| 13 April 2011
Rudy Fernandez picked a perfect time to break out of a prolonged slump for the Portland Trail Blazers, leading his team past the Memphis Grizzlies to lock up the sixth seed in the Western Conference standings.
LaMarcus Aldridge flourishes against Grizzlies frontline
Grizzlies star Zach Randolph has never been lauded for his defense, but with head coach Lionel Hollins resting him Memphis struggled more than they otherwise would against Aldridge.
The Blazers forward was single-covered and routinely given the space on the perimeter. He made Memphis pay, scoring 14 first half points and 22 for the game. His spark early lifted a team that did all they could to keep the Grizzlies within striking distance.
“We didn’t play sharp basketball,” Blazers head coach Nate McMillan said postgame. “I thought we lost focus when they didn’t play their guys.”
Step-ins step up for Memphis in notching tie at half
Another one of those guys was valuable guard Tony Allen, but his absence didn’t stop the Grizzlies from contending. Portland missed 20 of their 36 shots and committed eight turnovers in the opening two quarters, so that ineffectiveness greatly helped Memphis. Yet when the Blazers were excelling Randolph and Allen’s replacements, Darrell Arthur and Sam Young, had an answer.
The duo’s efforts offensively, defensively, and on the glass were outstanding, as they combined to score 16 points and grab six rebounds in the first half. Surrounding their performance was a balanced attack, as the three other Memphis starters scored in double figures while their reserves, led by the undrafted Ish Smith and the proven Shane Battier, provided a significant spark.
Strong third quarter puts Blazers in control
Memphis continued to hang around, but it was clear Portland was the superior team against their under-manned opponent. They scored 29 points in the third quarter, continuously taking advantage of turnovers while limiting their own.
Twenty of those points came over the final five and a half minutes, a burst orchestrated by Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum. The two scored 13 of their final 16 points in the quarter. They were very aggressive, making baskets around the rim while also living inside to draw fouls.
Fernandez finally comes alive for Blazers
He made two three-pointers in the first half, pointing towards the sky jogging downcourt after the first. Such an important player on their bench, he saw the ball go in and his confidence immediately soared.
He gave Portland an 83-73 lead with eight and a half minutes remaining in the fourth with his third three-pointer. To put this in perspective, he hadn’t made three three-pointers in a game since February 25th, a span of 25 games.
He added another, some nice passes down-court leading to transition baskets, and finished with 18 points on just six shots. He made five of them, including four of his five three-point attempts, and contributed three assists and a steal to the cause.
Nicolas Batum added 16 off the bench, but Fernandez was the reason the Blazers reserves outscored the Grizzlies’ 40-29 in the game. He needs to build off this for Portland to be consistently productive in the playoffs.
Hamed Haddadi gives Blazers fits in fourth
Memphis had five players score in double figures. Haddadi, their backup center, wasn’t one of them but his impact made sure the Grizzlies wouldn’t go quietly. His length and determination around the rim led to eight points and four rebounds in the final twelve minutes.
He finished with nine points and 10 rebounds.
Wallace hits big shots late as Blazers look ahead to playoffs
Wallace delivered late yet again for Portland, dunking and hitting a three-pointer in the closing minutes to finally put away Memphis. Portland now awaits their playoff opponent, as it could be any of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
“To get to the sixth spot, I think it’s a great accomplishment,” McMillan said postgame. “Next goal is to get out of the first round.”
photo: espn
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