Trail Blazers 97, Grizzlies 93
TRAIL BLAZERS 97, GRIZZLIES 93: Nicolas Batum scored 24 points and Wesley Matthews had 18 points and nine rebounds to help host Portland defeat Memphis.
Jamal Crawford scored 17 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 as the Trail Blazers won for only the fourth time in 13 games.
Marc Gasol had 22 points and nine rebounds and Tony Allen scored 17 points for the Grizzlies, who dropped to 3-13 in their last 16 games against Portland.
The Trail Blazers were 10 of 25 from 3-point range with Batum and Matthews knocking down four apiece. Portland also hit all 25 of its free-throw attempts.
Portland used a 15-3 surge in the final quarter to take an 81-74 lead on a tip-in by Aldridge with 7:28 remaining. Allen pulled the Grizzlies within 83-82 before Aldridge hit two free throws and Matthews drained a 3-pointer to get Portland’s lead back to six with 3:48 remaining.
Allen finished a personal run of scoring 11 straight Memphis points with a hoop with 3:15 left and Gasol scored on a layup to pull the Grizzlies within 91-88 with 2:15 remaining. Matthews hit two free throws and Crawford made four straight to help Portland hold on.
Raymond Felton added 13 points and nine assists without a turnover for the Trail Blazers.
Mike Conley scored 13 points and Zach Randolph added 12 for Memphis.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Batum topped 20 points for the first time since scoring 29 against Minnesota on March 3. … Gasol has scored 20 or more points 15 times this season. … The Trail Blazers bench again struggled by hitting 5 of 18 shots after going 2-for-29 in Tuesday’s loss to Milwaukee. … Guard Gilbert Arenas had two points in 12 minutes in his Grizzlies debut.