Jerami Grant recorded 26 points and eight rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers overcame a late 10-point deficit in regulation to post a 115-113 overtime victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
The contest was the opener for both teams in the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament.
Malcolm Brogdon added 24 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and three steals as the Trail Blazers won their third consecutive game. Shaedon Sharpe scored 22 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points, 12 rebounds and three steals for Portland.
Desmond Bane notched 33 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocked shots as the Grizzlies dropped to 0-6, their worst start since losing 13 straight to open the 2002-03 season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 30 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots for Memphis, the last winless team in the NBA. David Roddy added 16 points and Ziaire Williams had 13 as the Grizzlies lost the West A group game.
The Grizzlies and Trail Blazers play again Sunday night at Portland.
The Blazers’ Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, missed the game due to a sprained right ankle.
Sharpe swished a 3-pointer to give Portland a 109-106 lead with 1:17 left in the extra session. Bane hit two free throws with 59.9 seconds to go to bring the Grizzlies within one before Grant drained a 3-pointer to give the Trail Blazers a four-point edge with 39 seconds left.
Portland later led 115-108 after two free throws by Sharpe with 11.1 seconds remaining before Memphis narrowed the gap prior to the buzzer.
In regulation, the Trail Blazers trailed 100-90 before Brogdon scored eight points during a 12-2 burst that forced overtime. Brogdon’s two free throws with 45.6 seconds left pulled Portland within 102-100, and Sharpe made two from the line with 8.3 seconds left to tie it.
The Trail Blazers shot 40.6 percent from the field, including just 9 of 32 (28.1 percent) from 3-point range.
Memphis connected on 49 percent of its shots but was just 10 of 35 (28.6 percent) from behind the arc.
Bane converted a layup and Roddy scored on a fastbreak dunk to give Memphis a 10-point advantage with 3:21 left.
Memphis led 77-76 entering the final stanza.
Bane scored 18 in the first half, but Portland used a half-ending, 17-5 run to lead 54-53 at the break.
–Field Level Media
