The Memphis Grizzlies travel to Hoosier State on Monday to take on the Indiana Pacers at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The Grizzlies are hoping to get back on track after having lost their last three games. The rebuilding Grizzlies climbed back to contention with three straight wins to move to 5-7 SU on the season before their current skid. The Pacers have climbed to second place in the Central Division with six wins in their last eight games played. Indiana has won back to back games after suffering consecutive losses to the Rockets and Bucks.
After posting their first three-game winning streak of the season, the Memphis Grizzlies have suffered three straight losses, all at home. The Grizzlies dropped double-digit losses to the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors before pushing the league-leading Lakers to the limit in a 108-109 loss on Saturday night.
Rookie Ja Morant is pushing his case for Rookie of the Year honors as he scored 26 points against LeBron and AD. Morant is averaging 19.1 points and 6.0 assists per game this season. He has dropped at least 20 points in four out of his last five games played. Jae Crowder scored 21 points while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 markers in their game against the Lakers.
Memphis ranks 17th in the league in scoring at 108.9 points per game this season. They are 3rd overall in passing at 26.9 assists per game and are 19th in rebounding at 45.3 boards hauled per contest. The Grizzlies are allowing the 4th most points this season at 117.8 points per game.
Despite playing without their top player in all-star guard Victor Oladipo who is still out with an injury, the Indiana Pacers have played well this season. Indiana is currently at 9-6 SU on the season and they are 3.5 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the lead in the Central Division. The Pacers are solid at home with a 6-2 SU home record.
In their last game, Indiana picked up their sixth win in their last seven games with a 111-106 victory over the Orlando Magic. The Pacers were led by Domantas Sabonis who had 25 points but it was the backcourt duo of the Holiday brothers who delivered the big play. Aaron Holiday made a three-pointer off a pass from brother Justin to give the Pacers the go-ahead basket. Aaron finished with 13 points while Justin accounted for 12 markers.
The Pacers rank 5th in the NBA in scoring defense at 103.3 points per game allowed. Indiana is 21st in scoring at 107.7 points per game and they are also ranked 11th in rebounding at 46.3 boards grabbed per outing. The Pacers are averaging 25.2 assists per game this season, 10th in the league.
Memphis is 6-12 SU in their last 18 games played. The Grizzlies are 5-13 SU in their last 18 games played on the road. Indiana is 9-3 SU in their last 12 games played and the Pacers are 6-2 SU in six home games this season. Head to head, the Grizzlies are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games against the Pacers but Indiana is 15-5 SU in their last 20 home games against Memphis. The Pacers are the NBA betting favorites in this contest.
The Grizzlies are proving to be tough customers despite this year supposed to be a rebuilding season. Memphis is 3-3 SU in their last six games and although they have lost three in a row, they have shown plenty of fight and we saw that against the Lakers on Saturday. Ja Morant has been phenomenal and he should be a handful for the Pacers.
Indiana has gotten the job done despite playing without Victor Oladipo and despite playing without Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon and Jeremy Lamb who are also nursing their injuries. Brogdon and Lamb may return against Memphis and if they do, this is Indiana’s game to win.
The Pacers have lost just once in their last seven games played at home. Domantas Sabonis and the Holiday brothers have carried the flag in the absence of four starters. But with the possibility of Brogdon and Lamb returning, the Pacers are in good shape. If the two starters won’t play here, Indiana still has a deep and scrappy line-up that pulls off this win for them.
Prediction: Indiana Pacers
The Grizzlies are 4-2 ATS in their last six games played. Memphis is 2-3 ATS in five road games played this season and 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the Central Division. The Pacers are 1-3 ATS in their last four games played. Indiana is 3-4-1 ATS in eight home games played this season, 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the Southwest Division, and 3-6 ATS in their last nine Monday games.
Grizzlies
+9 (-110)
Pacers
-9 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 11/24/19
Indiana has outscored Memphis by an average of 9.33 points per game in their most recent three head to head meetings. However, this is a Pacers team that is dealing with injuries. In their last game, the Pacers played without four starters who are arguably their top four scorers. While Brogdon and Lamb may play in this game, that is not certain. While I’m picking the Pacers to win, I don’t trust them against the spread due to the manpower they are missing.
Prediction: Grizzlies +9
The total has gone under in eight out of the last 12 games played by the Grizzlies. The under is 3-2 in the Grizzlies’ five road games this season. The total has gone under in four out of the last five games played by the Pacers. Indiana has seen the total go under in four out of their last five opponents from the Western Conference, and the under is also 4-3-1 in their 8 home games this season. Head to head, the under is 4-3 in the last seven meetings between these two teams.
Over
217.5 -110
Under
217.5 -110
Odds from BetOnline as of 11/24/19
These teams have combined to score an average of 199.8 points per game in their last 10 head to head meetings and 203 points per game in their last three encounters. The under is 3-1 in the Pacers’ last four games played and Indiana has the 5th best scoring defense in the league. Both these teams are also in the bottom half in scoring so this should be a low-scoring affair that suits Indiana’s game.
Prediction: Under 217.5
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