Isaiah Stewart Leads Memphis Bench in Win Over Portland
Isaiah Stewart scored a season-high 18 points off the bench as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 124-103 to improve their record to 5-0.
Isaiah Stewart provided a key spark off the bench on Thursday night, scoring a season-high 18 points to help the Memphis Grizzlies secure a 124-103 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Oregon. The win capped off a successful four-road-game trip and lifted the Grizzlies to an undefeated 5-0 start on the season.
Stewart shot 7-of-10 from the field, including two three-pointers, while adding three rebounds and one block in the contest. The reserve center did the majority of his scoring in the second half, putting up 15 of his 18 points after teammate Quentin Post exited the game early with an ankle injury.
Post's injury forced Stewart into the role of primary backup center as both Stewart and starting center Zach Edey navigated early foul trouble. Despite the frontcourt depth challenges, the Grizzlies managed to weather multiple scoring runs from Portland during the first half.
The standout performance of the night belonged to Cameron Boozer, who recorded the first triple-double of his NBA career with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Boozer shot efficiently at 6-for-10 from the floor and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, becoming the youngest frontcourt player in NBA history to achieve a triple-double.
Memphis also received strong contributions from its supporting cast, with seven other players finishing in double-figures. Cedric Coward added 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while GG Jackson chipped in 12 points and Jaylen Wells scored 10.
On the Portland side, Deni Avdija led the team with 24 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Former Memphis guard Ja Morant scored 14 points and handed out three assists in 23 minutes against his former team before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.
The game remained competitive through the third quarter until the Grizzlies used a decisive 10-0 run to pull ahead 87-75. Memphis eventually broke the game open in the final period by outscoring Portland 33-20 after both teams emptied their benches.
Following this matchup, the Grizzlies will travel to face the Sacramento Grizzlies' next opponent on Saturday, while the Trail Blazers will head to Utah to take on the Jazz.