PORTLAND–The Portland Trail Blazers often talk about managing the highs and lows of the grueling 82-game season.
Few teams in the NBA are experiencing the highs in the early season like the Blazers (12-3) and their opponent on Friday, the Memphis Grizzlies (13-2).
The Moda Center will be the stage for an early season clash of top Western Conference teams. Both teams have jumped out to great starts and have done so by answering questions about their shortcomings.
Portland, known for their dynamic offensive attack, is playing stingy defense, ranking sixth in points allowed per 100 possessions according to NBA.com. The Grizzlies, known for their “grit and grind” style of defense, have a top-ten offense according to NBA.com.
The Blazers are winners of nine in-a-row after their 105-97 victory in Charlotte on Wednesday. Through their streak they endured an extended absence from Nicolas Batum and will likely be without their best shooter off the bench, CJ McCollum, for a couple more weeks.
While the Grizzlies’ start has been surprising to some, Memphis ended last season on a fantastic run after Marc Gasol came back from injury. They went 33-13 in the final 46 games of the 2013-14 to get the 7th seed and it seems the momentum is carrying over.
The core of Gasol, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph remain as reliable as ever. Starting shooting guard Courtney Lee is shooting over 55 percent from the three-point line and the team as a whole is taking more outside shots.
Memphis also added scoring punch off the bench in veteran wing Vince Carter, whose still trying to find his outside shot.
If Portland extends their winning streak to 10 games, it will be the 10th such winning streak in the franchise’s 45-year history. Last November, the Blazers had an 11-game winning streak on their way to a 24-5 start.
