It started off ugly but got prettier and prettier as the Blazers put away a Western conference rival for a sweet third straight win. The Memphis Grizzlies are a middling team, but they have some quality players, most notably point guard Mike Connelly, one of the most under-the-radar heroes in the NBA. The Blazer bench unit were the stars of this game, outscoring the Memphis reserves by a whopping 44-14. Meyers Leonard, Zach Collins, and Evan Turner all had big nights, and Stauskas and Curry shined as well. The final score was 99-92.
The first seven minutes of this game appeared disastrous for the Blazers as they turned the ball over repeatedly, missed nearly every shot, and fell behind 15-4. However, Memphis couldn't take full advantage of this slow start, and the period ended on a 13-3 Blazer run, sparked mainly by some spunky play by erratic big man Meyers Leonard. Leonard seems more comfortable this season than ever, as he was fighting for his NBA life at the end of last year. He still looks a little lost from time to time, but the guy is legitimately huge and when he gets inside and uses those hard-earned muscles, he can be intimidating and effective.
Memphis' Mike Conley caught fire in the second quarter and led the Grizzlies to a 52-47 point lead at the half. Would the Blazers recover in the second half, or let things slip away? It's a been a hot question all season. First let's take a look at some of the fans populating the hallways of the Moda Center:
These guys were part of some kind of pep squad. I encountered them stretching out and practicing dance moves which I assumed they performed during one of the breaks:
Check out this cool couple:
I always like it when fans show up ready to play ball just in case the Blazers need a last minute sub:
This woman wore a scarf which blinked real lights, emanating the holiday spirit:
Another cool couple:
And some goofball kids:
Alright, back to the action. Team captain Damian Lillard had another stellar third quarter as he began draining three pointers and notched fifteen points in the period. On top of that, the Blazer bench continued their hustling ways and brought the home squad back into it. The Blazers took a five point lead going into the fourth quarter. Coach Stotts rewarded his bench unit by keeping them on the floor well into the final period, and they held strong. Memphis made a little run at the end, but things never got too close. Want to see the highlight plays from this game? There are some good ones.
Beary good highlights 🎥 pic.twitter.com/UekOqQHMcW
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 20, 2018
This is the Blazer team that looked so promising at the start of this season; a team that can withstand weaker performances by some players because they next guy will step up. CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic had uncharacteristically poor games, scoring only eleven and three points respectively, but it didn't matter on a night when the reserves played so well.
The Blazers record now stands at 18-13, in fifth place just behind the rising Los Angeles Lakers. This is about where you'd expect them to be, but it will be a hard spot to hold as the season continues. The Blazers play the struggling Utah Jazz at home on Friday. It's a game they should win, but will likely be competitive.
