Unbeaten Blazers host unbeaten Grizzlies as Ja Morant faces his old team (Oct. 29)
Quick Read
The unbeaten Portland Trail Blazers (3-0) host the unbeaten Memphis Grizzlies (4-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Moda Center.
It is Ja Morant's first game against Memphis since the Grizzlies traded him to Portland in June for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.
Memphis guard Ty Jerome is averaging 29.8 points a game, and the Grizzlies have won all three of their road games.
The game airs locally on KUNP 16 and streams on BlazerVision.
PORTLAND - Somebody's perfect start ends tonight. The Trail Blazers (3-0) come home from a win over the Lakers to host the Memphis Grizzlies (4-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Moda Center, a meeting of two teams that have not lost yet.
Portland will be on KUNP 16 and BlazerVision, according to the ESPN game page.
Morant meets his old team
The storyline that sells this one is Ja Morant. Memphis traded the two-time All-Star to Portland on June 29 for forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, the Associated Press reported at the time. Grant and Murray are both on the Grizzlies roster tonight, so the trade is on the floor from both sides.
Morant scored a season-high 23 points in Tuesday's 136-129 win in Los Angeles. He also said afterward that he plans to appeal a flopping technical foul called late in that game, ESPN reported. Portland forward Toumani Camara and Lakers forward Ziaire Williams were also called for flopping in the final six minutes.
What Portland brings
Deni Avdija leads the Blazers at 22.3 points a game, Morant leads them with 6.3 assists and center Donovan Clingan is pulling down 9.3 rebounds, according to ESPN's season stats. Damian Lillard hit the clinching 3-pointer against the Lakers, and Jrue Holiday scored 22 off the bench in that game.
What Memphis brings
Ty Jerome leads Memphis at 29.8 points and 6.5 assists a game, and he entered Monday leading the NBA in scoring, the AP reported. Cameron Boozer leads the Grizzlies at 10.5 rebounds a game. Memphis is 3-0 on the road, with wins at Golden State, Sacramento and Utah.
In Monday's 110-105 win at Utah, Cedric Coward had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Jaylen Wells added 14, and Boozer and Grant scored 13 apiece, according to the AP recap. Utah held Jerome to 15 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
Injuries
Portland lists Shaedon Sharpe out following right knee surgery and guard Chris Youngblood out with left ankle soreness, per ESPN's injury report. Memphis had no injuries listed as of Thursday morning.
What's next
After tonight, the Blazers play at Utah on Saturday, then visit Denver and Phoenix next week, according to the team schedule. Willamette News will have a recap if tonight's game delivers.
Sources
ESPN: Grizzlies at Trail Blazers game page, injuries and season leaders (Oct. 29, 2026)
ESPN: Ja Morant to appeal as three flopping techs given at end of Blazers-Lakers
Associated Press via NBA.com: Trail Blazers add Ja Morant in trade with Grizzlies
Associated Press via ESPN: Grizzlies outlast Jazz for second win in four games over Utah
ESPN: Portland Trail Blazers schedule
Cover photo: Ja Morant (51914621662), by Erik Drost, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 2.0
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