Santi Aldama shines in the Grizzlies' victory over the Blazers

The Memphis Grizzlies relied on a strong first half to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 119-96 last night. Santi Aldama stood out as the top scorer for the home team with 22 points, while Jaylen Wells and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each contributed 17 points. Jock Landale added 15 points in a performance that helped the home team secure their seventh victory in the last nine games.

In Portland, Jerami Grant led the charge with 21 points. Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe each added 17 points, with Avdija also tallying seven rebounds and seven assists. His streak of five consecutive games with at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists came to an end.

The Trail Blazers faced the game without their two main centers. Donovan Clingan missed his second consecutive game due to a lower left calf contusion, while Robert Williams III was a last-minute scratch due to illness. This forced rookie Yang Hansen, selected 16th in the latest draft, to make his first start of the season. The Chinese center finished with four points and five rebounds.

The key to the match

A combination of poor shooting accuracy and numerous turnovers by Portland allowed Memphis to open up a 25-point gap before halftime. The home team went into the break with a 66-46 lead, matching the lowest point total the Trail Blazers have scored in a half this season. The 14 turnovers and 35% shooting accuracy contributed to the visitors' difficulties. Santi Aldama was fantastic with his aforementioned 22 points and 7 rebounds in just 28 minutes of play.

Portland reacted at the start of the third quarter with a 19-3 run that cut the difference to 69-65. However, Memphis responded immediately and regained control of the game to close the third period with a 92-78 lead, securing the victory.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Santi Aldama se sale en el triunfo de los Grizzlies ante los Blazers