Grizzlies send Western Conference a message by snapping Trail Blazers' streak

The Memphis Grizzlies sent a message Friday to the rest of the Western Conference. 

Memphis snapped the Portland Trail Blazers' nine-game winning streak with a 112-99 win to improve its NBA-best record to 14-2. Even more, the Grizzlies won at the Moda Center in Portland, where the Trail Blazers have played especially good ball this season. 

The only home game the Trail Blazers had lost before Friday was their third one of the season against another Western Conference juggernaut, the Golden State Warriors. 

Memphis, now 10-0 against the West, extended its winning streak to four games, and once again received an all-around effort to take down the red-hot Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies also beat Portland for the sixth time in their last seven tries. 

Marc Gasol continued his sensational play, putting up 26 points while adding 7.0 rebounds and a season-high-tying 9.0 assists. Gasol has taken his game to new heights this season, and the Grizzlies have been the beneficiary. 

The Grizzlies' center is shooting strong from the field and the free-throw line, while scoring like never before. Gasol is averaging five-plus more points this year than he has in any other season of his career. 

Fellow big Zach Randolph notched a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, and point guard Mike Conley just missed a triple-double with 21 points, 9.0 assists and 10 rebounds. 

The big efforts from Gasol and Randolph helped the Grizzlies, who played ahead for the majority of the game, outscore Portland 54-38 in the paint. 

Portland's Wesley Matthews scored a team-high 26 points. while LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

It doesn't get easier for Memphis, as it has games against the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs up next. But, so far, the Grizzlies have handled the early stretch of their season as well as possible and proved in Friday's victory, yet again, that they belong on top.