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Blazers seek success in trip to Memphis

Mar 11, 2014 - 1:49 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Trail Blazers are still searching for their first win on this current road trip and they'll make another go of it Tuesday night when they visit FedExForum to take on the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Blazers dropped the first two of a five-game southern swing, falling to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday and the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Those are two playoff-bound teams in the Western Conference, but the trip doesn't get easier with Memphis, a playoff contender, the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans on the docket.

The Sunday loss to the Rockets was a tough pill to swallow. Houston prevailed in overtime, 118-113, as James Harden went off for 41.

LaMarcus Aldridge had a team-high 28 points to go along with 12 rebounds to lead Portland, which has dropped three of its last four contests. Wesley Matthews netted 26 points and Damian Lillard deposited 21 points before fouling out in the extra session.

Robin Lopez finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Mo Williams added 10 points off the bench in the setback

Portland had a 13-point lead with 7:30 to play, but Houston, mainly Harden and Jeremy Lin, caught fire. With less than 20 seconds left, Matthews missed a free-throw which would've made it a two-possession game and Harden buried a 3- pointer.

The Blazers were three points clear with less than two minutes to go in overtime, but Harden again was spectacular.

"Of course there are a lot of angry faces because we should've had that game," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "We were definitely in position to win it."

The Grizzlies have won two straight and four of their last five. The recent run spurred Memphis into the eighth seed in the Western Conference, just a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns.

On Saturday, Mike Conley scored 20 points to lead the Grizzlies to a 111-89 home win over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Zach Randolph contributed 16 points with seven rebounds, while Marc Gasol notched 14 points and nine rebounds in Memphis' sixth straight home win. Kosta Koufos deposited a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double for the home team.

"I can't help but look at the standings," said Tony Allen, who had eight points, six rebounds and four assists off the bench in the win. "(Coach Joerger) probably wants us to stop talking about (the playoffs) and take it one game at a time, which we're trying to do. But you can't help but go online and see what Phoenix's next three games are; see what Golden State's next three games are."

The Grizzlies bested the Blazers by 17 in Portland on Jan. 28. That was Memphis' fourth consecutive victory in this series. The Blazers are 9-3 in their last 12 in Memphis.