Deni Avdija delivered a dominant performance, posting 31 points, 16 rebounds, and eight assists to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 115-99 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
Anfernee Simons contributed 22 points as Portland built a commanding lead in the third quarter and never trailed.
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 20 points, but the Grizzlies struggled to keep pace after falling behind early.
The victory marked the Blazers’ third straight win, moving them within two games of the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Dallas and Phoenix, both at 33-37, currently hold the final play-in spots.
Memphis, now 43-27, remains a game behind Denver for fourth place and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Avdija’s hot start set the tone, as he tallied 26 points before halftime and knocked down a three-pointer that extended Portland’s lead to 66-50. The Blazers took a 71-58 advantage into the break.
An 11-3 run to open the second half pushed the lead to 82-61, and despite a brief Grizzlies rally, Portland maintained control.
The Grizzlies cut the deficit to 96-89 entering the fourth, but their comeback attempt stalled after Jaren Jackson Jr. was called for an offensive foul and picked up a technical for arguing with officials.
Portland outrebounded Memphis 65-40, using its size advantage to dominate the boards.
Rookies Zach Edey and Donovan Clingan, who faced off in last year’s NCAA championship game, met again as starters. Edey played only 10 minutes due to foul trouble, while Clingan finished with seven points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks in 26 minutes.
With this win, the Blazers continue their push toward the postseason, while Memphis looks to regroup in the battle for home-court advantage.
