The Portland Trail Blazers got back on track in NBA action tonight, grounding the Memphis Grizzlies 122-114. Jrue Holiday led the way with 35 points, followed by Jerami Grant with 30. Tops for the Grizzlies was Jaylen Wells with 24.
Following are a few observations:
Chalk One Up for the Old Guys
According to an old Hawaiian proverb, you need a nifty navigator to get your canoe where you want it to go. The Blazers had one of those tonight in Jrue Holiday, who managed to dominate long stretches of this game. His 35 points came on 13
for 19 from the field and 8 for 11 from beyond the three-point line, and he iced the cake with 11 assists and 5 rebounds.
And he wasn’t the only vet to show up. Jerami was 11 of 19 and 3 of 8 on the way to his 30 points. He was only 5 of 9 from the free-throw line, so these old guys don’t do everything right. In this one, though, they came pretty close.
Early Exit
Donovan Clingan was the biggest guy on the court tonight until he wasn’t. With 3:14 left in the second quarter, he was ejected after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for clipping Olivier-Maxence Prosper with an elbow to the jaw. This was the second game in a row when frustration seemed to lead Donovan astray, this time apparently a reaction to a non-call moments earlier. He logged 7 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks in 12 minutes.
And Then There Was Rob
Fortunately for the Blazers, Robert Williams III was on hand tonight. Timelord put his personal stamp on the proceedings to mitigate the damage, clocking 23 minutes good for 20 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. There is something cathartic about watching Rob appear out of nowhere to snag a board or jam a lob. Count him as another old guy, I guess, at least compared to Donovan.
Rupert Report
Recently waived Blazer Rayan Rupert surfaced in the starting lineup for the Grizzlies tonight. As is frequently the case in the NBA, one step backward is followed by two steps forward. Rayan’s numbers were modest, but he spent 32 minutes on the couret and looked right at home with this long, lean group of Grizzlies.
One and Done
The Blazers came up with 10 steals in this game, one by each of the 10 players who saw action. This helped compensate for 16 turnovers, a number slightly better than the 17 coughed up by Memphis. If that sounds like the game was a little ragged at times, you are hearing it right. But the end results probably sounds about right to a Blazers team that definitely needed this win.
Up Next
It’s onward and hopefully upward for the Blazers, with the next stop in Houston Friday to wrestle with the Rockets. Game time in 5 p.m. Pacific.
