Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview

The Portland Trail Blazers have a golden opportunity for a four-game winning streak on Sunday, something they only accomplished once last season when they won their first four games in a row back in October. Securing their third victory this season wasn’t an easy task for Portland as they had to overcome a 10-point deficit with 3:21 to go in the fourth quarter to tie the game and force overtime. In the extra period, the Blazers never trailed and emerged with a thrilling 115-113 win against Memphis on Friday night.

Seeking revenge and eager for their first win of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies remain in town to take another shot at the Blazers. It has been a challenging start to the season for the Grizzlies, who are currently the only winless team in the NBA. They are extra motivated to make up for blowing their late lead in their previous matchup.

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Memphis Grizzlies – Sunday, November 5 – 6:00 p.m. PT

How to watch on TV: Root Sports, NBA League Pass

Trail Blazers injuries: Ish Wainright (out), Anfernee Simons (out), Scoot Henderson (out), Toumani Camara (questionable)

Grizzlies injuries: Derrick Rose (out), Steven Adams (out), Brandon Clarke (out), Santi Aldama (out), John Konchar (out)

The Matchup

• Desmond Bane. One of the few bright spots for Memphis right now is Desmond Bane. He has been averaging an impressive 26 points on 47.1% shooting, and he displayed his brilliance in the previous game against the Blazers. Bane led all scorers with 33 points and contributed eight rebounds and seven assists. The Blazers have proven that they can defeat the Grizzlies even when Bane performs exceptionally well. However, it would be easier for Portland if they can contain Bane and prevent him from reaching his season averages.
• Defense. Brace yourself for this revelation. In fact, I’m hesitant to even say it out loud because of potential jinxing. However, it must be acknowledged that the Blazers are currently performing remarkably well on defense. They rank among the top 10 teams in the NBA in terms of defensive rating. Surprisingly, a team with height, length, and youthful energy can create problems for opponents. Who would have anticipated this? Of course, it’s still a long season, and there are no guarantees that Portland will maintain their status as a top 10 defensive team as we approach February or March. Nevertheless, after what feels like a decade, one can finally envision a future for this team that includes consistently solid defense.
• Shooting. The Grizzlies’ woeful shooting percentage of 43.3% stands out as a significant statistic. Only two teams have a worse shooting percentage than Memphis. Regrettably, one of those teams is the Blazers. It’s somewhat understandable for a young team like Memphis to struggle in shooting efficiency, but it’s unexpected for a team like Portland, which was widely regarded as a playoff contender before the season began. The Blazers see potential in improving their 42.8% field goal percentage and believe that good things will happen once they raise that number to respectable levels. On the other hand, the Grizzlies are facing panic mode with such a low shooting percentage, especially considering that they are surrendering 8.2 more points to their opponents compared to the Blazers.

What Others Are Saying

According to John Hollinger and Kelly Iko of The Athletic (subscription required), they discuss the situation in Memphis.

“Before we go, let’s remember that when I was working for the Grizz back in 2013-14, we started the year with a 10-15 record. Some of the losses back then didn’t look much different from the one against Utah last night. Despite that, we ended up winning 50 games. The NBA season gives teams plenty of opportunities to bounce back. If the Grizzlies can split the next 20 games before Morant returns, they might still have enough momentum to make a run.”

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report suggests that Memphis needs to emphasize running more in order to break out of their current slump.

“Although the Grizzlies aren’t excelling in transition, they have a higher scoring efficiency on the break compared to halfcourt sets. Despite the absence of Morant and his turbo speed, Memphis should still push the pace. With or without Morant, the Grizzlies have consistently struggled to score against a set defense, ranking no higher than 22nd in halfcourt offense since 2016-17.”

Jonah Dylan of the Memphis Commercial Appeal emphasizes the need for more contributions from players beyond Bane and Jackson.

“It’s clear that Memphis must find additional production outside of Bane and Jackson. Bane played a whopping 44 minutes in the last game, and it’s unrealistic to expect him to log 40-plus minutes every night.”