Grizzlies Escape Charlotte, Return Home To Host Portland.
The Charlotte Bobcats are closing in on finishing with the worst winning percentage for a season in NBA history.
They hosted the franchise that currently owns the worst winning percentage in history on Friday night.
While the Grizzlies are one of the league’s up-and-coming teams now, they started from humble beginnings, arguably in a worse position than the Bobcats, in a market that cared only about hockey and very little about basketball.
On Friday night, the Bobcats almost evaded the futility record owned by the Grizzlies, and a 19th straight loss.
Instead, Memphis stayed in contention for the 4 seed in the west with an ugly win that could have easily been a loss.
The Grizzlies outscored the Bobcats 28-15 in the fourth quarter to pace the visitors to a come-from-behind win that’s been all too common for Memphis in the past few weeks.
After all, the Grizzlies stunk the place out in New Orleans last Sunday and nearly lost to a Minnesota team playing without Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio last Tuesday.
Still, it’s a lot better to win an ugly game than to lose one, and while the team’s inconsistency has been puzzling lately, they still have a lot of things to play for going into the final week, most notably having home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs for the first time ever.
Charlotte is running out of opportunities to avoid finishing this strike-shortened season as the worst team in NBA history, statistically speaking anyway.
The Bobcats led after each of the first three quarters, until Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins turned the game over to an abnormal lineup that eventually changed the game, spear-headed by strong efforts of Dante Cunningham, Marreese Speights and Mike Conley Jr.
Conley’s contributions were especially important as he was the only Grizzlies starter to score in double-digits and one of only two Grizzlies to score 10 or more total, along with Zach Randolph.
The win assured the Grizzlies of no worse than the 5 seed in the west, and helped them keep pace with the Clippers for the 4 seed.
The Grizzlies return to the friendly confines of the Grindhouse in downtown Memphis Saturday night to face the Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland is in the midst of a difficult season that has seen two former cornerstones of their franchise go down with knee injuries.
Former all-star guard Brandon Roy retired from the league before the season started, in addition to former first overall pick Greg Oden missing another season.
Roy actually had knee problems before ever joining the NBA, and teams were aware of that fact at the 2006 draft. His knees did indeed keep some teams from picking him, even though he was considered by many to be the best player in that draft.
Portland’s gamble was their gain for the better part of five seasons before repeated complications with his knees cut his promising career short.
Oden’s injuries may have been even more frustrating, as the guy that went immediately after him in the draft happened to be Kevin Durant, one of the league’s best young stars, and the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Portland still has LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, but held a full-fledged fire sale at the trade deadline in an attempt to cut payroll and free up some cap space.
My prediction:
Blazers: 88
Grizzlies: 101
The Grizzlies played last night, so fatigue may be a factor, but being back at home will be the difference as the Grizzlies have a lot to play for and Portland wants the season to come to a close.
This night will also see former Grizzly lottery pick Hasheem Thabeet’s return to Memphis, and in a starting role, no less.
I would expect the Grizzlies’ front line to own the paint and Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol to each post double-doubles.