Houston Rockets at Memphis Grizzlies

Harden drops second 50-point game vs. Grizzlies

All because of a last-second free throw.

Mike Conley scored 35 points and Jonas Valanciunas had a career-best 33, including the game-winning free throw with less than a second left as the Memphis Grizzlies outlasted the Rockets 126-125 on Wednesday night.

"We put ourselves in a hole and tried to pick it up, but it was too late,'' Harden said. "We were down [17], so I had to do something.''

Harden scored all 10 points for Houston in overtime, and the teams were still tied at 125 when Clint Capela fouled Valanciunas with 0.1 seconds left. Valanciunas, who also had 15 rebounds, made the first of two free throws. The clock ran out after he missed the second foul shot.

Harden had previously scored 57 against the Grizzlies on Jan. 14. He's the third player to record multiple 50-point games against one opponent in a season over the past 30 seasons, joining Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

It was also his seventh 50-point game of the season, and he became the second player in NBA history to record a 50-point game in five straight months, joining Wilt Chamberlain.

Chris Paul had 18 points and seven assists for Houston, which had won three straight. Capela added 14 points and 10 rebounds. The loss was only Houston's second in the last 14 games.

"It was one of those games. Every once in a while it crops up,'' Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "You've got to go on. It's too bad, but we just kind of threw that away.''

Memphis dominated the game through 3½ quarters until the Harden-led comeback. Conley made all six of his shots, including a quartet of 3-pointers, in the first quarter. Valanciunas made all nine of his shots in the first half.

But despite the double-digit lead into the fourth, the Grizzlies had to weather Harden's 28 points after the third quarter.

TIP-INS

Rockets: Harden's 57 points were just short of his career-best 61 against the Knicks on Jan. 23. ... Eric Gordon (rest) was given the night off, and Kenneth Faried sat out with left knee soreness. ... Harden's streak of five straight double-doubles ended. ... Houston made 21 3-pointers, the most by a Memphis opponent this season and second-most in Grizzlies franchise history (23 by the Pistons on April 8, 2018).

Grizzlies: Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel, signed recently by the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football, attended the game. ... Conley has scored at least 20 points in six straight games, matching the longest such streak of his career. ... Memphis recorded no blocks for the first time this season.

BAD START

Houston had little answer for the Grizzlies early as Memphis built the lead to 19, making 74 percent of its shots in the first quarter, including going 7-of-11 from outside the arc. "We weren't doing anything,'' Harden said. "Defensively they were getting what they wanted. Offensively we weren't being aggressive. The fourth quarter and overtime we played well.''

BOARD WORK

SPOILERS

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.

Grizzlies: At the Orlando Magic on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Regular Season Series

HOU wins series 3-1