The Portland Trail Blazers overcome the Memphis Grizzlies in a 102 – 89 win
The Portland Trail Blazers stepped up their intensity in the second half to hand an under-manned Memphis Grizzlies team a 102 – 89 defeat at the Rose Garden in Portland on Tuesday. With Tony Allen
and Zach Randolph being rested by Grizzlies’ Coach Lionel Hollins, Portland finally found their rhythm and outscored the Grizzlies 57 – 44 in the second half to secure the win.
Memphis took a sizable 11 – 5 lead early in the first quarter behind a 3-pointer by O.J. Mayo, only to have the Blazers respond with a 12 – 5 run to turn the tables a take a one-point lead as the
clock read 4:21. The teams exchanged baskets as the first quarter ended without a clear picture of the better team.
Ish Smith made consecutive jumpers in the second period to tie things up at 33 – 33. Portland countered with a 10 – 2 run to snatch the advantage, but Memphis was not willing to concede. The Grizzlies
fired-off a 10 – 2 run of their own to knot it up heading into the second half.
After the game was tied at 45 -45, the Blazers stepped on the gas and took control of the game behind some strong play by Nicolas Batum and Gerald Wallace in the third quarter. Batum poured in 10,
while Wallace contributed nine points in the third period to overtake the Grizzlies.
Rudy Fernandez picked up his game in the fourth quarter too, adding 11 points in the final 12 minutes to power the Blazers over the Grizzlies.
To lead the Portland charge, LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game-high 22 points and also had 11 rebounds, while Rudy Fernandez added 18 and was 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
With Memphis already locked into the eighth playoff spot in the East, Coach Hollins decided to rest Allen and Randolph while also giving his bench a run-out in a somewhat meaning-less game.
Guard Mike Conley held the Grizzlies together with his 17 points; Marc Gasol posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, Sam Young went 5-of-9 to put up 13 points, while Hamed Haddadi posted
nine points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Memphis.
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