NBA Game Summary - Memphis at Portland
Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - In a battle of two of the Western Conference's top teams, all-around efforts from Marc Gasol and Mike Conley helped the Memphis Grizzlies to a 112-99 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Gasol contributed a team-high 26 points to go along with nine assists and seven rebounds for the Grizzlies, who pushed their winning streak to four games and snapped Portland's nine-game winning streak in the process.
Conley just missed a triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, while Zach Randolph deposited 14 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
"I think the biggest strength that we have is our mental toughness," said Conley. "We have some ups and downs during games but we find a way to win."
Portland, which last lost at the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 8, was led by Wesley Matthews' 26 points.
Damian Lillard had 20 points and nine assists and LaMarcus Aldridge registered a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double. The Blazers had also won seven straight at home.
"It's tough, especially when you're playing against a good defensive team," Lillard said of how to attack Memphis. "You can't get in there and get the shots that we're used to getting."
Portland led by three with under seven minutes to play in the second, then Memphis ended the half on a 20-8 run to take a 52-43 lead at the break. Aldridge's dunk cut the deficit to 45-43, but Quincy Pondexter answered with a 3-pointer before Randolph and Conley each converted a basket over the final minute to give the Grizzlies their halftime cushion.
Randolph's layup less than four minutes into the third staked the visitors to a 65-50 lead. Memphis brought an 83-70 lead into the fourth and it led by double digits for a majority of the final quarter.
Earlier, the Blazers jumped out to an 18-6 lead just after the midway point of the first quarter, but Courtney Lee quelled the surge with a 3-pointer and Memphis scored the final seven points of the quarter, trimming the deficit to 25-23 after 12 minutes.