Subscribe
Follow Us
The Lakers host the Grizzlies for a fun battle on ESPN Friday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Grizzlies-Lakers prediction and pick.
The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in the NBA right now, yes, even over the Boston Celtics. They are undefeated in 2023. Memphis has won 11 straight games and has an incredible record of (31-13). This team is no joke. Ja Morant and company have turned this franchise around and they alongside the Denver Nuggets are running the Western Conference. Memphis is only a half-game behind the Nuggets for the top seed in the West. Unfortunately for them, Denver has won eight straight.
The Lakers just cannot seem to put a winning streak together. After playing very well against the Houston Rockets, they fall short to the Sacramento Kings, who have been playing great ball this season. LA is now (20-25) which places them in last in the division and 13th in the West. The Lakers are, however, just 2.5 games out of 6th in the West so if they can turn it around now then they can easily get back into the picture.
Here are the Grizzlies-Lakers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Grizzlies-Lakers Odds
Memphis Grizzlies: -6 (-108)
Los Angeles Lakers: +6 (-112)
Over: 243.5 (-110)
Under: 243.5 (-110)
How To Watch Grizzlies vs. Lakers
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN APP
Time: 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Grizzlies Could Cover The Spread
Ziaire Williams is dealing with a non-covid illness which has him questionable for tonight and Danny Green remains out. Outside of that, this team is healthy and that has been a huge reason for their success. They are playing team ball and play aggressive on both sides of the floor. The Grizzlies are 5th in the NBA in scoring at 117.5 points per game while being 8th in points allowed at 111.7. When you get the job done on both sides of the floor, you will win a lot of games. That is exactly what they are doing and there are probably only a few teams in the league that can shut them down right now. Their last loss was back in December when they lost to the Phoenix Suns.
The Grizz are coming off a huge win over the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-114. It took an overtime win, but they defeated a great team who was missing their best player, Donovan Mitchell. Either way, Memphis took advantage with a huge performance from their duo. Desmond Bane led the way with 25 points and Ja was right behind him with 24. Steven Adams notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds on 6-8 shooting. Another similar outing from those three should see them take down the Lakers on the road.
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
The injury report remains the same for the Lakers as LeBron is questionable with ankle soreness. This team is battling injuries right now and the good news is Anthony Davis should return in the next few weeks. He was playing elite ball before his injury and so were the Lakers as a team. If LeBron can manage to hold on tight for a bit longer then he might see the Lakers get back into the playoff picture. Their schedule isn't easy to round out the month of January, so this game against Memphis is a crucial one.
LeBron was the only starter to score in double-figures in the loss to the Kings. Troy Brown Jr., Thomas Bryant, Patrick Beverley, and Dennis Schroder combined for 20 points. That can not happen again, as we have seen Bryant and Schroder score 30+ points in a game not too long ago. Those two must step up and contribute offensively. Schroder is the starting point guard finishing with four assists and Pat Bev had just one. If the Lakers can get back to playing as a team then they can cover this spread. If not, then the Grizzlies will run all over them.
Final Grizzlies-Lakers Prediction & Pick
Whether LeBron plays tonight or not, I expect the Grizzlies to cover a six-point spread in the City of Angels. They are just too hot right now.
Final Grizzlies-Lakers Prediction & Pick: Grizzlies -6 (-108)
