WHO: Memphis Grizzlies (49-29, 34-6 home) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (33-45, 16-22 away)

WHERE: FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee

WHEN: 7:00 PM CT

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN: Bally Sports Southeast/92.9 FM ESPN Memphis

INJURY REPORT:

MEMPHIS: Dillon Brooks (Questionable, hip), Steven Adams (Out, knee), Brandon Clarke (Out, Achilles), Ziaire Williams (Out, ankle/foot)

PORTLAND (per Trail Blazers Twitter account):

(2/2):

QUESTIONABLE
Butler Jr. (L Ankle Impingement)
Knox II (L Knee Soreness)
Reddish (Lumbar Soreness)
Watford (R Ankle Sprain)

— Trail Blazers PR (@TrailBlazersPR) April 3, 2023

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS:

MEMPHIS: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier TIllman Sr.

PORTLAND: Skylar Mays, Shaedon Sharpe, Matisse Thybulle, Drew Eubanks, Trendon Watford

I have written countless Game Previews as part of my nearly decade-long career as a contributor at Grizzly Bear Blues. I don’t think I have ever had to embed the Twitter thread of the opposing team’s account for an injury report before.

There is a first time for everything, I suppose.

The Portland Trail Blazers – well, a team saying they are the Portland Trail Blazers – will be in Memphis tonight to take on the Grizzlies. While Dillon Brooks is banged up and Memphis still misses Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke (plus Ziaire Williams, but he is not currently a rotation player), the Grizzlies have no room to complain about health concerns. Portland potentially could be suiting up 8 or 9 active players TOTAL for tonight’s game.

Of course, at least half that list could play if the Blazers were in the playoff hunt. But since they’re not…embrace the tank.

Funny thing about that is, the Tank Blazers knocked off the very-much-alive Minnesota Timberwolves last time out behind strong performances from rookie Shaedon Sharpe, Kevin Knox II, and others. For the Trail Tankers are still made up of professional basketball players, and professional basketball coaches. If you do not respect them, they can – and will – beat you.

So how does Memphis avoid a Minnesota mishap and finish their home regular season slate with a W?

Understand the stakes

With the Grizzlies staring down their final back to back of the 2022-2023 campaign, Memphis is on the precipice of something quite important. Yes, the Grizzlies collapsed on the road (again) – this time at the hands of the Chicago Bulls. But thanks to an even-more surprising failure from the Sacramento Kings against the San Antonio Spurs this weekend, Memphis still holds the #2 seed in the Western Conference by two games.

So with every victory the Grizzlies secure, the greater the likelihood is that Memphis is that #2 seed.

That is significant – second round home court advantage, playing a play-in team (although that matters less this season considering how jumbled the middle of the playoff picture is out west)…it all adds up. But this year, the former is far more important than the latter. The Grizzlies boast the NBA’s best home court record this season, an impressive and historic for the franchise 34-6. Any additional games in FedExForum should be a priority.

Shaedon Sharpe can play. The Tanking Blazers are capable of doing some things if given the opportunity. That cannot be allowed. An aggressive, blitzing, pace-setting tone must be set from the start. Get out to a big lead. Then rest.

The Prediction

I could go on and on about keys to the game, but this time out it is really simple. Memphis is heavily favored. And should beat this version of Portland soundly. If they don’t, it will say more about the Grizzlies at this stage of the season than it will the Trail Tankers. So don’t go to that place.

Win. Then on to New Orleans.

Memphis 119, Portland 98