Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies Saturday, 04/21/12 AT 05:00PM

Preview: Trail Blazers v. Grizzlies, 5 PM

04/20/12

Written by: caseyholdahl

The Portland Trail Blazers begin a three-game, season-ending road trip Saturday night in Memphis against the Grizzlies. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 PM on CSNNW 37 and 750 AM.

Now that Portland is eliminated from playoff contention, the team must look for other ways to motivate themselves as they put the finishing touches on a disappointing season. Sweeping the Grizzlies just might provide that motivation.

After taking the first two contests, both at the Rose Garden, the Trail Blazers will have to do something, defeating the Grizzlies at home, that no team has done in over a month. Memphis has not dropped a game at FexEx Forum since losing in overtime to the Raptors on March 15.

The Grizzlies, on the other hand, still have plenty to play for. Assured a spot in the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Grizzlies sit a game and a half behind the Clippers for the fourth spot, which assures home-court at least through the first round.

“To be honest with you, I’m really excited, because this is being thrown into the fire for our guys because we’re playing three teams that are battling for playoff positions,” said head coach Kaleb Canales to The Oregonian. "It’s an exciting time for us.”

The Trail Blazers will also play the Spurs, a team that can still lock up home-court advantage through the entire playoffs, and the Jazz, a team that is tied with the Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot, before the 2011-12 season comes to a close.

Saturday night's game can be seen locally on CSNNW 37 with Mike Barrett and Mike Rice. Brian Wheeler and Antonio Harvey will have the radio call on 750 AM.

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ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 40-22
IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 21-10
AT GRIZZLIES: Trail Blazers lead, 19-12
LAST PORTLAND WIN: 97-93, 3/22/12 (Por.)
LAST MEMPHIS WIN: 86-73, 12/13/10 (Mem.)
CURRENT WIN STREAK: Trail Blazers (three)

SERIES NOTES
• Portland has won three consecutive games over the Grizzlies and has taken both of the first two meetings this season.

• The Trail Blazers have won eight of the last 10 meetings at the FedEx Forum in Memphis

• Wesley Matthews led Portland by averaging 20.3 points (10-20 3-PT) per game against Memphis in three games last season.

• In three games with the Grizzlies last season, Portland managed a 24-11 advantage in blocks and a 28-21 edge in steals. The Trail Blazers outscored Memphis, 47-24, on the fastbreak.

• Portland made 45-of-56 (80.4%) free throw attempts in last season’s three-game series while Memphis connected on 49-of-71(69.0%) tries from the foul line.

• Zach Randolph led Memphis in scoring (22.0) and rebounding (17.0) in two contests against Portland last season. Randolph’s 20 rebounds on Dec. 13 against Portland stand as the most ever by Grizzly in the series. Randolph also holds the record for most rebounds by a Trail Blazer in the series (20, 4/11/03).

• Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph averaged 16.0 points (46.6% FG), 7.7 rebounds and 28.9 minutes in 387 games for Portland from 2001-07. He also holds the Trail Blazers' single-game high for points against the Grizzlies with a 43-point effort against Memphis on March 29, 2007.

• Memphis Head Coach Lionel Hollins played five seasons for Portland from 1975-80, posting averages of 13.6 points, 4.4 assists and 1.90 steals. Hollins played on Portland's 1976-77 NBA Championship team.