The first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs is coming close to an end, but some series still have a lot left to be settled. That is the case in the matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies. With Los Angeles set to host Memphis on Friday night, that means it is time for some Lakers Game 6 predictions.
Los Angeles went 43-39 in the regular season, finishing as the seven 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 spot in the playoffs as the seven seed, drawing themselves an opening round matchup against the Grizzlies.
On the other side of the matchup, Memphis had a 51-31 record and secured the second seed in the West, as this marked the second year in a row that the Grizzlies finished second in their conference.
In Game 1, thanks to a 15-0 run to close out the game, the Lakers claimed a 128-112 victory on the road. The Grizzlies bounced back in Game 2, despite being without Ja Morant, to pick up a 103-93 win. In Game 3, the Lakers jumped out to a 35-9 lead in the first quarter and cruised to a 111-101 victory before following it up with a 117-111 overtime win at home in Game 4. In Game 5 on Wednesday night with the series on the line, Memphis used a 26-2 run in the second half to propel themselves to a 116-99 victory, forcing a Game 6.
Now back at the Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles will have another chance to close out the series. With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Los Angeles Lakers for Game 6 of their first-round series with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.
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3. The Lakers hold Ja Morant to at most 25 points
It's no secret that Memphis will need everything it can get from Ja Morant in Game 6 if they want to extend this series. The guard was having a big season until he missed multiple games due to an off-court incident that required him to step away from the organization.
When he was on the court, Morant averaged 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds, and a steal per game during the regular season. He made 46.6 percent of his field goals and 30.7 percent of his 3-pointers. So far in this series, Morant is putting up a series-best 28.3 points, 7.3 assists, 7.3 boards, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from beyond the arc. Of course, it is worth noting that Morant missed Game 2 of this series with a hand injury.
If the Lakers want to end the series on Friday, it starts with stopping Morant. Los Angeles will hold the explosive guard to at most 25 points in this contest, which will put the Lakers in a very solid position to pick up the win.
2. LeBron James bounces back for the Lakers with a 25-point double-double
As for the Lakers, all the attention will be on LeBron James. The four-time champion is the most experienced player on either side of this matchup, which could once again prove to be crucial in the postseason.
In the series, James is averaging 22.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, and five assists per game on offense, in addition to 1.6 blocks and a steal per game on defense. He is shooting 45.7 percent from the field, but just 16.7 percent from beyond the arc and 67.9 percent from the free-throw line.
After becoming the oldest player to record 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in a playoff game, James could not keep his rhythm going in Game 5. He had 15 points and ten boards but shot just 5-for-17 from the field and 1-for-9 from long distance while also coughing up five turnovers.
With hopes of ending the series on Friday, the Lakers will need more from James. They will need him to shoot the ball more efficiently and continue his strong rebounding, especially as he goes against the likes of Jaren Jackson Jr. Additionally, avoiding a Game 7 would give LA more time to rest before Western Conference semifinals get underway.
There's a lot on the line for the Lakers in this game, so expect James to bounce back with a 25-point double-double in Game 6 after going ice cold in Game 5. If James can play up to his normal standards in this one, he will give LA a better chance of ensuring this series doesn't return to Memphis for a Game 7.
1. Lakers win another thriller, close out series 4-2
At the end of the day, the Lakers will have their fans on their side on Friday, which could be a huge help for them. In the regular season, LA went 23-18 at the Crypto.com Arena, while the Grizzlies were just 16-25 on the road.
According to FanDuel, Los Angeles is the favorite to win this contest, as the spread is set at -4.5 in their favor, which is the lowest among all Game 6's in this year's first round.
With a packed arena and James having a good day, it is difficult to bet against Los Angeles in this one. The game itself will be another thriller, perhaps with overtime in play for the third time this series. Still, the Lakers should be able to pick up the win and close out the series 4-2. If they can accomplish this, they will set themselves up for a semi finals matchup against the winner of the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings series.
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