NEW YORK, 15 March 2004 — Jim Jackson scored 20 points and sealed the game with a running jump shot with 50 seconds left, leading the Houston Rockets to an 88-80 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Saturday night in Houston.
The Rockets won their fifth straight game in a battle between two of the Western Conference’s hottest teams.
Memphis saw its seven-game winning streak snapped with the loss as the Grizzlies failed to clinch their first winning season in franchise history. The Grizzlies are 41-25, just one season after posting their previous best franchise record at 28-54.
The Rockets pulled into a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and then held off a determined Memphis comeback to improve to 4-0 on a five-game homestand, which concludes today.
Yao Ming added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who improved to 39-26 with the win.
Cuttino Mobley added 15 points for the Rockets, while Steve Francis scored 14.
Stromile Swift led the Grizzlies with 19 points, while Bonzi Wells added 16.
In other NBA games Saturday:
Paul Pierce scored 37 points as the Boston Celtics moved back into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 111-102 win over the Washington Wizards.
Brent Barry had 25 points and 10 assists to lead the Seattle SuperSonics to a 115-101 win over the Orlando Magic.
Baron Davis had 24 points and 11 assists as the New Orleans Hornets beat the Golden State Warriors 102-84, handing the Warriors their ninth straight loss.
Kobe Bryant had 35 points and Shaquille O’Neal added 16 points and 15 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers got by the Chicago Bulls 88-81. Michael Finley scored 38 points as the Dallas Mavericks routed the Phoenix Suns 113-90.
Antoine Walker added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks, who have won just twice in their last six games — both over Phoenix. The Mavericks snapped a four-game road-losing streak and won at America West Arena for the first time in five visits. This game was never a contest as Dallas scored a season-high 70 points in the first half, leading by as many as 31. Phoenix trimmed the deficit to 16 late in the third quarter but got no closer.
