By the time the Grizzlies took the floor at Moda Center on Friday night, they already knew the big news around the league. Russell Westbrook had thunderously announced his return by outscoring the Knicks through one quarter. It was like Westbrook did not miss a beat. His team has fallen a bit back into the pack of the Western Conference and will need to make up ground quickly.
The Western Conference is unforgiving. The Thunder will have their work cut out for them. A momentary lapse can set a team back incalculably.
Last year, Marc Gasol missed 23 games in December and January and the Grizzlies nearly did not make the Playofs. When they did, they nearly upended the top-seeded Thunder.
It feels like right now the Grizzlies are making up for lost time. Their cohesion and fluidity on both ends of the ball have them as one of the early favorites in the Western Conference. But that can change in one instant and one losing streak.
The Blazers have done their share of winning — having won 11 of their past 12 entering Friday’s game — and climbed the standings pretty quickly. That could fall apart fairly quickly if things are not played right coming off Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies.
The more experienced Grizzlies topped the Blazers 112-99 at Moda Center, a solid road victory for the Grizzlies. Memphis quickly is showing they are the real deal among contenders.
| Score | Off. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
| Memphis | 112 | 116.1 | 57.1 | 21.1 | 8.6 | 31.0 |
| Portland | 99 | 101.1 | 44.3 | 28.3 | 7.1 | 18.6 |
Marc Gasol (MEM) — 26 pts., 9 rebs.; Mike Conley (MEM) — 21 pts., 10 rebs., 9 assts.
Wesley Matthews (POR) — 26 pts.; Damian Lillard (POR) — 20 pts., 9 assts.
Game to Watch (11/29): Rockets vs. Bucks, 9 p.m.
They have never done it for a full season plus the Playoffs — their Western Conference Finals appearance came courtesy of that original Russell Westbrook injury.
But they are looking like they could. They just have to withstand the rush that will come from the Western Conference when that first losing skid comes down.
The Grizzlies are hungry enough to push through it and prove a lot of people wrong. Marc Gasol is establishing himself as a strong MVP candidate this year (at least so far) with 26 points and nine rebounds on Friday night. But the Grizzlies should last because they are so much more than him. Six players scored in double figures including all five starters. No one player is good enough offensively to carry the entire team, they have to work together to find success and defend with smarts.
Of course, when the Playoffs come, teams may figure out how to cut that off. The regular season and the Playoffs are two different animals.
That is a long time from now. And a lot can happen in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies are capable of keeping things going.
The Blazers still have to prove they can keep that win streak lasting after this one setback.
