It has been a snake-bitten season for the Memphis Grizzlies with all their injuries and now with Ja Morant out for the season and Marcus Smart set to miss approximately six weeks. Now a Clippers team that has been red hot since Christmas comes to the grind house to face a Grizzlies team missing many of their teeth.
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Clippers vs. Grizzlies Betting Odds
| Clippers | Grizzlies | |
| Spread | -8.5 | +8.5 |
| Moneyline | -350 | +280 |
| Total | o224 | u224.5 |
*lines accurate at the time of publication
Clippers vs. Grizzlies Best Bets
Grizzlies Team Total u108.5 (-118, FanDuel)
Getting off to good starts has been a major issue for the Grizzlies as they are dead last in the league ATS in the first half at 12-25. Getting going offensively has been a concern with Memphis, they have the 29th-best offense with a 107.7 offensive rating and they have been playing at a pace of 99.8 possessions, so that number has been true to their actual point totals. In the games without Morant and Smart this year, that dips down to 105.3. The worst in the league during that stretch.
At the grindhouse specifically, the Grizzlies have had issues meeting their team totals. Memphis is 15-1 to the under on their full-game team total at home this season! The offensive rating at home is 105.8, worst by 2.7 points per 100 possessions. The lack of creation away from Desmond Bane, who functions best as a secondary creator is felt in a major way. Even Derrick Rose continues to be out, so the question becomes where can Memphis get some easy baskets?
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That question becomes even more pronounced when the Clippers are in town, who have the fourth-best offense and third-best defense since Christmas. These are two like-sized teams with three rotation bigs out for the Grizzlies, so there is no advantage to be gained there, whereas in the past the size of Memphis would create an advantage. With no dynamic guard to attack the rim either, the lack of overall size from the Clippers is not able to be taken advantage of in that way either.
Holding onto the ball was an issue last time with Morant and Smart out, Memphis had the fifth-highest turnover rate and since Christmas, the Clippers have been turning over their opponents at the fourth-highest rate in the league. Even in their two previous meetings this season, neither in which the Grizzlies were as short-handed as they are today, was Memphis able to clear this team total.
It will take time to adjust to this life for Memphis, even if they have lived this way before this season and the Clippers are fully capable of making that adjustment hurt, even while on the road.
Risk 1.18 units on FanDuel to win 1 unit.
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