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Rockets welcome Grizzlies to Space City

Feb 5, 2011 - 4:11 PM (Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets are back in Space City and will welcome the Southwest Division-rival Memphis Grizzlies to the Toyota Center tonight.

The Rockets will play five of their next six games at home and are 13-10 as the host this season. They won for just the third time in eight tries with Wednesday's 97-96 victory in Utah, as Kevin Martin scored a game-high 22 points and recorded a three-point play with 6.9 seconds remaining.

Kyle Lowry had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Rockets, who went 1-3 on their recent road trip and got 14 points from both Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks. Houston rebounded after blowing a nine-point lead.

"We were close in the first games against Dallas and we were close yesterday," Scola said. "I think we deserve at least one win. Losing today would have been very, very disappointing. We're going back home now. We play six games at home and one away before the All-Star break. So this is where we need to move forward."

Chuck Hayes added 13 points and 12 rebounds in the win. Houston has now won its last nine games when holding an opponent under 100 points. The Rockets will visit Denver after Saturday's game before returning home to take on the Timberwolves, Mavericks, Nuggets and 76ers.

Memphis, meanwhile, will carry a season-high five-game winning streak into tonight's matchup with the Rockets and just handed the Cleveland Cavaliers their 23rd consecutive loss with Friday's 112-105 victory at FedEx Forum.

Zach Randolph had 29 points and 13 rebounds, Rudy Gay added 26 points and 11 rebounds and Mike Conley posted 21 points and eight assists for the Grizzlies, winners in eight of their last nine games. Memphis is battling for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"We're not there yet. There's still a lot of basketball to be played. We've still got to prove ourselves," said Grizzlies guard Sam Young, who had 19 points in the win. "We've got to go back tomorrow (at Houston) and prove ourselves or there's a possibility we'll drop down again. We're going to try to stay humble and let everybody know we're serious."

The Grizzlies pulled away with a 13-0 burst to begin the fourth quarter. They will try to work on their 11-17 ledger away from home.

The Rockets and Grizzlies will close out their 2010-11 season series tonight and Houston has won two of the first three meetings. Houston had won seven in a row before Memphis pulled out a 115-110 win on Jan. 21 at FedEx Forum. The Rockets are 15-4 in the previous 19 contests in this series.

Memphis has lost nine straight, 12 of 14 and 14 of its last 17 at Houston.