Grizzlies at Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers still have time to make it a series with
Memphis but they need to chime in with a strong Game 3 performance on
Saturday to make it happen. The Grizzlies won each of the first two
games of the Western Conference first-round series by double digits
while controlling both contests.
Memphis’ physical style appears to be more than the Trail Blazers can handle as Portland has lost all six meetings this season with the Grizzlies and trailed by as many as 29 points in the opener and 18 in Game 2. “We can’t look at the first two games and say it’s impossible,” point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. “We’ve just got to keep believing.” Trail Blazers star LaMarcus Aldridge averaged 28 points and 14 rebounds in the first two games and the Grizzlies were still able to hold Portland to an average of 84 points. And Aldridge had to hoist 54 shots – making a subpar 37 percent – to score one-third of the Trail Blazers’ points.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, SportSouth (Memphis), KGW (Portland)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Point guard Mike Conley has put together back-to-back solid games while playing with a sprained right foot that sidelined him for the final four games of the regular season. Conley averaged 17 points and badly outplayed Lillard despite a ritual that would have kept a less determined player on the sidelines. “It’s a lot of sleepless nights, constantly doing rehab, constantly in a tub or constantly hooked up to some machine trying to fix my foot,” Conley told reporters. “It’s going to flare up, no matter what I do. It’s my new routine, my new reality right now.”
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS: Portland could have shooting guard Arron Afflalo (shoulder) on the floor for the first time in the series but what it really needs is for Lillard to return to form. Lillard is a porous 10-of-37 from the field and 1-of-11 from 3-point range, and his lack of productivity crippled the Trail Blazers’ chances of competing in Memphis. “Talking to him and getting in his ear isn’t going to make anything better,” Aldridge told reporters in reference to his slump-ridden teammate. “I’ve been there.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Memphis committed just 14 total turnovers while winning the first two games.
2. Portland C Chris Kaman (ankle, back) is questionable for Game 3.
3. Grizzlies G Beno Udrih stunningly averaged 15 points over the first two games but is questionable for Game 3 after injuring an ankle in Game 2.