Sign in Blazers' locker room: 'We don't lose to Spanish players'

The Portland Trail Blazers were caught with a laminated card in their locker room that read "We don't lose to Spanish players" when they took on the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN.

The Blazers then went on to lose to a Spanish player in Grizzlies center Marc Gasol in Game 1 by a score of 100-86. Gasol scored 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out seven assists in the win. He then took the high road and declined to comment.

A team assistant told Holmes that the sign wasn't intended to be made public. However, the sign was spotted by members of the media prior to tip-off on Sunday.

Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts brushed off the comment. 

"First of all, that wasn't the only thing that was on that (card)," Stotts said Monday. 

"I wouldn't classify that as the only message of the day. But that being said, it was a motivational thing, and I think the Spanish thing was a little lighthearted. It was the things we needed to do to win the series."

The Trail Blazers have lost eight times to teams with Spanish-born players this season, including five times to Gasol and the Grizzlies.

Portland also employed a Spanish national in Victor Claver for three months before waiving him in late February. Over the past decade, Portland has also employed two other Spanish players in Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez.

It's also worth noting that the Blazers have a prominent member of the French National team in Nicolas Batum, who has battled Spain in numerous international competitions. The French and Spanish have jockeyed over the past two decades for basketball superiority in Europe.