The 2023 NBA Playoffs are officially underway with already some memorable moments in the books. While some series are over, some are far from being decided. That is the case in the first-round series between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers. With Memphis set to face Los Angeles on the road on Monday, it is time for some Grizzlies Game 4 bold predictions.
Memphis had a 51-31 record in the regular season and secured the No. 2 seed in the West. This marked the second year in a row that the Grizzlies finished second in the conference despite having five fewer losses this time.
On the other side, Los Angeles went 43-39, finishing as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers ended up defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-102 in overtime in the Play-In Tournament to officially secure a postseason bid in 2023.
In Game 1, the Lakers opened the series with a 128-112 victory, thanks to a 15-0 run to close things out.
Despite being without Ja Morant, the Grizzlies bounced back with a 103-93 win in Game 2. Most recently, Los Angeles won Game 3 by 111-101 after a 35-9 first quarter.
Once again at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers will have the opportunity to open a 3-1 lead. Since it would make things harder for the Grizzlies, this could potentially become a big battle until the final buzzer.
With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Memphis Grizzlies for their Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs' first round series versus the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday
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3. Memphis forces Los Angeles to 15+ turnovers
If there are two players that the Grizzlies should pay extra attention to, they are LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The duo is playing a crucial role in the Lakers' 2-1 lead so far and could continue their hot streak on Monday.
In the playoffs, James is averaging 24.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game plus 1.7 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. He is shooting 51.3% from the field but just 20% from beyond the arc and 66.7% from the free-throw line.
Davis is putting up 22 points, 12.7 boards and 2.7 assists a contest, as well as 1.7 steals and a series-best 5.0 blocks on defense. However, his shooting from the field is 45.5%, down from 56.3% in the regular season.
The problem is that James and Davis are also leading the Lakers in turnovers per game with 3.0 and 2.7, respectively.
Should the Grizzlies exploit that area, they could be a step closer to tying the series. The bold prediction is that Memphis will end up forcing 15-plus turnovers from Los Angeles' offense, which could make a big difference down the line.
2. Ja Morant records a triple-double
On the offensive end, the Grizzlies will need everything they can get from Ja Morant. The guard was having a big season until he had to step away from the team due to an off-court incident.
When available, Morant recorded 26.2 points, 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds plus over a steal per game in the regular season. He made 46.6% of his field goals, 30.7% of his 3-pointers and 74.8% of his free throws.
In Game 1, he went down with a hand injury, forcing him to miss the final minutes of the contest. He also had to sit out Game 2, the Grizzlies' lone victory in the series so far.
Despite that, Morant bounced back with 45 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in Game 3. He went 13-for-26 from the field, including hitting six 3-pointers.
Most notably, he scored 22 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to nearly complete the team's comeback.
The bold prediction is that Morant will once again be a crucial part of Memphis' performance on Monday.
He should finish the night with a triple-double, showing that his contributions go beyond scoring. If he does it so, Memphis could potentially tie the series.
1. This is at most a 10-point game
At the end of the day, it is difficult to ignore how well the Lakers played in Game 3, especially in the first quarter.
Additionally, the team's 23-18 record at home in the regular season, as well as Memphis' 16-25 road mark, could indicate an advantage for the Lakers on Monday. Still, the Grizzlies' near-comeback in Game 3 proved that things are far from over.
According to FanDuel, the Lakers are the favorites to win this contest. Currently, the spread is -4.5, which has been consistent throughout the series, other than Game 2 when Morant was out.
All things considered; this should be a closer one compared to Game 3.
The bold prediction is that this game will come down to the wire, with the game being far from decided in the fourth quarter. Expect this to be, at most, a 10-point game, which means it could be another playoff thriller in 2023.
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