A Play In preview?

How’s this for a big match up as the season begins to count down to that time of the year where dreams are made? The Portland Trailblazers head to Memphis to face off with the team they could very well be meeting in the 7^th Versus 8^th seed Play-in game in 3 weeks time! Are we going to see a preview of what to expect in those few short weeks?

The Blazers:

The Blazers have had an interesting year to date being very active on the trade front while clinging to the lower seeds of the West playoff bracket. The latest moves though have meant that they have now paired Andre Drummond and DeAndre Ayton down low and so they’re 29-34 record may or may not be a true show of what they are capable of when this new pairing only just came to fruition. They now get Eric Gordon back to make up some of that Wiggins scoring loss and Haliburton to boot, so suddenly the team that lacked a floor general and size, is loaded with big men and capable distributors, so the 7^th seed definitely looks a lot more comfortable as they have gone 5-3 over the last 8, sans Wiggings/trade deadline, and look to be one of the teams out West looking to make a push into the playoffs with a vague hope of stealing away that 6^th seed and avoiding the LAC/Thunder 1^st round match up. A win against the struggling Grizz will go a long way to helping solidify the 7^th seed and push for the 6^th.

The Grizzlies:

The Grizz traded out Towns at the deadline, making THE blockbuster move of the deadline but are intent on making the playoffs and making a push late, still clinging to that 8^th seed spot by a thread. Since the trade/deadline though, they are 2-5 but did scrape out a win against the Mavs who are currently seeded above them. The team depth is gone now and they’re biggest name is also gone, but that’s not stopping them from making that push and hoping to hold this double chance play in spot with the intent on taking the 7^th or 8^th seed, even if that means facing a top team in doing so. Hield of late has been a scoring beast, JJJ is fit and playing well and they have all but Kelly Oubre to choose from down the stretch now. If they want to hold this spot, and or take the 7^th seed away from the Blazers, this becomes a must win for them.

The Projected Match-Ups:

C: Andre Drummond Vs  Jaren Jackson Jnr. 

Drummond in Portland has only been an 8 game thing, but he’s shown much the same stuff as he has all his NLL career, and this year with the Knicks, with 14/14/3/1 and 1.5 blocks on 66% shooting. He’s a beast down low, always has been, with great size and mass and just does what is needed clogging the lane. Jaren Jackson is a really interesting match up for Drummond. He gives up a bit of sheer size and strength but matches for height and should run rings with speed and agility, despite Drummond being above average at these for his size. The outside game is going to be a problem for Drummond and JJJ in Memphis is a 19/10/3/2/3 guy as the franchise anchor. Good match up, but Jackson needs to win it for them to win.

PF: DeAndre Ayton  Vs  Aaron Gordon

In case you hadn’t heard about it, Ayton is a monster and it’s hard to argue with Clay about this. He was billed as a franchise C coming into the league and he’s showing that progression. He’s playing PF now for Portland cause of Drummond but he’s about the same player there as at C, but his rebounds are down…probably cause he’s not next to a 14 a game guy rather than Lauri Markkanen who is phobic. A bit like the JJJ match up, Aaron Gordon presents much of the opposite type of guy lined up at PF here who is agile, will play outside and quick. This is going to be good for Memphis offensively you might think, but then similarly down the other end with the big body advantage.

SF: Kevin Porter Jr.  Vs  Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Porter has been unleashed in Portland and it’s to the tune of 15/3/3/2 as a starting SF. Who knew Darko had Andrew Wiggins already on his roster? Clay, that’s who. Porter fills that void by Wiggins easily and with much more upside. He’s got the vet KCP to contend with in this one who can be a maligned defender but his start to his Memphis career has been without fan fare at 9/2/3 averages and 34% from the field. He’s going to bring some 3&D stuff but not move the bar far.

SG: Eric Gordon  Vs  Buddy Hield 

Eric Gordon been doing Eric Gordon things since returning from injury and his best week of the year has been with Portland at nearly 20 points a night. On average, he’s managed 16/5/5/1 on volume shooting and they need him to create space for the big men, so he needs to pick up that 3 point shot. Maybe a change of coaching settings? He’s great as a 2^nd ball handler and makes the Blazers dangerous. He’s got Buddy Hield in this one who has been absolutely on fire averaging 44 a game last week! Who’d have thunk playing him at SG which is his normal position would be how to unlock him? He’s been solid on the year but went to the next level last week and we hope the Grizz keep him at the 2 for the rest of the way and watch him torch those guys.

PG: Goran Dragic  Vs  Monte Morris 

Dragic has been on the move a few times this year and he’s finally landed in Portland and locked up that starting gig with ease. The numbers aren’t huge, but that’s not what he needs to do with an offensive team around him and 2 monsters on the block so 13/3/6/1 on 43/47/100 is just what the Blazers ordered. In this one, he should beat up on Monte Morris who has shown over yeas that he’s a really solid reserve PG but as a starter he seems to get a little lost into the dynamic of the team, but that’s a good thing if it unlocks Hield to the tune of 44 a night. 11/3/6/1 are his starting numbers and he’ll give some issues to Dragic if he gets downhill.

Bench V Bench:

Tyrese Haliburton, Drew Eubanks, Mychal Mulder, Jaxson Hayes
Vs
JaMychal Green, Killian Tillie, Reggie Bullock, Grayson Allen, Chandler Hutchison

The benches look to both be young and inexperienced and neither team will get huge boosts from them. Haliburton is the most talented of the bunch but he’s working his way back from injury and is only a rookie still.

Head to Head Prediction:

This one is going to be tight in so many ways, but the Blazers team simply looks more accomplished and size matters. Not that Memphis don’t have size, but the Blazers have it in spades and the make up of the team for the journey home is their best unit yet.

Blazers by 13.

-          The rebound battle and efficient scoring. The Blazers are glass eaters supreme but how do you win a rebound battle if you’re giving away size? Take smart shots and limit missed shots. You can’t simply “not miss” but you can limit the misses and working hard on the rebounding is what is going to get the Grizz the win if they can top the Blazers at it, which, is a tall order.