing right alongside you. Oh, and the Rockets have Steven Adams these days as well, which is always helpful if you’re going to be starting a lot of fights.
And the Budding Superstar?
All the Rockets are missing to be the Grizzlies 2.0 is a young superstar to build around like Ja Morant. Unless, of course, they already have one of those too. Enter one-of-a-kind sensation (discounting his identical twin), Amen Thompson.
“One of a kind, bro. I haven’t played with anyone like this. His speed is unbelievable. His second jump, first jump, is so quick off the ground. I haven’t seen that type of athleticism, to be honest.”
– Steven Adams on Amen Thompson
(Via @clutchfans ) pic.twitter.com/N69RIVsC5A
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 6, 2025
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Like Morant, Thompson is an athletic freak. He was even drafted as a theoretical point guard, though the reality of that is still a ways away. Thompson has found his way to a starting spot again as the Rockets handle the absence of starting forward Jabari Smith Jr. So far (over only two games) he’s averaging 21.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 steals on 66.7% field goal percentage. Considering that he’s also the best defensive player on the team, Udoka might have a hard time consigning him to the bench again on Smith’s return.
Despite Brooks’ role as the team’s culture setter, he may be the logical alternative. While Thompson has played well as a forward, he hasn’t yet demonstrated much in the way of lead guard skills. The team will still need the table setting of Fred VanVleet.
The other three established starters are young players whose futures with the team are either as starters or trade pieces, and if it’s the latter, benching them would only diminish their trade value. The logical sacrifice, then, is Brooks. It’s just a question of whether the team could survive the lack of shooting available when playing Thompson and Sengun together. That will be tested in these games against the Grizzlies.
The Last Word
As if these two teams aren’t intense enough normally, with the stakes involved, these matchups should take on an extra level of physicality. A flare-up at some point over the three games seems inevitable. But if you paid to see two rocket-powered grizzly bears tearing chunks out of each other, then that’s exactly what you want. Fans are unlikely to be disappointed.
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