Memphis Grizzlies coaches, players expressed disappointment after a home loss to the Houston Rockers on Thursday night.

The Houston Rockets have been one of the biggest surprises of the season so far, boasting strong veteran play and one of the better young cores in the entire NBA. But on Thursday night, it will face one of its most important games of the season in a bout with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Memphis Grizzlies are playing a big Western Conference game against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. The injury report includes several key players, b

The past few seasons have not been kind to Ja Morant when it comes to injuries. After playing only nine games last season, Morant made a triumphant return to the Memphis Grizzlies. While Morant has been relatively available for Memphis,

The Grizzlies were told by Jimmy Butler and his agent to not trade for him, according to a report from NBA insider Chris Haynes.

The Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Grizzlies Foundation will celebrate National Mentoring Month throughout January, hosting numerous events to highlight the importance of mentorship and recognize the people and organizations that dedicate their time to supporting the success of young Memphians.

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Lastly, fan voting returns from Thursday suggest that LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets has a strong chance to be voted as a starter. He leads all East backcourt players in fan voting. Given Ball's time missed to injury (11 games so far) and Charlotte's lowly 8-27 record, his safest path to the All-Star Game is as a starter.

Ja Morant (21.2 ppg) is getting closer to returning for the Grizzlies, but it appears that his shoulder sprain will keep him out for at least one more game tonight. Desmond Bane (16.7 ppg) is questionable with a sprained ankle, while reserves Marcus Smart (9.2 ppg) and Santi Aldama (13.0 ppg) are also on the mend.

Memphis threatened late but Houston held on, defeated Memphis 119-115. The Grizz got 43 points from their bench while the Rockets had just 23 yet the Rockets poured in 31 PTS off TO while Memphis had just 11 in that category. Houston wins their third straight and sixth straight on the road, moving to 25-12 as the Grizzlies fall to 24-14.

The Dallas Mavericks sought a two-game winning streak, and so did the Portland Trail Blazers, as the two West teams entered Thursday night’s game. The Mavericks defeated the Trail Blazers 117-111 at the American Airlines Center on Thursday night.