The No. 4 Portland Trail Blazers ( 1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS ) look to extend their season and the series when they visit the No. 5 Memphis Grizzlies ( 3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS ) Wednesday in Game Five of their first-round playoff matchup. You can watch the game live on TNT.
The Blazers avoided a sweep with a stirring fourth quarter comeback, extending their series at least one more game with a 99-92 win Monday, and now attempt to get back into the series after beating Memphis for the first time in eight tries this season. Portland is hoping to become the first team in NBA history to complete a rally from a 3-0 series deficit.
The Grizzlies blew a ripe opportunity for the first four-game series sweep in franchise history losing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and were not happy about the lost chance. They return home with a chance to close out the Blazers and earn the right to play the Warriors in the next round. Memphis is a 5.5-point favorite and covered the spread comfortably in the first two games of the series at home when the teams cashed the under both times.
KEY INJURY
Grizzlies starting point guard Mike Conley underwent surgery to repair multiple facial fractures that he suffered in Saturday’s game and is expected to miss the remainder of the series.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“The first two games I came out kind of shaky and played like a younger player, making mistakes and not making open shots. I just wanted to show my teammates that I could play in a big game and help them out. I was aggressive, trying to get to the cup.” – Blazers guard CJ McCollum
BETTING TRENDS
- Portland is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games.
- Memphis is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
- The UNDER is 24-3 in Memphis’ last 27 home games.
KEY STATS
17: The Blazers, who won an NBA-high 17 games during the regular season when trailing by 10 or more points, overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit Monday for their first win in the series.
8: The Grizzlies committed eight or fewer turnovers in each of the first three series games becoming the first Western Conference team to do so since the 2007-08 Hornets. They had nine turnovers on Monday.
13: Portland center Meyers Leonard had a playoff career-best 13 points Monday making five of six shots including all three three-pointers and has made seven threes in the playoffs.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Blazers gutted out an impressive 99-92 win Monday, avoiding a sweep and getting a shot of confidence in the process. For most of the night it looked like the Blazers were going to roll over and concede the series but an emotional Damian Lillard broke out of a shooting slump, Meyers Leonard and CJ McCollum provided their most important performances in the NBA and 13 players refused to go down without a fight. The result was a comeback win and the Blazers snatched momentum in the series.
Memphis was not happy following Monday’s failure to close out the series, blowing a 10-point lead with 8:38 left in the fourth quarter. They aren’t using the excuse of being without starting point guard Mike Conley, who’s expected to miss the rest of the series. “We’re not happy with ourselves. We’re better than that,” reserved guard Beno Udrih said after the game. Udrih and Nick Calathes combined for 25 points and six assists filling in for Conley.
Damian Lillard gave the Blazers a boost with 32 points Monday but the play of McCollum and Leonard was the difference. McCollum stepped up with his second straight strong effort scoring 18 points following a 26-point night in Game Three and Memphis has been unable to defend him. He’ll need another big game if Arron Afflalo and LaMarcus Aldridge continue their struggles. The Griz simply vapor locked down the stretch Monday allowing the emotional Blazers to get the upperhand. Don’t look for that to happen Wednesday.
Memphis 96, Portland 90
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