Memphis Grizzlies (7-6, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (8-6, sixth in the Western Conference)
Portland; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Damian Lillard leads Portland into a matchup with Memphis. He’s third in the NBA scoring 28.1 points per game.
The Trail Blazers are 6-4 against conference opponents. Portland ranks fourth in the Western Conference shooting 37.4% from deep, led by Carmelo Anthony shooting 44.2% from 3-point range.
The Grizzlies are 2-3 in Western Conference play. Memphis has a 7-3 record when scoring at least 100 points.
The Trail Blazers and Grizzlies square off Friday for the first time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Lillard is averaging 28.1 points and 6.7 assists for the Trail Blazers. Anthony is averaging 12.3 points and 3 rebounds while shooting 41.5% over the last 10 games for Portland.
Dillon Brooks leads the Grizzlies averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers while scoring 15.2 points per game and shooting 30.5% from beyond the arc. Brandon Clarke is averaging 6.7 rebounds and 14.2 points per game over the last 10 games for Memphis.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 116 points, 44.3 rebounds, 21.3 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points on 46.4% shooting.
Grizzlies: 6-4, averaging 103.9 points, 44.6 rebounds, 28.6 assists, 11.4 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.1 points on 45.5% shooting.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic: out (wrist), Zach Collins: out (ankle), CJ McCollum: out (left foot).
Grizzlies: Jontay Porter: out (knee), Jonas Valanciunas: out (health protocols), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out (knee), Justise Winslow: out (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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