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Grizzlies at Trail Blazers: Ja Morant faces Memphis for the first time since his trade

Memphis takes a 4–0 record to Portland, which is 3–0, for Thursday’s game at Moda Center. Morant’s first meeting with his former team is also an early test for two unbeaten, remade rosters.

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Aerial view of Moda Center beside Memorial Coliseum and the Willamette River in Portland, 2023.
Moda Center in Portland, venue for Thursday’s game. File photo from July 2023. © Pete Forsyth / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Ja Morant will not have to travel to Memphis to meet his former team. The Grizzlies visit Portland on Thursday, giving the guard his first game against the franchise that drafted him in 2019. The NBA identifies a February game in Memphis as his return to that city as an opponent. Thursday’s matchup at Moda Center comes first, with both teams still unbeaten to start the season.

  • Competition: NBA, 2026–27 regular season.
  • Matchup: Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers.
  • Venue: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon.
  • Tipoff: Thursday, October 29, 7:00 p.m. PDT in Portland; 10:00 p.m. EDT on the U.S. East Coast (02:00 UTC on Friday, October 30).

The trade that reshaped both teams

Portland acquired Morant on June 29 in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. The deal ended his seven seasons in Memphis, where he won Rookie of the Year, made two All-Star teams and was part of a club that won 56 games in 2021–22. Injuries and suspensions limited him in recent seasons. In Portland, he now shares playmaking duties with the returning Damian Lillard and Deni Avdija.

The opening results make a sporting case for that move, although three games cannot define a season. Portland is 3–0. On Tuesday it won 136–129 at the Lakers, with 23 points from Morant, 21 from Lillard and 23 from Avdija. Lillard made a three-pointer in the final minute to push the lead to six. The Blazers are averaging 129.3 points and 30.7 assists through three games, according to the NBA team page. The sample is small, but it shows an offense with more than one creator.

Memphis arrives at 4–0 after beating Utah 110–105 on Monday. Ty Jerome, who moved into the starting point guard role after Morant’s departure, scored 45 points in the opener, then 28 against Golden State and 31 against Sacramento. He had 15 against the Jazz but added eight assists. Winning without another huge scoring night from him suggests that the unbeaten start is not built on his shooting alone. Cedric Coward supplied 16 points and 11 rebounds in Salt Lake City; rookie Cameron Boozer had already recorded 25 points and 13 rebounds against the Warriors.

Pace and rebounding come into focus

The early comparison between the teams is attractive but needs context. Portland leads the NBA in points per game after three appearances; Memphis has collected 50 rebounds per game over four. They have faced different opponents and schedules. Thursday will show whether an attack led by Morant, Lillard and Avdija can keep creating drives and passes against a team averaging 50 rebounds during this brief opening stretch.

Morant knows the players and habits of his former club; Memphis knows how quickly he can get to the rim. Neither fact guarantees an advantage. If Portland creates space for him to drive, Jerome and the Grizzlies’ perimeter defenders will have to choose when to stay in front and when to help. At the other end, Zach Edey’s size and the rebounding of Boozer and Coward test Donovan Clingan and Portland’s interior defense. Those are possible matchups, subject to the lineups each coach selects.

The game is also a chance to see how Portland shares late-game possessions. Against the Lakers, Morant made shots down the stretch and Lillard hit the decisive three; Avdija and Jrue Holiday also contributed to the scoring. Memphis, with a younger roster after the June trade, will try to protect its unbeaten start without needing Jerome to repeat his 45-point opener.

Availability ahead of the game

In the NBA’s official injury report at 10:45 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 28, neither club had yet submitted its report for this matchup. That does not mean every player is available. Injury, questionable and rest designations must be checked when issued; Thursday’s starting lineups are not confirmed either.

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Game report: not yet submitted in the official report cited above.

Portland Trail Blazers

  • Game report: not yet submitted in the official report cited above.

How to watch Grizzlies at Trail Blazers

  • Venue: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon.
  • Date and time: Thursday, October 29, 7:00 p.m. PDT in Portland; 10:00 p.m. EDT on the U.S. East Coast.

United States

  • TV: the NBA does not list a national channel for this game. A specific local broadcast had not been confirmed with an official operator source.
  • Streaming: the NBA lists the game on League Pass; availability depends on the subscriber’s market and local restrictions.

Australia

  • Time: Friday, October 30, 1:00 p.m. AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne; 10:00 a.m. AWST in Perth.
  • TV and streaming: a game-specific broadcast has not yet been announced by a verified operator.

United Kingdom

  • Time: Friday, October 30, 2:00 a.m. GMT.
  • TV and streaming: a game-specific broadcast has not yet been announced by a verified operator.

The first Morant–Memphis meeting since the trade brings together two perfect starts. Beyond the reunion, it asks a more concrete question: how well will Portland’s shared offense hold up against the Grizzlies’ rebounding and new rotation?