Trail Blazers Vs Grizzlies: How to Watch, Odds, Predictions, And More
Tonight, your tanking 15-42 Portland Trail Blazers now have a golden opportunity to stop the pain of their latest epic losing streak.
Portland has as good a shot as ever to end the league's second-longest active losing streak, nine games and counting (the Washington Wizards' 13 straight defeats paces the NBA), against another of the West's dregs in the Memphis Grizzlies.
At 20-39, Memphis occupies the West's No. 13 seed, four games ahead of the 14th-seeded Portland. In Tankathon's lottery rankings, the two clubs are also right next to each other, too, with the Trail Blazers predicted to draft fifth and the Grizzlies expected to select sixth.
Per the NBA's latest injury report, the Trail Blazers will be missing three of their top four guards: reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon (right elbow tendinitis), Shaedon Sharpe (lower abdominal surgery recovery), and rookie lottery pick Scoot Henderson. Center Robert Williams III appeared in just six games before a right knee ligament tear forced him on the sidelines for the season. Backup big man Moses Brown is merely questionable with a fractured left wrist, while starting center Deandre Ayton is now considered doubtful to play through the right hand he sprained following a scary fall against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, while battling with Kevin Love for positioning inside.
But that's nothing compared with the Grizzlies' litany of injuries, which have effectively transformed them from a playoff hopeful into a lottery lock. Their star backcourt of Desmond Bane and Ja Morant is out, their starting small forward Marcus Smart is on the shelf with a right ring finger central slip tear, young backup point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and old backup point guard Derrick Rose are both on the shelf, wing Luke Kennard is sick, rebound-averse All-Star power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. is out with a sore right quad tendon, big man Brandon Clarke has yet to play this year while recovering from a left Achilles tendon injury, and standout wing GG Jackson is questionable with a right quad contusion.
The bout tips off in the FedEx Forum at 5 p.m. PT. It will be broadcast in its local markets (where I'm dubious anyone but the two teams' most dedicated fans will give it a gander) via Bally Sports Southeast-Memphis and ROOT SPORTS/ROOT SPORTS+.
Per The Action Network, the Grizzlies are -1.5 point favorites to win a game that neither injury-plagued team particularly seems enthusiastic about winning. I'd say that's about right, it's something of a push, but I'd give the beleaguered home club the edge over the beleaguered road club. Look for Memphis to cover, but expect big games once again from the only ready remaining Blazers starters, power forward Jerami Grant and combo guard Anfernee Simons.
