Roundup
Dallas Mavericks
Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans
San Antonio Spurs
Ty Jerome sets Grizzlies record, Southwest Division roundup
No Southwest games on Thursday, but Ty Jerome’s record night for Memphis and Houston’s faster pace with Fred VanVleet still set the tone.
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There were no Southwest Division games on Thursday, but storylines from Wednesday’s openers are still carrying the day. The Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets both sit at 1-0, while the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs are all looking for their first win at 0-1.
Grizzlies: Ty Jerome erupts, JJJ returns to Memphis
As relayed by Hoops Rumors, Ty Jerome delivered a historic debut to the Grizzlies’ season on Wednesday. He set a franchise record for points in a season opener with 45 in a lopsided victory over the Jazz. The eighth-year guard, whose previous career high was 33, went 17-for-25 from the field in a remarkably efficient performance that powered Memphis to its first win.
Hoops Rumors also notes that Wednesday marked Jaren Jackson Jr.’s first trip back to Memphis since his surprise trade to Utah in February. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, cited in the report, Jackson Jr. received a standing ovation from fans, many of whom were still wearing his old Grizzlies jersey.
Rockets: faster pace with VanVleet back
The Houston Rockets opened their season Wednesday by knocking off the Dallas Mavericks, and they did it by cranking up the tempo. According to Hoops Rumors, summarizing a report from The Athletic, Houston played at a much faster pace than last year, repeatedly pushing the ball up the floor.
Point guard Fred VanVleet was back in action after missing all of the 2025-26 campaign, and his presence helped fuel that uptempo approach. The result was a 1-0 start for the Rockets and an early Southwest loss for Dallas.
Mavericks, Pelicans, Spurs: quiet day, same record
For the Dallas Mavericks, the headline remains that opening loss to Houston, with no additional news emerging Thursday. They sit at 0-1 in the division.
The New Orleans Pelicans (0-1) and San Antonio Spurs (0-1) were also idle and stayed out of the news cycle. With Houston and Memphis already in the win column, the rest of the Southwest will be trying to avoid early separation in the standings once they return to the court.