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Game 1 between the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies tips off at 3:30 PM ET on Sunday. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Warriors-Grizzlies prediction, odds and pick we have laid out below.
The Warriors and Grizzlies begin the next chapter of what is rounding out to be a budding rivalry, one that started in the play-in tournament last season. Now, these two Western Conference elites face off in the second round of the playoffs, with the chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Golden State dispatched reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in five games. Stephen Curry returned from a foot injury in Game 1 and came off the bench in the first four outings, but played starter's minutes and was up to his usual tricks, averaging 28.0 points and 3.8 three-pointers on 50 percent field goal shooting.
Meanwhile, Memphis had a challenging opening-round series versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. They found themselves trailing for a majority of the series, but still gutted it out in six games. Ja Morant wasn't at his best the previous round, as he shot just 38.0 percent from the field. But he did make an impact with his playmaking, averaging 10.5 assists per game against Minnesota. Desmond Bane was the high-point man for Memphis in the first round, averaging 23.5 points per game.
Here is how FanDuel has set the Warriors-Grizzlies NBA odds for Sunday's Game 1 and the series.
NBA odds: Warriors-Grizzlies Odds
Golden State Warriors: -2.5 (-110)
Memphis Grizzlies: +2.5 (-110)
Over: 222 (-110)
Under: 222 (-110)
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Why the Warriors could cover the spread
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Despite starting out on the road, the Warriors enter Game 1 as 2.5-point favorites and a lot of that has to do with their experience advantage. Despite Jordan Poole making his playoff debut and Andrew Wiggins advancing past round one for the first time in his career, this is still a team that has Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson leading the way. That trio has not lost a playoff series where all three are available in all games since 2014.
Though he cooled off in the last couple games of the Denver series, Poole's emergence as a legitimate scoring threat next to Curry and Thompson has made the Warriors favorites once again. Thompson is looking like the Klay of old, while Green is back to the Defensive Player of the Year form we saw earlier this season before he missed two months due to injury.
The Warriors paraded their newfound “death lineup” against Denver, consisting of Curry, Poole, Thompson, Wiggins and Green. The offensive potency of that unit gave the Nuggets fits throughout the series. This gave the Warriors the best offensive rating in the first round and could pose problems for a young Grizzlies team as well.
While Memphis had the top defensive rating in round one, they ranked 13th in opposing three-point percentage. Golden State, meanwhile, has been on fire from beyond the arc, shooting 42.2 percent so far. If the Warriors continue to scorch from deep with their plethora of shooters, it's going to be tough to beat them in a seven-game series.
Why the Grizzlies could cover the spread
Memphis has had Golden State's number since the play-in tournament, so the psychological edge might be there for the young up-and-comers. The Grizzlies took three of their four encounters during the regular season, even handing the Warriors their first loss back in November.
While Golden State has dominated offensively, the Grizzlies have had the best defense in the playoffs so far. They also finished with the sixth-best defensive rating in the NBA during the regular season. Memphis forced 17.7 turnovers per game in the Timberwolves series and ranked third in that category in the regular seasonWith turnovers being Golden State's Achilles heel, the Grizzlies could take advantage and run in the open floor, where Morant is at his incandescent best. The Grizzlies finished first in the NBA in fastbreak points this season.
Memphis' edge in size can also give Golden State problems, especially considering its prowess on the offensive glass. The Grizzlies ranked first in paint points and second-chance opportunities in 2021-22, while defensive rebounding has long been a Warriors weakness.
Memphis won't have Steven Adams for Game 1 as he is still in health and safety protocols. His size can certainly help the Grizzlies, but it has opened the door for Brandon Clarke to break out. In addition, Clarke's versatility and energy give Memphis a better matchup against the Warriors.
Final Warriors-Grizzlies prediction and pick
The Warriors should take Game 1. Memphis hasn't looked good in the playoffs so far, as they needed six games to defeat the No. 7 seeded Timberwolves. Though it's a good sign the Grizzlies showed resiliency, that might not work against a championship-caliber crew like Golden State.
The Dubs, meanwhile, have looked great in the playoffs. This Game 1 win should be the difference-maker for them to eventually take the series. In the end, their experience will triumph Memphis' youth as they return to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2019.
Final Grizzlies-Warriors Prediction & Pick: Warriors: -3 (-110) in Game 1 and Warriors -255 for the series
