Memphis pulls away after halftime to keep its unbeaten start intact
Cameron Boozer recorded his first NBA triple-double as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 124–103 at Moda Center on October 29 in the United States, October 30 in the Philippines. The rookie finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists as Memphis improved to 5–0.
Portland entered the matchup unbeaten as well, but fell to 3–1. The teams were level at 58 at halftime before Memphis outscored the hosts 66–45 across the last two quarters. An eight-point advantage entering the fourth became a comfortable road victory.
Boozer shared the scoring lead with reserve big man Isaiah Stewart, who also contributed 18. Cedric Coward added 17, giving Memphis several ways to keep scoring without depending on one player to carry the entire attack.
Deni Avdija led Portland with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Ja Morant scored 14 against his former team but left with a hamstring injury. Damian Lillard finished with nine points on 3-for-13 shooting.
The contrast in distribution was significant. Memphis had eight players reach double figures, allowing the Grizzlies to maintain their scoring through different combinations. Boozer's 12 assists were central to a performance that extended well beyond his own shot-making.
Five victories do not settle the shape of a season, but this result added another clear marker to Memphis's encouraging start. The Grizzlies won a meeting of unbeaten teams, produced sustained second-half separation and received an early all-around milestone from their rookie.