West Coast Road Trip Begins: Grizz vs. Blazers

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Carmen Patton

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Tonight the Memphis Grizzlies will make their first stop on their six game road trip in Portland to face the Portland Trailblazers. This is the third and final meeting between these two teams this season. They’re currently 1-1 in the series with both of the previous games being played at Fed Ex Forum. Both games were close. In fact, there’s only an 8 point differential in the games combined.

Interestingly enough, these teams have played the same number of games and their records are flip flopped. The Grizzlies are seven games above 0.500 and the Trailblazers are seven games below 0.500. At 20-27, the Trailblazers are exactly seven games behind the Grizzlies (27-20) in the standings and find themselves a full game out of the playoff standings right now.

Here’s how they look head to head…

Previous Match-ups

In the loss, the Grizzlies allowed the Blazers to shoot 45.1 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from three, but in the win they held them to 30.5 percent from the field and 25 percent from three. Grizz shot under 40 percent in both games (38.3 in the loss and 35.6 in the win).

Grizzlies led in rebounding in both match-ups, as well as steals and bench points. They had fewer turnovers in the first game and were equal in the second and fewer assists in the first game and were equal in the second.

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies in points in both games with 21 and 36, respectively. JaMychal Green led in rebounds with 8 and 18, respectively. CJ McCollum led the Trailblazers in points in both games with 37 and 24, respectively. Maurice Harkless and Mason Plumlee tied with 7 rebounds in the first game and Al-Farouq Aminu led with 11 rebounds in the second.

Last Five Games

Both of these teams are 2-3 in the last five games. They’re also both 5-5 in the last ten games. Grizzlies team leaders Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are averaging almost 49 points a game in the last five games (Gasol at 30.8; Conley at 18). Trailblazers team leaders Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are averaging 46 points a game in the last five. Grizzlies have 48 rebounds/game in the last five compared to 45 rebounds/game by the Trailblazers. The Grizzlies also are shooting better than the Trailblazers in the last five shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three compared to 41.7 percent and 31 percent, respectively by the Trailblazers.

Tonight

Neither team is at full strength. Festus Ezeli and Tim Quarterman weren’t in either of the first match-ups for the Trailblazers and Brandan Wright wasn’t for the Grizzlies either. Ezeli is out, Quarterman is questionable, and Wright is out.

Ed Davis is also out and Maurice Harkless is questionable for the Trailblazers. Chandler Parsons and JaMychal Green, who didn’t play Wednesday night, are probable tonight for the Grizzlies and Troy Daniels, who hasn’t played since last Friday is questionable tonight for the Grizzlies.

Keys to the Win

If you know me, you know by now that consistency for 48 minutes STAYS on this list. However, we won’t expound on it today. Here’s what I’ve got today as keys to this win:

Know Your Personnel

The Grizzlies have gotten burned by some unlikely suspects in the last five games. Please see McDermott from Chicago, Porter from Washington, and Dekker from Houston for examples if you’re not on board with this statement or sure what I mean. While focus should definitely be given to Lillard and McCollum, let’s make sure we don’t leave the door open for someone else to murk us tonight. Yes, us, because I’m all in.

M&M

No, I don’t mean the chocolate candies. I mean Marc Gasol and Mike Conley or Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. However you say it, these two have to be big tonight. The same Gasol that’s played the last five games has to keep showing up. If the Marc Gasol that showed up Wednesday doesn’t mind showing up tonight, that would be awesome.

This team rolls with those two. When they’re being the leaders they’re meant to be, this team cannot be stopped. If you got the opportunity to see the game against the Raptors on Wednesday, you know that the team fed off Gasol’s energy in those first few minutes. That’s the type of energy this team needs to win.

Since Gasol has been announced as a three time All Star and unfortunately Conley’s been left outside looking in again, let’s feed off of that. Hopefully, they’ll show why Gasol was chosen and why Conley should have been.

Communication and Awareness

The Grizzlies have to communicate. When they’re on defense, everyone needs to know where they should be. They’ve got to stay committed to their assignment. Too many times in the last few games the Grizzlies have found themselves over-helping and leaving people wide-open to have their way.

On offense, know your role. There’s no need to get caught-up in a lot of isolation plays. If the isolation is working, well, work it, but if not, move the ball. The Grizz can ill afford for their offense to get stagnant. Know where every player is on the floor. Know who’s got the open shot. Know who’s got the hot hand. Make sure you’re not making errant passes that can be easily stolen.

Closed mouthed Grizzlies don’t win games. So, talk it out.

Grizz Nation, this is the first of six games out West. So, we all know what that means…late nights. Get your naps and your energy drinks. We’ve got some games to cheer on to victory. Don’t miss the match-up tonight in Portland at 9 p.m. CST. Go Grizz!

**Sources used nba.com**