Google News
The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Memphis Grizzlies with a final score of 122:112, led by a standout performance from Damian Lillard. The veteran point guard notched 42 points, along with 8 rebounds and 10 assists, carrying the team to their fourth victory in five games.
"Rolling" Lillard Continues Dominant Streak
Lillard, who has been in scorching form with five games of at least 40 points in January, continued his streak in this match. He converted 11 of 22 shots, including 5 of 13 from beyond the arc, and missed just one of his 16 free throws.
Despite facing tough defense from Memphis' Dillon Brooks, Lillard was able to find openings and score with ease. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins acknowledged Lillard's impressive form, saying, “They just found a way to get open shots, I thought our guys competed.
You've just got to tip your hat. Lillard's on a roll right now, and we were on the wrong end of that”.
Jusuf Nurkic takes the intentional foul to sit down from a possible injury ðŸ™pic.twitter.com/kVt1Betnna — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) February 2, 2023
Team Effort Pushes Portland Over the Line
While Lillard was undoubtedly the star of the show, he was ably supported by a strong performance from the rest of the team.
Jerami Grant contributed 18 points in the first half before leaving due to concussion symptoms, while Anfernee Simons added, "I knew I needed to be a little more aggressive just to give ourselves a chance. Everybody else played well and everybody was ready to play." However, Portland suffered a setback with the injury of center Jusuf Nurkic, who had to leave the game after just two minutes of play due to a calf injury.
This was a recurrent issue for Nurkic, who had previously suffered a calf injury in January and missed the next game. Despite his early departure, Portland was able to secure the win with a 38-22 outscoring of Memphis in the fourth quarter.
The Portland Trail Blazers put on a dominant display against the Memphis Grizzlies, led by Damian Lillard's outstanding performance. While they suffered an injury setback with Jusuf Nurkic, the team effort and strong play from the rest of the roster allowed them to secure the win.