The Memphis Grizzlies have split the first two contests of their
present road trip and Lionel Hollins’ club finishes its journey with Sunday
night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, who are 1-4 ATS in their last
five games.
Sportsbooks opened Los Angeles as a 7.5-point favorite, while first
setting the total at 184.5. Early wagers on Memphis and the ‘under’
drove the numbers south to seven and 184 on most NBA odds boards.
Grizzlies edged out in Utah
Memphis saw a two-game win streak end in Friday’s 94-85 loss as a
one-point road dog against the Utah Jazz. The Grizzlies saw a 10-point
lead erased, while allowing 50.7 percent field shooting.
Grizzlies center Marc Gasol notched team-highs of 21 points and 11
rebounds, logging his second double-double in three games. The big man
added a season-high six blocks, while mate Mike Conley recorded six of his
squad’s 16 assists en route to finishing with 11 points.
The contest’s combined 179 points dipped below the ‘total’ of
185. Both foes united to drain 6-of-25 from three-point land, while
Memphis sank 15-of-21 free throws.
Lakers fall short of home cover
Los Angeles notched its fifth win in seven games with Friday’s
97-90 victory as a 10.5-point home favorite against the Golden State
Warriors. The Lakers connected on 48.1 percent of their field buckets,
while outrebounding the visitors, 32-24.
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant piled in a season-high 39 points,
breaking the 30-point barrier for a third straight game. The 13-time
All-Star added seven assists, while mates Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol united for
27 boards.
The battle’s combined 187 points leaped above the ‘total’ of 185.5,
lifting the ‘over’ to 3-0 in the Lakers’ last trio of contests. Both
squads united for 37 turnovers, while Los Angeles was held to 3-of-11 from
beyond the arc.
Back the ‘under’ at Staples
Sunday’s matchup is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. (ET), making it the NBA
betting board’s finale. Memphis’ Zach Randolph (14.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG) is out
indefinitely for his club, missing three straight games with a knee injury.
This handicapper is backing the ‘under,’ looking for a physical
battle with points at a premium. The ‘under’ is 7-2 in the last nine
meetings between these rivals, including last January’s 104-85 win for Memphis
as a 9.5-point road dog against a fully-loaded Lakers’ squad.
Los Angeles has held foes to 86.5 PPG at home, while the Grizzlies
have notched a meager 80.2 PPG on the road. The three-point
shooting of both squads ranks as the league’s bottom pair, connecting for a
combined 22.2 percent beyond the arc.
Memphis’ Marc Gasol ranks as one of the league’s top five
rebounders (10.3 RPG) and shot blockers (2.3 BPG), which should challenge the
Lakers’ paint attack. Bynum has hauled in 15.8 RPG in his first five
games back for Los Angeles, while adding three blocks in a pair of those
affairs.
The ‘under’ is 4-0 in Memphis’ last four road games, while going
2-1 in the Lakers’ first three home games. Look for another ‘under’
ticket to cash here in your NBA picks, with an intense duel as early jockeying for position in
the Western Conference continues.