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Who: Memphis Grizzlies(44-33) @ Portland TrailBlazers(47-33)
When: Tuesday, April 12th
Where: Rose Garden in Portland,OR
Time: 9:00 PM CST
TV/Radio: SpSo / WRBO 103.5 FM
Overall Series: Blazers lead 47-22
Season Series: Tied 1-1
Trivia Facts: Grizzlies PG Mike Conley and Blazers C Greg Oden played high school ball in Indianapolis and collegiately @ Ohio State University.







Rose Garden











Grizzlies Celeb of the Game

Kristin Kreuk









Grizzlies Starters







TrailBlazers Starters

This was supposed to be the biggest game of the season for both Grizzlies and the Blazers, with winner getting the 6th seat and avoiding the Lakers in the playoffs. But not that Lakers are in danger of dropping to No.3 and playing the 6th seat, both Grizzlies and Blazers do not know if they really want to win this game.

If the Lakers beat the Spurs tonight, they will win the 2nd seat and both Blazers and the Grizzlies would want to win the game tonight. And if they don't, they would both rather loose and avoid the Lakers knowing they have better chance Vs Dallas. The only problem is, their game start half an hour before the Lakers, so they have no clue if they would be better of winning or losing.

Both will be trying hard to get the win, believe me.

game 1 of playoffs begins tonight

Positioning "play in" game tonight. Huge, huge, HUGE for both teams. Portland holds several key match up advantages, but should still be a good game.

GrizzledGrizzFan wrote:Positioning "play in" game tonight. Huge, huge, HUGE for both teams. Portland holds several key match up advantages, but should still be a good game.

what matchup advantages? I don't see what you're talking about. Andre Miller is not exactly the player he used to be. He's the only guy I'd say has advantage on us... but not today. Wesley Matthews don't got **** on TAllen and ZBO has too much size on Gerald Wallace.

Aldridge is too tall for Z'Bo to defend and too quick for Marc - therefore he has to be doubled. Miller generally posts Conley up and abuses him. Allen can't guard Matthews and Crash both. This is a game where not having Rudy really hurts. I'm in no way, shape or form conceding the game - but thinking the Grizz have a decided edge is incorrect IMO.

yeah I was looking at it thru grizzlies colored glasses only. Gasol has his work cut out but on the other end I think he will tear right thru LA. Miller can push Conley around but then he has no hope to keep up with his young legs. Armon Johnson might come back to haunt us (again). but we can counter with ish smith this time!

And you're right, Wallace isn't going to try to post up ZBO, he's going to attack with the wings and then he'll make life miserable for Sam. Can I get a Shane battier?

I hope you're right vanjulio! Shane could really shine tonight . All of the talk around town of "should we win to try for Xth slot or tank to not face the Lakers" has worn me down. Just win! Everything else will take care of itself. I'm ready to go to a playoff game or 12...

Yeah, I'm a Raptors fan here to jump on the bandwagon. Good luck to you guys! Hope you get to play Dallas!

I love the way you guys play. Old school defence and post offence. in a league where chucker wings rule the day, it's nice to see one team "trying'" to play the right way. I'm rooting for you as long as you are in the playoffs.

There's also a toughness element that Tony Allen has brought to the team I respect. All in all, you deserve at least the second round.

Cheers!

F*cking NBA.com and League Pass broadband are not working. I want to murder whoever's in charge of that particular operation.

edit: So now it's working. F*ck you Ted Turner you bum.

Ish Smith hasn't impressed me at all since we picked him up.

No Zack, no Allen...are Grizzlies trying to lose this one? Why are they not playing?

Maybe they're assuming the Lakers are going to move down? No idea really.
OJ is playing bad ball in the third quarter here.

Ish Smith wtf. Kid's lightning quick but he likes taking way too many shots. And his defense has a long way to go. Hollins going deeeep into the bench this game.

At least Haddadi is doin justice with a decent game. Kinda hate this game is a dump one. Can't risk a loss on tomorrow vs. the Clips.


In LA Bynum gets hurt on a play. For the Lakers it's potentially serious.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... numinjured

Can't determine how things will py out until the season concludes on Wednesday.

Good game, Memphis. Your team gave Blazer fans quite the scare tonight, and I hope the Grizzlies can grab the 7-seed and knock out the Lakers! I think Memphis will be very dangerous once the playoffs start.

Bruh, in a way I wanted the Grizz to obtain the 6th seed and avoid the crazy scenario in that the Grizz could slide back down to 8th. It's really too many scenarios going on right now to say what may happen. With the Blazers winning and catching the 6th spot, congrats. The team I rather see the Gizz face would be the Mavs, but the one way I can see that happening is that the Spurs can beat the Lakers tonight. That may not happen with both TP and TD resting toight.

SD2042 wrote:avoid the crazy scenario in that the Grizz could slide back down to 8th. It's really too many scenarios going on right now to say what may happen.

Grizzlies are actually going for 8th seat. That is why they rested players tonight and will rest even more Vs the Clippers tomorrow.

The game kind of went how I figured it would. Sit your top scorer and top defensive player and this is what you get. I do give the Grizzlies credit for playing a hard, scrappy game nonetheless.

I know they were down bodies, but having Vasquez on Batum was plain silly. That was a huge mismatch in the third quarter, when everything went down the tubes.

I really like the Portland team, and almost made a really long drive down from Vancouver( Canada, not Washington) to watch a game last month. If both Oden and Roy didn't have injured knees they would be a top team this season.

I think Memphis will simply write this one off.