Jalen Green matched his career-best performance, dropping 42 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 120-118 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. The Rockets improved to 26-12, securing their fourth consecutive win, while the Grizzlies fell to 25-15.

Green’s decisive layup with 28.5 seconds left put Houston ahead 116-115, capping off a late-game rally. The Grizzlies had briefly taken the lead after Jaylen Wells hit a three-pointer and Brandon Clarke followed with a steal and layup. However, Houston’s defense tightened, forcing a crucial turnover by Ja Morant.

Amen Thompson, who tallied 19 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists, added two free throws with 8.1 seconds remaining, extending the Rockets’ lead to 118-115. Morant, who scored 29 points, missed two critical free throws, allowing Fred VanVleet to seal the win with a pair of free throws in the final moments.

The game appeared to be slipping away from Houston earlier in the fourth quarter when Morant drilled a deep 38-foot three-pointer to give Memphis a 12-point advantage with eight minutes left. The Rockets responded with a 16-2 run, fueled by Green, VanVleet, and Thompson, to regain the lead at 107-105 with 4:30 remaining.

Desmond Bane contributed 25 points for the Grizzlies, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 17. Despite their strong start, Memphis struggled to close out the game, a recurring issue for the team this season.

Houston’s balanced effort included 17 points and eight rebounds from Alperen Sengun, while Cam Whitmore added 16 points off the bench, hitting four of his seven three-point attempts. The Rockets’ 51.6% shooting from beyond the arc played a pivotal role in their comeback.