Jerami Grant’s Career-High 45 Points Ignite NBA Buzz — Highlights, Reactions & What It Means for Your Team

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant is back in the national spotlight as Rip City hosts the San Antonio Spurs for a pivotal Game 4 this afternoon at Moda Center. After missing the final weeks of the regular season with a nagging calf strain, Grant returned for the series opener and has quickly re-established himself as Portland’s two-way linchpin, averaging 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals through the first three games. Defense sets the tone Head coach Chauncey Billups has leaned on Grant to slow down Spurs star Victor Wembanyama on the perimeter, a matchup that paid dividends in Game 3 when Grant recorded a game-high three steals and helped hold the 7-foot-4 rookie to 6-of-18 shooting in Portland’s 112-104 win. His length also freed Deandre Ayton to remain planted in the paint, where the Blazers have outscored San Antonio 148-110 over the past two contests. Key scoring punch off the bench Grant shifted to the second unit in Game 3 to manage his minutes and immediately ignited Portland’s offense, pouring in 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting while spacing the floor with timely corner threes. The move allowed rookie guard Matas Buzelis to start and gave the Blazers a versatile small-ball lineup that outscored the Spurs by 11 in nine shared minutes. Calf is no longer a concern Portland listed Grant as probable earlier this morning, but team officials confirmed he will play without restriction—welcome news after the 32-year-old missed seven straight games to close the regular season. The forward credited the team’s medical staff for accelerating his rehab and said he feels “100 percent” heading into today’s matinee. Why today’s game matters A victory would level the best-of-seven series at 2-2 and swing home-court advantage back to Portland before the matchup shifts to San Antonio on Tuesday night. Historically, teams that even a first-round series after trailing 1-2 advance 41 percent of the time, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Contract and future outlook Grant is in the third season of the five-year, $160 million extension he signed in 2023, and league insiders believe Portland’s playoff run will shape front-office decisions this summer. Several contenders, including Milwaukee and Phoenix, reportedly inquired about Grant at February’s trade deadline before the Blazers opted to keep him as their veteran cornerstone. What to watch • Early touches: Expect Billups to post Grant on smaller defenders to draw help and free shooters Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe in the corners. • Defensive assignments: When Grant checks Wembanyama, look for blitzes that force the rookie to give up the ball. • Closing lineup: If Grant’s calf holds up, Portland will likely finish with a switch-everything frontcourt of Grant, Ayton and Toumani Camara that blanketed San Antonio late in Game 3. Bottom line Jerami Grant’s health and two-way versatility remain the swing factors in a series that has quickly become must-see TV for NBA fans—and must-click content for search engines tracking the Blazers’ postseason surge.