Grizzlies survive late Blazers rally, take 3-0 series lead

This wasn't the book on the Memphis Grizzlies.

Oh, they can score a little, with their offense ranking 13th in the league, but this is a team that lived on their No. 4-ranked defense this season. Robust offensive outbursts weren't exactly their forte.

And yet here they were, dropping 62 points in the first half against a helpless Portland Trail Blazers defense, shooting 57.5 percent from the floor and setting a franchise record for first-half points in the postseason.

Memphis reached 62 points in the first half twice all year and Portland ranked 10th in defensive efficiency. To say this was unexpected would be a minor understatement, as good things can happen when several talented, unselfish players are on the floor together.

The Grizzlies cooled significantly in the second half, shooting 35.1 percent and nearly losing their lead for the first time all game in the closing minutes. But that brilliant first half was enough of a cushion, with Memphis hanging on for a 115-109 victory at the Moda Center and a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Turning Point

With 4:03 to play in the third quarter, Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley took an errant elbow to the head from C.J. McCollum, bloodying him and forcing him out of the game. At that point, the Grizzlies led 74-64, and Conley's injury - coupled with the absence of Beno Udrih - presented an opportunity for the Blazers to close the gap.

With Nick Calathes manning the point, the Grizzlies managed to stem the tied, closing the quarter in an 11-11 lock and entering the fourth with a double-digit lead. From there, they held steady without Conley, the Blazers having squandered an unfortunate but obvious chance to swing the series back in their favor.

It's good that they managed to hold Portland off as long as they did - they led 90-79 with 7:28 to play - because the Blazers caught fire late, cutting the lead to as few as five points with under two minutes to go. Tony Allen helped slow Damian Lillard down the stretch and that early lead, the one that seemed so tenuous without Conley, proved just enough despite his absence.

From the time Conley left, Lillard shot 2-of-6 for six points with three assists, numbers Calathes was able to nearly match with six points on 1-of-5 shooting and two dimes of his own.

There were plenty of honorable mentions on either side, as both teams spread the offensive load around. Nine players scored in double-figures and five scored 20 or more:

It was Marc Gasol who stood out on both ends of the floor despite a poor shooting night. The Spaniard had difficulty from the floor with a 6-of-17 mark, but his ability to get to the line helped buoy the Grizzlies offense when it began sputtering.

Gasol shot 13-of-14 from the line, including a percent 8-of-8 in the second half, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots. He helped hold Aldridge to a 6-of-18 shooting mark the other way, too.

You mean, other than Kosta Koufos absolutely crowning McCollum in an act of preemptive revenge for Conley?

Well, as is often the case with Grizzlies' games, they were a little low on grandiose and heavy on the grit and grind. Before he left injured, Conley provided a little bit of flash:

This was in response to Lillard doing as he does, showing why the absence of Conley should have been terrifying for Grizzlies fans:

Game 1: Grizzlies 100, Trail Blazers 86 (Grizzlies lead 1-0)
Game 2: Grizzlies 97, Trail Blazers 82 (Grizzlies lead 2-0)
Game 3: Grizzlies 115, Trail Blazers 109 (Grizzlies lead 3-0)
Game 4: Monday, April 27, 10:30 p.m. ET
Game 5*: Wednesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6*: Friday, May 1, TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 3, TBD