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So Hard to Say Goodbye: Three Favorite Memories from Courtney Lee’s Tenure as a Memphis Grizzly

By Stacy Elliott

Dec 6, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee (5) celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum. Memphis Grizzlies defeats Phoenix Suns 95 - 93. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee (5) celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum. Memphis Grizzlies defeats Phoenix Suns 95 - 93. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /
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3. Courtney Lee scores 20 to secure series win over Portland

Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee (5) drives past Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) during the third quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee (5) drives past Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) during the third quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

The Grizzlies swept their 2014-15 regular season series against the Portland Trail Blazers and seemed destined to cruise past the Blazers again in the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs. Portland fielded a talented team lead by Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, and the Grizzlies’ path to the second round was unexpectedly hindered by the additional hurdle of having to advance without floor general Mike Conley.

Though the contact was incidental and not malicious, Portland guard C.J. McCollum essentially obliterated Conley’s face during Game 3, meaning someone else would need to step up for the Grizzlies backcourt. Beno Udrih played well, and the Grizzlies were able to win Game 3 thanks in part to reserve point guard Nick Calathes’ clearly irreplicable 12 point outburst (Calathes would go on to score zero points on six total field goal attempts in the next round), but it was Courtney Lee who carried the Grizzlies backcourt, and it was Courtney Lee who rose to the challenge and sealed the series victory in Game Five  in Memphis.

C-Lee, who posted respectable regular season averages around 10 points during both last season and this season, stepped up his game and scored an average of 17.2 points per game against Portland in the playoffs. Marc Gasol lead the Grizzlies with 26 points in their series-clinching win, and Courtney Lee provided an efficient 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. Lee also iced the game with two clutch free-throws in the final minute that guaranteed the Grizzlies would win and advance to the Western Conference Semifinals for only the third time in franchise history.

Lee’s pull-up jump shots and timely scores will be missed.

Next: 2: The Perfect Lob Pass

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