NBA 2018-19: 3 talking points from Houston Rockets' win over Memphis Grizzlies

This potential playoff match-up between Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies was as good a reflection of their present form as anything. The match was a nice stroll down the future lane, as Marc Gasol had his way with Clint Capela in the paint, Jaren Jackson Jr continued to look like this draft's steal, and James Harden had his way with the referees.

Memphis are the most pleasant surprise package of the NBA by far, and no one except those who knows how good Gasol and Mike Conley are could have predicted that. The Grizzlies haven't actually missed the playoffs in the past couple of seasons except last year, when they favored tanking for a lottery pick after Conley got injured.

Meanwhile, the Rockets are something of a worst-case scenario, where the team that retained its core of three stars has somehow ended up ruing letting go its role players like Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute. The Rockets sit at a dispiriting 14-14, finally having reached that oasis of .500 land when Harden exploded for a 50-point triple double against the Lakers (even more unbelievable is the 19 Free Throws Attempted stat line).

Here's three talking points about the game yesterday:

1) The Grizzlies polish their reputation

Memphis are the grit and grind team of the league.

The Rockets won 107-95, but the final score belied the game. The Grizzlies tied down Houston's hands at the beginning of the third quarter and cut a 21 point deficit to 7 points. They went for their typical grind games, toughening their defense and exposing the unreliability of Houston's "statistical advantage" by making the Rockets' players take threes at a sad conversion rate.

The Grizzlies closed passing lanes into the paint, forcing the Rockets into missed shots and turnovers at a good (for Memphis) rate to get back into the game (sort of). And Gasol went to work on Capela early in the first half.

Mike Conley Jr continued his silent path on the high road to an All Star Game nomination as he suffocated Paul's presence, who still finished with 10 assists. Conley finished with 22 points, 6 assists and 2 rebounds.

2) Memphis miss their injured players

Memphis Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks

The Dillon Brooks injury has hurt Memphis. They lack depth behind him, especially with Kyle Anderson injured as well.

Anderson was important to last year's San Antonio squad, and he's valuable to Memphis now. The slow guard, who is probably Memphis' best perimeter defender, was sorely missed due to his excellent ability to chase wings off the 3 point land and force a pass or a shot.

Memphis have a lot of decent talent, but no one to really fill a starter's shoes. Enter Anderson's injury.

He's also an excellent playmaker, playing at his own slow pace which suits the Grizzlies offense perfectly. Memphis are perfectly fine with slowing down their offense and playing their opponents to half court exhaustion, something that is completely at odds with the rest of the league.

With the fourth best defense and slowest offense, Memphis play their opposition unto exhaustion.

3) Are the Rockets back?

Houston Rockets Coach Mike D'Antoni

Houston are one of the more confounding teams of the league. How could a Western Conference finalist one half and 22 consecutive missed threes be struggling to reach a .500 record the next season? Here's why:

- Daryl Morey underestimated his role players' importance to the Rockets machine.

- Three pointers are fickle statistics to have an offensive diet on.

- Injuries to the squad have messed the chemistry up.

Houston's offensive players are more like offenders. Last game against the Lakers, Harden had 18 field goals attempted and 19 free throws. That is an unimaginable statistic.

Paul and Harden are masters of theatricality and the dribble, often initiating little contact and selling it as a foul to officials.

But Houston beat Los Angeles' LeBron-led team and now have ground it out against the Grizzlies on the road. That may not be sustainable, but something is working for them right now.

Maybe last season's world-beating, lob-throwing, three-pointer-lights-out-shooting, free-throwing Rockets are back.