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The Memphis Grizzlies take on the Utah Jazz. Check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Grizzlies-Jazz prediction and pick.
The Utah Jazz were supposed to be one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, but that has plainly not been the case. New coach Will Hardy has made an immediate impact with a new and reworked roster after the departures of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. A lot of new pieces on a roster means a lot of reconfiguring and reimagining. Hardy had to plot out a plan and a system in which each of his players could work together. How would they be utilized? How would they work as a group? How would their roles and points of emphasis change from previous NBA teams?
The foremost example of the Jazz's player development under Hardy has been Lauri Markkanen. The top-10 draft pick never fully blossomed in Chicago or Cleveland, but he might have found a home in Salt Lake City. Yes, it's early in the season, but Markkanen already looks far better than he did with the Bulls or Cavaliers. Scoring, shooting, playing with confidence and force, Markkanen is playing a much more complete game, and with Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson already on the floor, the mixture for the Jazz lineup instantly becomes more potent and diverse. This is how the Jazz have remade themselves under Hardy in the first few weeks of the season.
The Memphis Grizzlies know that over the course of the full NBA season, they need players other than Ja Morant to step up. They know that Ja will lead them in the playoffs, but they need other guys to carry the workload through the regular season so that Morant will be physically and mentally fresh in April. In Memphis' most recent game against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, Desmond Bane scored 31 points. Memphis got 45 points from its bench. That's exactly what the Grizzlies need as they move through the regular season. Sharing the workload and giving opposing defenses more to think about each night will enable Memphis to live up to its potential as a Western Conference contender.
Here are the Grizzlies-Jazz NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Grizzlies-Jazz Odds
Memphis Grizzlies: -2.5 (-110)
Utah Jazz: +2.5 (-110)
Over: 226.5 (-110)
Under: 226.5 (-110)
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Why The Grizzlies Could Cover The Spread
The Grizzlies are getting the balanced scoring they need. They have a superstar, Morant, and the role players surrounding him to become a top-tier team in the NBA. The Jazz have been a really good story in the first two weeks of the NBA season, but they don't have the athletes or the rugged interior players to keep pace with the Grizzlies if Memphis is getting contributions up and down the roster. If Desmond Bane continues to be a potent scorer as the 1-B to Morant's 1-A, the Grizzlies should be in very good shape for this game and for the whole of their season.
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
It's clear that the Jazz are a much, much better team than many people suspected. They have a lot of shooters on the floor, and if Lauri Markkanen is hitting, that will create opportunities for his teammates on the perimeter. Memphis' defense has not been very good this season, and Utah has the shooting to exploit the Grizzlies while they settle into their season.
Final Grizzlies-Jazz Prediction & Pick
The Grizzlies' defense has not been consistently strong in the early portion of the season. The Jazz have a very good chance of putting together a strong offensive game and winning outright.
Final Grizzlies-Jazz Prediction & Pick: Jazz +2.5
