NBA Play-in: What you need to know about the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies
Key Question No.3: The center battle
Jonas Valanciunas has been extremely productive and one of the unknown best role players in the league. Jaren Jackson Jr. is well known foul magnet for the season he averaged 4.1 per game and fouled out of eight games for the season.
In the bubble, Valanciunas has averaged 15.3 points per game and 11.5 rebounds (3.7 offensive rebounds) per game and one block. Valancuius has had an impressive performance against two of the best defensive bigs in the league in Rudy Gobert and Brook Lopez, against the Utah Jazz, Valanciunas had 21 points and 14 rebounds and against the Milwaukee Bucks (without Giannis Antetokounmpo) had 26 points and 19 rebounds.
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Against the Blazers in the first game a less impressive 16 and four rebounds. The Blazers have struggled with preventing offensive rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets had 12 against them and the Philadelphia 76ers had 14. If Valancuius can play aggressively and Ja Morant and a smattering of other guards can attack the glass it could reduce the abilities of Hassan Whiteside, Jusuf Nurkić and Zach Collins.
The Blazers bigs are prone to fouling and Valancusis could easily cause some damage on the interior especially against the weaker defender in Whiteside or a thinly framed Collins. The matchup will come down to Nurkić verse Valancuius and the Grizzlies will need the perimeter players to cut off any passing lanes that Nurkić opens for the Grizzlies to advance.