The energy and effort were low. The Portland Trail Blazers looked like they were taking shots at a morning shootaround during the first quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
All of the Grizzlies’ recent talk about urgency and intensity did not yield the results they needed. Portland’s offense got comfortable and had one of its strongest shooting nights of the season.
By the time Memphis figured things out defensively, it was too late, and the offense could muster just 10 points in the fourth quarter of its 115-99 loss at the Moda Center.
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The Grizzlies didn’t have Ja Morant, but this was a bad showing for a team with goals of being one of the final Western Conference teams playing this season.
Portland (31-39) made 18 3-pointers on 39.1% shooting. The Grizzlies (43-27) shot 26.7% from deep, finishing with just eight makes.
Western Conference standings slippage
This is the time of the season you want to be playing your best basketball. The Grizzlies aren’t doing that, but a few other teams in the conference are trending up.
The Houston Rockets (45-25) have won eight games in a row to create a cushion over Memphis in the standings. The Grizzlies are two games behind them in the standings, but it’s essentially a three-game deficit because the Rockets own the tiebreaker.
Other good teams are lurking. The Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves all have won at least seven of their past 10 games. Memphis has won five in that stretch.
Golden State is only two games behind the Grizzlies in the loss column, with one more matchup remaining.
If Memphis slips out of the top six, it would fall to the play-in, where anything can happen. Only the top seeds are guaranteed a playoff spot. For most of the season, that has felt like a formality, but not now.
Identifying the problems
The loss against the Blazers didn’t reveal anything new. Along with the urgency and intensity questions, rebounding and defense have been issues.
Portland owned the glass, and Memphis didn’t have an answer. Zach Edey struggled, Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with five rebounds and Brandon Clarke left the game in the first half with a knee injury.
The Grizzlies were out-rebounded 65-40.
Rebounding has been a focal point under coach Taylor Jenkins. When the Grizzlies have been good, their rebounding numbers have been elite. That hasn’t been the case this season.
Schedule outlook
It’s not an exaggeration to say Memphis needs a win on Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Not only to avoid a three-game losing streak, but this is also one of the teams slowly catching up to the Grizzlies.
This season feels like it could spiral in the wrong direction if they lose Friday. And besides, a road game against the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder remains on the current five-game road trip.
If the Grizzlies want to get in a favorable position to make a playoff run, the time is now for that to happen.
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