Evans, Conley help Grizzlies hold off Blazers 98-97

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Tyreke Evans scored 21 points off the bench, Mike Conley had 20 – all in the second half – and the Memphis Grizzlies held off the Portland Trail Blazers 98-97 on Tuesday night.
 
Marc Gasol added 16 points as the Grizzlies improved to 2-1 on their five-game road trip.
 
Memphis wrestled with the Blazers for the lead in the final quarter after neither team was able to put together a double-digit advantage through the first three.
 
Dillon Brooks stripped Portland’s Ed Davis and got a layup with a free throw that gave the Grizzlies a 96-91 lead with 39 seconds left. But the Blazers weren’t out of it. CJ McCollum hit a 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining to pull Portland to 98-97.
 
After a video review, officials reversed an out-of-bounds call with 12.1 seconds left, giving the ball to the Blazers. McCollum missed a pull-up jumper and got his own rebound but couldn’t get another shot off in time.
 
McCollum led Portland with 36 points.
 
Brooks, starting for the Grizzlies as a rookie, went to college at Oregon and was treated to hearty applause during pregame introductions. Ducks coach Dana Altman had courtside seats for the game.
 
Brooks was a second-round pick by Houston and was sent to Memphis in a draft-night trade. He was last season’s Pac-12 player of the year and helped take the Ducks to the team’s first Final Four appearance since 1939. He averaged 16.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game during his final season.
 
With Ben McLemore (foot) and Wayne Seldon (quadriceps) out injured, Brooks made his third start of the season.
 
The Grizzlies jumped out to a 21-14 lead, but Portland closed the gap early in the second quarter and Evan Turner’s pull-up jumper tied it at 29. Damian Lillard missed his first seven shots from the field, finally ending the drought on a layup with 3:12 left in the first half.
 
McCollum nearly lost the ball on a drive to the basket but regained control to make a falling-down jumper at the buzzer and give the Blazers a 50-47 lead at halftime. McCollum led all scorers with 15 points at the break, then opened the second half with a 3.
 
But the Grizzlies went on a 10-0 run to take a 61-57 lead. Portland tied it 71-all at the end of the third quarter, but Conley hit a 3 for Memphis as time ran out in the period.
 
TIP-INS
 
Grizzlies: Conley was 0 for 5 from the field in the first half. … McLemore was assigned to the G-League Memphis Hustle in preparation for his return.
 
Trail Blazers: McCollum’s career high for points is 43 set last season.
 
UP NEXT
 
Memphis’ road trip continues in Houston on Thursday.
 
Portland hosts Brooklyn on Friday night.
 
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