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Blazers try to keep rolling at home vs. lowly Grizzlies

Mar 28, 2009 - 6:17 AM By Mike Lipka Stats Writer

Memphis (18-53) at Portland (45-27) 10:00 p.m. EDT

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) -- A disappointing home loss this week damaged the Portland Trail Blazers' hopes of winning the Northwest Division, but the young Blazers have already begun to reestablish their dominance at the Rose Garden.

They don't figure to have much problem earning a win Saturday night against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, who are still seeking their first road victory of the season over a winning team.

Portland trails Denver by just 1 1/2 games in the Northwest, with Utah also involved in the tight race. The three teams are among several jockeying for playoff positioning in the Western Conference, and a total of five teams have either 26 or 27 losses with less than three weeks left in the regular season.

The Blazers' situation could have been better if they hadn't opened a four-game homestand with Monday night's 114-108 overtime loss to Philadelphia, but they bounced back with a season-high point total in a 129-109 win over Phoenix on Thursday night.

They're now 29-7 at home, with 14 wins in their last 16 home games.

Led by 29 points and 12 rebounds from LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland shot better than 60 percent from the field - also a season best - against the defenseless Suns.

Aldridge now has six double-doubles in his last 10 games, and he appears to have fully recovered from a concussion that sidelined him for one game last week.

"He's still learning to take advantage of what he can do, and I think he can be a dominant force on both ends of the floor," Portland coach Nate McMillan said of Aldridge.

Aldridge led the Blazers with 22 points in a 103-92 win at Memphis on March 16, their fifth straight victory over the Grizzlies. They swept three games in last season's series, and need wins Saturday and April 7 to go 4-0 in 2008-09.

The Grizzlies have lost 17 of their last 20 games, but they're coming off a 113-95 win at lowly Sacramento on Friday night as they helped decrease their chances of finishing with the NBA's worst record.

In the midst of a dismal season, Memphis improved to 6-29 on the road. None of the six wins have come against teams that are currently over .500.

But with 27 points, Marc Gasol helped awaken what has been a brutal Memphis offense. The Grizzlies had averaged 88.6 points and shot 43.1 percent from the field in their previous nine games.

"It was nice to get a 15-20 point lead and be able to relax a little instead of being behind and trying to catch up," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said.

Rudy Gay added 23 points and Mike Conley had 20 to go with six rebounds and five assists for the Grizzlies.

Conley will face his friend Greg Oden for the first time as a professional Saturday after the duo teamed up for three state championships at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, then led Ohio State to the NCAA title game in their only season in Columbus.

Oden, who sat out all of last season following a knee injury, has missed both of Portland's games against Memphis this season due to problems with the other knee. The former No. 1 overall pick has fallen from the starting lineup and has continued to struggle with foul trouble in five games since his return.