Portland Trail Blazers vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction: 5 Key Matchups | August 16th
The Portland Trail Blazers will face the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
The concept of a play-in tournament was birthed due to the odd nature of the shortened NBA season and the bubble environment that they had submitted themselves to.
At the end of the seeding games, the Portland Trail Blazers had clinched the eighth seed thanks to a 6-2 record in the bubble. The Memphis Grizzlies managed to crawl their way into the 9th seed after winning just two games since the restart.
Their poor performance has led to them entering this series at a disadvantage, as they need to beat the Portland Trail Blazers twice in order to advance. Both teams have performed well in their last seeding game and will be looking to use that momentum entering into this series.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Memphis Grizzlies Key Match-ups
Ja Morant vs Damian Lillard
The Rookie of The Year front-runner is set to take on one of the most seasoned veterans in the league currently. The winner of this match-up is likely going to propel their team to victory as was the case throughout the regular season.
The two stars met twice during the season and put up identical performances, which has led to their teams having a 1-1 record against each other prior to entering this match-up.
Damian Lillard will benefited from the incredible run of form that he has been enjoying over the past few games. Over the last three games, Damian Lillard has averaged 51 points and has stunned the virtual audience with his range.
Ja Morant hasn’t had the same luck shooting the ball over the past few games, but has sufficiently made up for that with his ability to create chances and crash the boards.
To make this match-up even more interesting, Ja Morant is coming off a triple-double performance against the Milwaukee Bucks while Damian Lillard is coming off a dominant double-double performance against the Brooklyn Nets.
Ja Morant definitely has the potential to limit Damian Lillard as long as he stays disciplined and closes him out.
Jonas Valanciunas vs Jusuf Nurkic
Jonas Valanciunas and Jusuf Nurkic have been identical from a production standpoint throughout the regular season. Both centers are currently averaging a double-double on the season and the battle under the basket will be a treat to watch. The Memphis Grizzlies have been dependent on Jonas Valanciunas to keep the ship afloat defensively due to their lack of quality depth at that position.
Jusuf Nurkic has displayed his durability and is producing at a high level despite a mid-season injury. The Portland Trail Blazers have terrorized opposing defenses with an unbeatable pick and roll combination that features Nurkic and Damian Lillard. Expect this battle to get extremely physical.
Garry Trent Jr. vs Grayson Allen
This bench battle is one that no one would have anticipated prior to the NBA restart. Grayson Allen has proved to be an efficient rotation player in Orlando and has averaged 12.8 points while shooting nearly 50% from behind the arc. Additionally, he has outdone most starting shooting guards in terms of his true shooting percentage in the bubble.
Garry Trent Jr. is the only bench player to average a higher three-point percentage on more than six attempts per game. Both players are known for their unapologetic nature and tenacity which will make this match-up all the more interesting to watch.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction
The experienced Portland Trail Blazers are favoured to win this match-up against the young Memphis Grizzlies. The Portland Trail Blazers' depth at the power forward and center position will surely overwhelm the Memphis Grizzlies. Additionally, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have been the hottest duo in the bubble thus far.
The Portland Trail Blazers are also complemented by Carmelo Anthony and Gary Trent Jr., who have shot well in the clutch. Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks will need to step up in order to push the Memphis Grizzlies one step forward to the promised land.
The Memphis Grizzlies have not had an ideal time in the bubble thus far and are looking to stun the Portland Trail Blazers. However, a second game is unlikely to be played in this play-in tournament.
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