Memphis Grizzlies blow 18-point lead, lose to Blazers in overtime for 5th straight loss
If Friday’s loss by the Memphis Grizzlies to the Portland Trail Blazers was “embarrassing,” as coach Taylor Jenkins said afterwards, Saturday’s defeat was … something else entirely.
The Grizzlies looked like they’d righted the proverbial wrong from 24 hours earlier, coming out with noticeably more energy on the second of a back-to-back against the same team. They built a 18-point third quarter lead and looked like they’d cruise to a win, but a fourth quarter collapse spurred by Blazers guard Anfernee Simons meant the Grizzlies suffered a fifth straight loss as they fell 107-100 in overtime on Saturday at FedExForum.
It was another game where the bottom dropped out, even though it looked promising for the Grizzlies. Simons entered the fourth quarter with only 12 points but found a new gear in the final frame while the Grizzlies' offense dried up entirely.
Memphis couldn’t get enough stops to put the game away, and Jabari Walker hit two free throws to tie the game with 1.3 seconds to play in regulation.
Portland was the better team in the extra period, ultimately cruising to another win.
Anfernee Simons turned it on late
Both teams were missing most of their key players, but Simons was one of the few players on the floor who could get hot in a hurry. He did just that in the fourth quarter, almost singlehandedly getting the Blazers back into the game and helping to get his team within five points. Simons finished with 30 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, including 16 points in the fourth quarter. He was the most consistent scorer on either team, especially down the stretch when the Grizzlies couldn't find a way to score.
Memphis threw away a game it should have won
The Grizzlies clearly responded to Friday's loss with more energy. A day after the Blazers essentially put the game away with a run just after halftime, it was the Grizzlies who dominated the third quarter, winning 27-14 in the frame. But they collapsed down the stretch, failing to score enough to hold off the charge from Portland. Turnovers plagued them in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime, and it led to another loss against one of the worst teams in the NBA.
Vince Williams Jr. set the tone
Williams has been a mainstay in the starting lineup for most of the season, and he routinely gets matched up against the other team's best perimeter scoring threat. It wasn't his defense or energy that the Grizzlies needed in the first quarter, though — it was his scoring. Williams had 13 points and five rebounds in the first quarter, a major contribution considering Memphis only scored 20 points. The offense picked up in the next three quarters, and Williams only finished with 21 points, but he kept them in the game early on.
Next up
The Grizzlies head to Brooklyn to meet the Nets on Monday (6:30 p.m., Bally Sports Southeast).
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies blow 18 point lead, lose to Blazers in overtime
