Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Line: Memphis -2.5, Total: 196.5

The Grizzlies host the struggling Trail Blazers on Tuesday in a game they must win in order to keep themselves in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Portland has lost two straight games now after a 118-113 defeat in Houston on Sunday. After allowing just 78 points to the Hawks on Wednesday, the Blazers have surrendered 110.5 PPG over the past two games. Memphis, on the other hand, has won four of its past five games with the most recent contest being a 111-89 home win over the Bobcats. The Grizzlies won the first meeting between these teams 98-81 at Moda Center on Jan. 28, giving them four straight wins over the Blazers, including three in a row in Portland. But the Blazers are 3-0 ATS (1-2 SU) in Memphis over the past three seasons. They are also 19-8 ATS after covering two of their previous three games this season, but over the past two seasons, Memphis is 52-30 ATS when playing against a team with a winning record. The Grizzlies are also 23-10 ATS against Northwest Division opponents over the past two seasons. The one injury of note is Memphis SF Mike Miller, who injured his ankle last game and is questionable for Tuesday.

Can the Grizzlies extend their win streak to three games on Tuesday night? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks throughout the entire 2012-13 season. The five StatFox experts have been profitable in NBA Best Bets recently with a 53.0% ATS record (53-47-1) since Feb. 10. StatFox Dave has a strong 57.1% ATS (40-30-1) Best Bets record since Dec. 1 and is 53.2% ATS (50-44-1) on Best Bets for the season. StatFox Brian remains red-hot, going 65.6% ATS (21-11-1) since Jan. 25 and 59.0% ATS (36-25-1) in Best Bets since Dec. 12.

Portland has one of the best offenses in the NBA with 107.7 PPG (2nd in league), thanks to a hefty 23.4 APG (6th in NBA). The club also hits the glass with ferocity (NBA-best 46.7 RPG), but is a poor defensive team with 102.8 PPG allowed (24th in NBA). The Blazers are coming off a hard-fought game against the Rockets on Sunday in which they lost 118-113 in overtime. PF LaMarcus Aldridge (23.7 PPG, 11.2 RPG) had a strong game with 28 points and 12 rebounds in 42 minutes, and is averaging 29.0 PPG and 14.5 RPG over the past two contests. He must be ready to do a lot of the same Tuesday night as a matchup with the physical Zach Randolph is looming. Aldridge had 27 points and 16 rebounds in the first meeting between these teams. C Robin Lopez (10.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.7 BPG) had 11 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks in his matchup with Dwight Howard last game, and the Blazers will need him to be equally as tough against defensive stalwart Marc Gasol. Over the past five games. Lopez is averaging 12.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG and 2.2 BPG. PG Damian Lillard (20.8 PPG, 5.8 APG) has dealt with an illness the past week, but he seemed healthy against the Rockets as he finished with 21 points and four assists. Lillard will need to make Mike Conley work on both ends of the floor and use his athleticism to tire out the Grizzlies big men when he gets into the paint.

Memphis is a polar opposite of Portland, scoring very little (95.8 PPG, 25th in NBA), but limiting opponents to a mere 94.8 PPG (3rd in league). The club is an average passing team (21.7 APG, 15th in NBA) and a subpar rebounding club (42.3 RPG, 19th in league). The Grizzlies have climbed their way back into the Western Conference playoffs for now, but the rest of the season will be about winning one game at a time and fighting off the Suns, who are currently the nine seed in the conference. Memphis is coming off a 22-point blowout victory over the Bobcats on Saturday, led by PG Mike Conley (17.2 PPG, 6.2 APG), who had 20 points and four assists in that victory. In the first meeting with the Blazers, Conley won the point guard matchup with Damian Lillard as he finished with 19 points (8-of-14 FG) and seven assists in 35 minutes of play. Conley is crafty, and his experience is basically the only advantage he has over Lillard at this point. PF Zach Randolph (17.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG) had a huge game against the Blazers last outing, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes. If Randolph can match the production of LaMarcus Aldridge, it will be very difficult for the Grizzlies to allow this one slip away. C Marc Gasol (13.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG) appears to finally be 100 percent healthy, averaging 16.4 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 2.0 BPG over the past five games. His play in this matchup could determine who wins the game, as Memphis has a major advantage at his position.