Rockets rest starters, rout short-handed Grizzlies

Clint Capela produced a double-double in his third start of the season while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard combined for 39 points as the host Houston Rockets closed the regular season with a 132-101 victory over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

The Rockets (52-30) concluded the schedule with nine victories in their last 10 games. With the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secured, Houston rested four starters in its finale: Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.

Capela paired a season-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Eason added 20 points and eight rebounds while Sheppard posted 19 points. Jae'Sean Tate tallied 13 points and six rebounds while making his first start of the season.

Houston swept a season series against the Grizzlies for the first time since 2009-10.

Memphis (25-57) had only seven players available. Dariq Whitehead scored a career-high 26 points; Rayan Rupert (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Jahmai Mashack (11 points, 11 assists) added double-doubles for the Grizzlies, who closed the season with 21 losses in 23 games.

Whitehead provided the Grizzlies an early lift with a 3-for-3 start from behind the arc that pushed Memphis to a 13-12 lead. But the Rockets immediately responded with an 7-0 spurt capped by a Sheppard 3-pointer. When the Grizzlies reclaimed the lead with an 8-0 rally, the Rockets fashioned a decisive surge that spun momentum in their favor for good.

Houston closed the first period with a 10-0 run that featured free throws from Dorian Finney-Smith, JD Davison and Eason, who added an alley-oop dunk off a Davison assist during the rally. The Rockets, on the strength of 10 second-chance points and 16 points in the paint, carried a modest 32-26 lead into the second quarter. That margin swelled quickly and continued to build.

Finney-Smith gave Houston its first double-digit lead at 40-30 with a 3-pointer at the 9:18 mark. When Eason sank consecutive pull-up jumpers, that cushion reached 56-36 with 3:51 left in the half. Sheppard bridged the halves with a flourish, first with a dunk that gave the Rockets a 66-45 lead. He then opened the third quarter with consecutive 3s that ignited the rout.