I recently posed the question to a group of friends: “If you could live in one city, and have season tickets to one sports team, who would it be?” Because the company I keep is largely obsessed with the NBA, most of the answers were pro basketball-related. “Celtics”. “Lakers”. “Knicks”. I proposed a dark horse: live in Portland and have seats at the Rose Garden. Maybe it’s because I like to be psuedo-Maroda-indie at times, and would love to wear some skinny cords to an NBA game and not stand out. But it’s also because Portland’s fans are incredible. They are what Grizz nation should aspire to be: small-market, not fair-weathered, rowdy.
But this is no time to praise Portland. It is time to win a game there tomorrow night and try and lock up a sixth seed. Now, I know there are many out there that would rather see the Grizzlies lose the next two and wind up with the 8th seed. But if anyone remembers the last week of the 05-06 season (the last year we were in the playoffs), the Grizzlies struggled down the stretch, and looked terribly flat throughout their playoffs series. I say: come in hot, and try to stay hot.
The matchups:
PG: Michael Conley, Jr. vs. Andre Miller
As we know from a preseason Hollins presser, Mike Conley struggles with big guards and small guards. Well, Andre Miller is a big guard, and he is a veteran, and he has been a borderline Grizzly killer in games past. Miller loves to get the ball in the post and back down Conley, using his size against the smaller guard. He is also adept at finding cutting big men from his back-to-the-basket position. Conley is quicker, however, and needs to keep up with Miller offensively.
SG: Tony Allen vs. Wesley Matthews
Matthews, in his second season out of Marquette, has been one of the most-improved players in the Western Conference this year, raising his PPG total by 6.5 and shooting over 40% from behind the arc. Moreover, he has averaged 24 PPG against Memphis, and single-handedly beat the Grizzlies at the Forum back in January. Allen and Battier will have to play solid perimeter defese against the 6′ 5” Matthews. In my opinion, this is the second most important match-up of the game.
SF: Sam Young vs. Gerald Wallace
Acquired in a deadline trade with Charlotte, Wallace has provided an offensive burst for the Blazers, especially in the absence of Marcus Camby. Wallace was an All-Star last year, and can go for 25+ on any given night. He will have a size advantage over Sam, and Young will have to use his toughness to stay with Wallace on D. This match-up worries me; look for the Blazers to try and exploit it early.
PF: Zach Randolph vs. Nic Batum (LaMarcus Aldridge)
Batum and Randolph will guard one another, but I want to compare Aldridge and Z-Bo for a second.
This is the beauty of the NBA: Two guys that play the same position, post similar stats every night, yet feature completely different frames and styles of play. At 6’11”, 240 lbs., Aldridge is an athletic specimen–a coach’s dream. In his fifth year in the league, he has finally started to fulfill his potential–and the rest of the NBA has taken notice. Two years ago, Portland was Brandon Roy’s team, but not anymore. Aldridge is the go-to guy, and the team goes as he goes.
Sounds a lot like the Grizzlies and Zach Randolph. There’s no need to talk about Zach’s play this season; we’ve all seen it and loved it. All there is to say is that the game will come down to these two guys. Zach needs a huge game, period. Feed the beast.
C: Marc Gasol vs. Aldridge (Nic Batum)
Batum is starting to look like a great draft pick for Portland, averaging 12 and 4 as a 6’8” forward. He is versatile, and gives the Blazers options as they continue to move forward without Marcus Camby. As previosly mentioned, ZBo will probably be guarding Batum, and will have to be quick on his feet to keep up on defense.
Bench: The Grizzlies bench played its best basketball of the season Sunday afternoon, as Vasquez, Arthur, Mayo, Powe, and Haddadi all logged major minutes and provided crucial rest for the starters. The oft-injured Brandon Roy continues to come off the bench for the Trail Blazers, and although he is not the same player he was 2-3 years ago, he is still a major threat, especially against a team with small guards like the Grizzlies. Rudy Fernandez is another big guard that provides a significant scoring punch for Portland.
Other notes: Portland will be coming into the game with 4 days rest, their last game being a 93-86 victory over the Lakers on Friday night…The Grizzlies presumably need to win to have any chance at the 6th seed…
Rise and Grind this week Grizz fans.
Grizz and let die.
Jordan Griesbeck
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