The teams will meet again Saturday night in Portland.
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Jrue Holiday had 20 points and seven assists for the Blazers, who led by 30 points after pulling away in the second half. Eight Portland players finished in double figures.
Cam Spencer scored 18 points off the bench for the Grizzlies, who had won their previous two games in a row after a six-game losing streak. GG Jackson II added 15.
Ja Morant missed his eighth consecutive game with a left elbow injury. Morant remained with the team at Thursday’s trade deadline despite speculation that the Grizzlies could trade him.
The Grizzlies were adjusting to a wide-ranging trade that sent Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. to Utah in exchange for Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks.
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Anderson was out Friday due to illness, but Clayton and Hendricks came off the bench for Memphis.
The Grizzlies led by 15 points in the first half, but Portland tied the game at 51 on a dunk by Jerami Grant. Grant followed with a layup that gave the Blazers the lead and they were up 68-64 at the half.
The Blazers said at halftime that Shaedon Sharpe would not return with left calf soreness.
Portland extended the lead to 94-77 on Grant’s 3-pointer in the third quarter and Memphis never challenged.
Scotty Pippen Jr. started his first game of the season for Memphis after undergoing surgery on the big toe on his left foot. He had 13 points and six assists in 22 minutes.
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Portland guard Scoot Henderson also played in his first game of the season after recovering from a left hamstring injury during the offseason. He had 11 points, nine assists and five rebounds in just over 21 minutes.
Donovan Clingan finished with 13 points and 17 rebounds for Portland.
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NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba