The Memphis Grizzlies won the battle of undefeated teams on Thursday, putting the Portland Trail Blazers at 3-1 on the season. The game within the game was the center battle: Memphis' Zach Edey vs. Portland's Donovan Clingan.
Of course, there was a time when it was Purdue's Edey vs. UConn's Clingan, and it seems there's still no love lost between them. If you enjoy the Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren battle, tune in for the heavyweight version: Edey vs. Clingan.
Donovan Clingan vs. Zach Edey rivalry continues to heat up
Both centers picked up a technical in this contest. You could sense it was only a matter of time before Clingan countered to get his after Edey. Clingan received it after talking on his way back following a made shot by Portland, then raised his arm in the air to say it was on him, almost as though he took pride in the competitiveness of it all.
Whether it's the NCAA national championship or the 2024 NBA Draft, these two seven-footers will always be connected throughout their careers. Clingan has gotten the better of Edey in that regard, seeing as he's a back-to-back champion with UConn and went ahead of him in the draft at No. 7. Still, Edey isn't far behind, as a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year and a No. 9 overall pick by the Grizzlies.
That's the beauty of this rivalry: both players are on pretty even ground and have a case to make, particularly going forward with their respective teams.
Memphis defeated Portland 124-103 in this matchup, but it's not like Edey had Clingan's number. In a game that the Blazers lost by 21, Clingan was impressively a +4. He finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The UConn product even got both Edey and Isaiah Stewart in foul trouble in the first half, but it ultimately wasn't enough for Portland, who looked lost at times without backup center Robert Williams III.
But these two players have been battling for quite some time; they know this is just one of many wars to come. Between the Cedric Coward-Yang Hansen trade, the Ja Morant blockbuster, and the Clingan-Edey rivalry, these two rising Western Conference teams will be connected.
With Clingan and Edey in particular, the extent of the rivalry could depend on the health of Edey, who was limited to just 11 games last season. But when these two bigs meet in the paint, it's one of the best frontcourt rivalries in the association.
Hopefully both stay healthy, as this rivalry only gets better as they and their teams improve. Plus, given how well Clingan played Thursday night -- and how much he smiled after getting into things with Edey each time -- it's safe to say he embraces the increased competition.
Despite the outcome, this was another fun one to watch, in part thanks to an Edey-Clingan rivalry that's been around for years -- and only continues to get better.
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