After losing to the Grizzlies twice last week, the Trail Blazers now visit Memphis for the third and final game of the season series Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 51-42PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 27-19MEMPHIS HOME: Series is tied, 23-23LAST PORTLAND WIN: 140-135, 7/31/20 (Portland)LAST MEMPHIS WIN: 120-113, 4/25/21 (Portland)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Two (Memphis)
SERIES NOTES
• The Trail Blazers April 28 game against the Grizzlies will mark the conclusion of the 2020-21 season series between Portland and Memphis. Memphis leads 2-0, with all three meetings coming in the span of one week.
• LAST GAME: The Trail Blazers were defeated by the Grizzlies, 120-113, on April 25 at Moda Center. CJ McCollum paced Portland with 27 points (10-21 FG, 4-10 3-PT, 3-3 FT), two rebounds and three assists. Ja Morant led Memphis with 28 points (8-15 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 9-12 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• Over 22 career appearances opposite the Grizzlies, CJ McCollum has scored 480 total points. If he scores at least 20 on Wednesday, Memphis will be the first NBA team McCollum reaches 500 career points against. (493, Utah).
• Damian Lillard added 23 points (8-27 FG, 4-10 3-PT, 3-3 FT), six rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block against Memphis on April 25. Lillard has scored at least 20 points in each of his last seven games against the Grizzlies.
• On April 25, Jusuf Nurkic finished with 16 points (6-13 FG, 4-5 FT), 19 rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks. Combined with his 17 rebounds against Memphis on April 23, it marked the first time in his career recording 15+ rebounds in consecutive games.
• Ja Morant has scored at least 20 points in each of his last five games, including two games against Portland on April 23 and 25. It's the longest such streak of his career, and the last Grizzly to do so in at least six consecutive games was Mike Conley in March of 2019 (nine games).
• Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points (9-17 FG, 3-4 3-PT), 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals at Portland on April 25. It was his 41st double-double of the season, and his three made three-pointers tied a career-high (two times previous).
• Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke tied a career-high with 27 points against Portland on Feb. 12, 2020.
• MILESTONE WATCH: CJ McCollum (9,719 career points) is 14 points from passing Geoff Petrie for eighth on the Trail Blazers all-time scoring list. McCollum's career average of 18.8 points per game is the sixth-highest in franchise history.
LAST THREE GAMES
Game #61 - Portland 133, Indiana 112 — April 27, 2021, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
The Trail Blazers successfully snapped a five-game losing streak behind a season-high from Anfernee Simons, decidedly defeating the Pacers, 133-112 ... Portland had six players score in double-figures, improving to 9-0 when doing so in road games ... Portland recorded a season-high 57 rebounds, and shot a season-high 57.1% from three ... Anfernee Simons led Portland in scoring with 27 points (9-13 FG, 9-10 3-PT), four rebounds, four assists and two steals ... Damian Lillard added 23 points (6-14 FG, 4-8 3-PT, 7-7 FT), four rebounds and six assists ... CJ McCollum had 20 points (9-13 FG, 2-4 3-PT), two rebounds and four assists ... Robert Covington recorded his sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 15 points and 11 boards ... Jusuf Nurkic had 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists ... Enes Kanter had 12 points and 14 rebounds ... Oshae Brissett led Indiana with 18 points (5-11 FG, 4-7 3-PT, 4-6 FT), 10 rebounds, two steals and five blocks.
Game #60 - Memphis 120, Portland 113 — April 25, 2021, Moda Center, Portland
A furious 4th quarter Trail Blazer comeback came just short, as Portland fell to Memphis in consecutive games, 120-113 ... Portland recorded 50+ rebounds in consecutive contests for the first time this season ... CJ McCollum led Portland with 27 points (10-21 FG, 4-10 3-PT, 3-3 FT), two rebounds and three assists ... Damian Lillard added 23 points (8-27 FG, 4-10 3-PT, 3-3 FT), six rebounds and five assists ... Jusuf Nurkic recorded 16 points (6-13 FG, 4-5 FT), 19 rebounds, five assists and two blocks ... Nurkic recorded 15+ rebounds in consecutive games for the first time in his career ... Norman Powell had 17 points (7-15 FG, 3-4 FT), five rebounds, four assists and three steals ... Carmelo Anthony finished with 12 points (4-8 3-PT) and three rebounds ... Ja Morant paced the Grizzlies with 28 points (8-15 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 9-12 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and two steals ... Jonas Valanciunas recorded his 41st double-double, with 21 points and 10 boards.
Game #59 - Memphis 130, Portland 128 — April 23, 2021, Moda Center, Portland
Portland was not able to hold off Memphis late, giving up a third consecutive loss by two or fewer points as they fell 130-128 Friday night in Portland ... Portland had six players score in double-figures for the second consecutive game ... Damian Lillard led Portland in scoring with 27 points (8-22 FG, 3-11 3-PT, 8-10 FT), three rebounds and five assists ... Jusuf Nurkic recorded season-highs in both scoring and rebounding, finishing with 26 points, 17 rebounds and five assists ... CJ McCollum added 22 points (8-16 FG, 4-10 3-PT, 2-2 FT), tied a season-high with nine rebounds and had seven assists ... Norman Powell had 13 points (5-12 FG, 1-3 3-PT, 2-3 FT), two rebounds and two assists ... Carmelo Anthony had 13 points ... Enes Kanter recorded 12 points and seven boards off the bench ... Ja Morant led Memphis with 33 points (11-17 FG, 1-3 3-PT, 10-12 FT), five rebounds and 13 assists ... It was his fourth career game with at least 30 and 10.
INJURY NOTES
The Trail Blazers have not yet released their injury report for Wednesday’s game, though Zach Collins (left ankle, stress fracture) is out.
The Grizzlies have no injuries to report.
BROADCAST NOTES
Wednesday’s game can be seen locally on NBC Sports Northwest. The game can be heard on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations of the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.