Battles between the No. 4 and 5 seeds are typically close, yet the season series between the Grizzlies and Trail Blazers doesn't give Portland fans a lot of hope that this one will be as close as they might like.
Trail Blazers vs. Grizzlies, 2015 NBA playoffs: Game time, TV schedule and live stream for NBA playoffs
The Grizzlies and Trail Blazers will try to set the tone with a win in Game 1 of what promises to be a close series.
Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
The Grizzlies swept the regular season series while boasting a net rating of over 10, a massive number for supposedly evenly matched teams. That’s why Game 1 is so important for the Blazers -- they need to prove to themselves they can beat Memphis and bring the game back to their home court.
Nicolas Batum, C.J. McCollum and Arron Afllalo finished the season with some maladies that could carry over to the playoffs, which severely limits Portland's advantage at the wing against the Grizzlies. Batum and McCollum are expected to play, but might not be at their peak level. Fortunately for the Blazers, Memphis has injuries of its own to worry about, as Tony Allen and Mike Conley missed time to end the season. Health should play a huge factor in this series.
As mentioned, at full strength the Grizzlies have been much better than the Trail Blazers. If that trend continues, the series could be short. It's hard to count out Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, however, and a single win can change the tide. Few first-round games offer much intrigue, but this series has many unanswered questions that could make it unpredictable.
How to watch Portland at Memphis
Place: FedEx Forum
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Online: WatchTNT
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