Trail Blazers at Grizzlies
The hiring of coach David Fizdale was supposed to usher in a new offensive philosophy and higher point totals for the traditionally defensive-minded Memphis Grizzlies. The team is still struggling to get the pace up on a consistent basis and will try to nudge its point total out of the 80s when the Grizzlies host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Memphis sandwiched an 89-83 win over the New Orleans Pelicans around a pair of losses in which it averaged 84 points, and the offense looked stagnant at times. “We’ve got to learn our offense a little bit more,” point guard Mike Conley told the team's website. “I think guys are getting stuck because the first or second options aren’t available and teams are starting to take away those options. We have to get better at getting to the third and fourth options and keep the ball moving. Guys will shoot the ball better." The Trail Blazers generally endure their biggest challenges at the other end of the floor but held the Dallas Mavericks to 41 percent shooting in a 105-95 win on Friday after surrendering a combined 245 points in back-to-back losses. Portland is finishing off a three-game road trip at Memphis and will play four of its next five at home.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (3-3): Portland's defense was improved on Friday, but the highlights were still provided by point guard Damian Lillard on offense. The self-appointed MVP candidate scored a season-high 42 points on 12-of-18 shooting and is averaging 34.2 while draining 52.3 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. Lillard, who struggled to 22 points on 39.1 percent shooting in four games against Memphis last season, also chopped his turnovers down of late - committing a total of four in the last three games.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (3-3): Memphis has its own franchise point guard in Conley, who became the highest-paid player in the NBA over the summer and is doing his part to lift the team out of its offensive slump. Conley went 7-of-11 from 3-point range en route to a season-high 30 points on Friday and added 10 assists in the setback. Conley also did not commit any of his team's 19 turnovers, which led to 30 points, after committing at least four in each of his previous three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Grizzlies SF Chandler Parsons (knee) could make his team debut on Tuesday.
2. Trail Blazers G/F Evan Turner went 1-of-8 from the field on Friday after connecting on 15-of-24 in the previous three games.
3. The teams split four meetings last season, capped by Portland's 112-106 overtime win in Memphis on Feb. 8.