Blazers Playoff Recap: Round 1, Game 2

NBA PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND // GAME 2, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS @ MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Final Score: POR - 82, MEM - 97

Observe TNT sideline reporter Lewis Johnson. Johnson came back from halftime with a story about Mike Conley’s foot pain. “Where does it hurt?” he asked. Mike said, “About here,” and Lewis said, “OK, I have all the information and materials I need for a diagram. I also have beautiful, well-maintained feet I want to show off as that diagram, so I will make a little X, right here, and show the world your struggle, Mike.” 

Mike was weirded out.

Conley is playing through some stupid pain in this series, a dull roar in his foot at all times. It stands in his way, but he is pushing through and even thriving, considering: 6 of 11 for 18 points and six assists in a tick less than 30 minutes tonight, along with stout, greezy defense on Damian Lillard. 

The pain in Conley's foot is the Portland Trail Blazers. They are there, they are in the way, but the Grizzlies have decided that they do not care about that and have decided to play through them. For the second game in a row, the Grizz took it to the Blazers up and down the court—outhustling, outexecuting, outshooting. Outshooting! The Grizzlies! The Memphis Grizzlies are outshooting a different team! This series is a real bummer.

You could hear the front-running children of the Portland Metropolitan Area ask their mothers for Zach Randolph jerseys when he plowed through LaMarcus like he was wheat. Randolph caught the ball above the three-point line, started backing into LaMarcus at about 18 feet, and kept pushing him in until he was at about five feet, then hooked in a gentle shot. On the other end, the Grizzlies spent 24 seconds swarming Aldridge with guards and forcing the Blazers into a shot-clock violation. 

The Grizzlies were throwing light doubles with Tony Allen and Courtney Lee at LaMarcus all night, sticking their hands into his post-up dribble, picking him clean or slowing down the play. He had four turnovers on the night. Lillard was again not very good, getting worked by Conley on both ends. He has been “Is he injured on the DL?” bad. He did drive to the rim a little tonight. Batum went 1 for 6. The whole team shot 6 of 20 from three, slightly improving on its garbage performance from Sunday. Did I just write “garbage?” Is this series turning me into a #HotTakeMan!? FIRE STOTTS! WHO NEEDS ALDRIDGE?! LET'S GET THE TEAM BACK IN THE COLISEUM! THIS NEW ARENA HAS NO ENERGY! I am upset by how natural that felt.  

The Blazers did manage to win the first quarter, at least. Marc Gasol had a terrible shooting night and the Grizzlies missed a lot of gimmes on post-ups. They even got worked in transition once or twice. But once the second quarter started, and he stepped on that court in the second quarter, everything just fell apart. Beno Udrih, the wizard of the midrange, the area the Blazers' scheme soft-covers, sparked a run and Memphis never looked back. Portland faithful thought mercy had come when he went to speak to the trainer after he fell on a drive. But he was back, riding a bike, getting limber, so he could burn his face into the hearts of his enemies forever. 

The Blazers didn't capitalize on poor shooting from Gasol, whose magic flat-footed shot was hitting insane parts of the rim. At one point, Robin Lopez drove and dunked for no reason. The Grizzlies might have not cared about this game. There was an extremely loud “TONY ALLEN” chant. The Grizzlies allowed some early transition points, but they shut down the Blazers’ anemic speed attack almost immediately by fouling anyone who tried to get out in transition. One of these fouls, Randolph on McCollum, was investigated for clear-path malfeasance. Randolph was cleared of any wrongdoing. 

The Blazers are not looking good. Hopefully we will start to see weird stuff now. Alonzo Gee, anyone? Meyers Leonard in a 30-minute performance? Joel Freeland doing some gooning? NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE.

MEYERS LEONARD CAREER PLAYOFF THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE TRACKER

Meyers has never taken a three-pointer in the playoffs before this year. We will be tracking his progress at Willamette Week for the duration of the playoffs.

TONIGHT: 2-2 (100%)

IN HIS CAREER: 4-5 (80%)

WHAT DOES THIS SUGGEST? Perfection tonight. The Grizzlies left him wide open for one of his makes. He also converted an alley-oop. Is Meyers the only feasible option right now? Is a big game from the former 11th pick in the draft the only hope for Blazers success? 

ADDENDUM: Meyers hit what looked like a buzzer-beating three, but he didn't get it out fast enough. It was too beautiful to happen for real. 

Corbin Smith is a contributor to the Blazers blog Portland Roundball Society. Follow his coverage of Portland's playoff run at wweek.com—however long it lasts.

WWeek 2015