Blazers Snap Skid Behind Holiday’s 35-Point Masterclass in Memphis
Jrue Holiday wasn’t just good on Wednesday night. He was relentless.
The Portland Trail Blazers needed a win badly — sitting at 30-33, teetering on the edge of the play-in bubble, having dropped three of their last four games. And Holiday, the veteran point guard who has seen it all in this league, delivered exactly when it mattered most. He finished with 35 points and 11 assists, leading the Blazers to a 122-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.
This wasn’t a blowout. Memphis made it uncomfortable. But Portland found a way.
Holiday and Grant Were Unstoppable
Holiday was in another gear from the opening tip. He buried eight three-pointers on 11 attempts — numbers that would make any shooter blush — and ran the offense with the kind of poise you only develop after years of high-stakes basketball. His stepback threes in the fourth quarter were dagger after dagger.
But Holiday didn’t do it alone. Jerami Grant matched his co-star’s energy with 30 points of his own, attacking the basket, drawing fouls, and knocking down mid-range jumpers that kept Memphis honest all night. The two combined for 65 of Portland’s 122 points. That’s what a two-headed attack looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders.
Off the bench, Robert Williams III was quietly magnificent. He posted 20 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes, finishing around the rim with authority and protecting the paint on the other end with three blocks.
The Blazers Needed This Win More Than They’ll Admit
Portland entered Wednesday having lost four of its last six games. The energy had been sloppy. The rotations were still a work in progress. Interim coach Tiago Splitter had been candid about it — the team was struggling to find its identity while managing injuries and mismatched lineups.
With Deni Avdija (lower back injury) sidelined for the past four games, the Blazers had been grinding without one of their most dynamic offensive threats. Avdija, who is averaging 24.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists this season, is nearing a return — and his presence could be exactly the spark this team needs down the stretch.
But Wednesday’s win wasn’t about who was missing. It was about the guys who showed up. And Holiday and Grant showed up big.
Memphis Fought Hard, But Couldn’t Close the Gap
Give the Grizzlies some credit. Memphis was playing the second game of a back-to-back after falling to Minnesota 117-110 the night before. They also suited up without Ja Morant, who missed his 18th consecutive game due to a left elbow injury, and without big man Zach Edey, who is out for the remainder of the season following ankle surgery.
Seven Grizzlies players reached double figures. That’s remarkable depth and effort for a short-handed team on a punishing schedule. Jaylen Wells led Memphis with 24 points, and GG Jackson added 20. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who signed a multi-year contract earlier in the day, contributed 17 points and nine rebounds in his eighth start of the season. The effort was there. The bodies just weren’t.
How the Blazers Sealed It
The Blazers led by just four points entering the final nine minutes. It wasn’t comfortable. Memphis had the crowd behind them, and Wells was still making plays. But Portland closed with a 24-19 scoring edge over that stretch, with Holiday repeatedly making the kind of plays veteran guards make — a timely three here, a crafty floater there.
The final score was 122-114. Clean on the surface. Messy in the moments that actually mattered. That’s playoff basketball, and the Blazers survived it.
What’s Next for the Blazers
Portland gets no time to breathe. They travel to Houston on Friday to face the Rockets, a team sitting at 38-22 and fighting for positioning in the Western Conference standings. The Blazers, now 30-33, are clinging to play-in tournament territory with every win carrying enormous weight.
Avdija’s return could change everything. A healthy, full-strength Portland roster — with Holiday running the point, Grant providing secondary scoring, and Avdija doing a little bit of everything — is genuinely dangerous.
But first things first. Wednesday’s win counts. The streak is snapped. The Blazers live to fight another day.
