UK: 18+ USA: 21+ | Begambleaware.org | T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly
The No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) open their postseason campaign Sunday by hosting the No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) in round one of the 2022-2023 NBA playoffs.
Ja Morant’s Grizzlies are 3.5-point favorites and the game total is set at 228 points.
Prediction 1
Grizzlies to beat Lakers Moneyline
4/7 (-175)
BET HERE >
Odds from
Prediction 2
Desmond Bane over 4.5 assists Player prop
6/5 (+120)
BET HERE >
Odds from
These odds from Ladbrokes and William Hill were correct at the time of writing.
Los Angeles vs Memphis – Game Predictions
Contents
Memphis will attempt to spark a run deep into the postseason after being eliminated last season 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals (have never progressed further) at the hands of Golden State.
Prediction 1: Memphis to win @ 4/7 (-175)
The Grizzlies finished the regular season with best home record in the NBA (35-6). It’ll be a tough task for Lebron James and the Lakers (20-21 away) to steal a win at FedExForum in Memphis.
Taylor Jenkins’ squad is 14-1 in their last 15 home games and 13-5 straight up in their previous 18 outings. The Lakers are 7-1 in their last eight contests but are 1-4 against the spread.
ESPN Analytics gives Memphis a 66.2% edge to win outright.
Prediction 2: Desmond Bane over 4.5 assists @ 6/5 (+120)
Desmond Bane has recorded five or more assists in six of his last seven contests. In March, the TCU product averaged 4.9 assists per game and through four games in April, he’s averaging five per game.
Sunday’s matchup should feature plenty of scoring and give the 24-year-old shooting guard plenty of chances to register over 4.5 assists.
Bane has also played 33 or more minutes in eight of his last 10 appearances. William Hill’s odds above even money make this a great value bet.
Lakers vs Grizzlies: Can Memphis click on all cylinders?
The Grizzlies are the fifth-favorite at 18-1 to win the NBA Title. Earlier this season, they endured three long winning streaks of 11 consecutive games and seven in a row (twice).
Lakers
Los Angeles is coming off a 108-102 overtime victory over Minnesota in the play-in tournament on Tuesday.
Since the Feb. 9 trade deadline, the Lakers finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference at 17-9. Los Angeles revamped its team and acquired D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. Three weeks earlier, the front office also traded for power forward Rui Hachimura.
Russell is second on the team in assists per game (6.2) and third in scoring (17.4 ppg). Beasley (11.1 ppg), Hachimura (9.6 ppg) and Vanderbilt (7.2 ppg) have all contributed significantly as well.
James leads the roster in scoring (28.9 ppg) and assists (6.8 apg).
The Lakers are 21-1 to win the NBA title.
Grizzlies
Memphis is 6-4 in its last ten games and will try and end the Lakers’ winning run. Aside from its fabulous home record, the defense has shined with the second-ranked defense efficiency (108.3) in the league.
The No. 2 seed has a deep squad that featured seven players scoring in double figures in 2022-2023.
- Ja Morant: 26.2 ppg
- Desmond Bane: 21.5 ppg
- Jaren Jackson Jr.: 18.6 ppg
- Dillon Brooks: 14.3 ppg
- Luke Kennard: 11.3 ppg
- Tyus Jones: 10.3 ppg
- Brandon Clarke: 10 ppg
Morant also leads in the team in assists per game (8.1).
Lakers vs Grizzlies Head-to-Head Record In 2023
The Lakers finished with a 2-1 head-to-head record against the Grizzlies this season. The home team finished victorious in each outing.
- Jan 20: Lakers 122 Grizzlies 121
- Feb. 28: Grizzlies 121 Lakers 109
- Mar. 7: Lakers 112 Grizzlies 103
Los Angeles vs Memphis Game Details
- Date & Time: Sunday, April 16 at 3 p.m. ET
- Venue: FedExForum – Memphis, Tennessee
- Where to watch the match in the UK: Sky Sports (TV), FuboTV or another live stream
Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!
