GRIZ FALL:
With Gasol hurt, Griz struggle on defense
Marc Gasol leaves the game with an injury as the Griz lose to Portland 112106 in OT.
Marc Gasol walked gingerly by the Grizzlies bench, holding onto the team’s athletic trainer but not any hope of finishing his shift on this work night.
The ailing 7-foot center has a right mid-foot injury that caused him to exit early during the Grizzlies’ 112-106 overtime loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night in FedExForum.
Gasol departed with a minute remaining in the first quarter. He did not return but collected 11 points on 4-of- 6 shooting to go with three rebounds and two assists. He acknowledged playing with the injury last Saturday after the Griz dropped an overtime affair to Dallas.
“He’s just dinged up,” said Griz coach Dave Joerger, who indicated Gasol might not play Wednesday on the road against Brooklyn in their final game before the All-Star break.
Gasol’s absence left the Griz without adequate interior defense.
The Blazers made 10 3-pointers but also left with a 52-46 advantage in points in the paint.
Blazers guard C.J. McCollum hurt the Griz in the extra period. He scored on three consecutive posses-
sions to put his team ahead 108-102.
The Griz missed their f i rst seven shots a nd turned the ball over before Zach Randolph’s layup ended the drought. Mike Conley added a floater that pulled the Griz to within 108-106 with a minute remaining.
That was Memphis’ deficit when Tony Allen had a chance to tie the score on a fast brea k. Allen, though, missed his shot at the rim and the Blazers recovered the ball.
Blazers point guard Damian Lillard then made two free t h rows t hat sealed their win.
“This is one I’d like to have back,” Allen said. “I want to take this one on the chin personally. Honestly, I make that lay up and we get a chance to hold our hats on the defensive end. This league is about making plays. Some days are better than others.
Leading 102-10 0, t he Gri z appea red to be headed toward a win after forcing Lillard to miss a 3-pointer with 7.6 ticks left on the clock.
But Bla zers reser ve Allen Crabbe scored off a tip -i n as t he buzzer sounded a nd overtime ensued.
Randolph and Conley rallied the Griz without their versatile big man.
A Conley floater in the lane put the Griz ahead 101-100 with 20 seconds left i n reg ulation . The basket came moments after Lillard scored a layup that gave his team a lead.
Conley finished with a team-high 27 points. Randolph chipped in with 26 points.
Mario Chalmers added 1 2 points off the bench, i ncludi ng back-to -back baskets that put the Griz ahead 88-83 with seven minutes left in the game. Portland’s Gerald Henderson responded with a pair of baskets — a 3-pointer and fadeaway from 15 feet — to tie the score.
There were 17 ties and 1 5 lead changes in the game.
A pai r of 3 -pointers helped the Griz knot the score at 78 entering the fourth quarter.
Chalmers ended the third quarter with a buzzer-beating shot from beyond the arc. Matt Barnes had just connected on a shot from beyond the arc a fter block i ng McCollum’s shot.
The Blazers were led by Lillard’s 33 points.
Jo er ger st a r ted Jef f Green in place of Gasol in the second half. Memphis trailed 51-49 at the intermission a fter watching Lillard toss in 20 first-half points.
Both teams enjoyed deft shooting with the Blazers outgunning the Griz at a 54-percent clip. Memphis was shooting 50 percent from the field at that point with Conley’s 1 5 points leading them.
Neither tea m led by more than six points in the game.