Two of the top teams in the NBA will square off Wednesday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers (28-17) take on the Memphis Grizzlies (30-13). The Grizzlies will host this one at FedEx Forum, with tipoff scheduled for 8:00 pm ET.
Cleveland comes into this one off of a 113-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in their last outing. In the victory, Darius Garland had a game-high 30 points and 11 assists, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Cavaliers to a victory.
Memphis has won 10 in a row coming into this game. In their last game, they clobbered the Phoenix Suns 136-106 at home. Ja Morant had a game-high 29 points in the win, while Desmond Bane was the second-leading scorer with 28.
The Grizzlies open as the favorites in this one. They are -278 to win, while the Cavaliers’ moneyline sits at +190. The spread features the Cavaliers as 6-point underdogs (-119).
Cavaliers Look To Improve On The Road
While Cleveland has had a great start to the season, they need to figure out a way to play better on the road. While they are an Eastern Conference-best 19-4 at home, they are just 9-13 on the road to this point.
They also could be without one of their best players in Wednesday’s game as guard Donovan Mitchell is doubtful to play as he deals with a groin issue. Mitchell currently leads the team in both points per game (28.4) and steals (1.4).
If Mitchell is unable to play, Darius Garland may have to again elevate his play. In 36 games this season, Garland is averaging 21.4 points, 7.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
As a team, Cleveland ranks 26th in the league in scoring, averaging 111.5 points per game (109.1 on the road). On defense, they rank tops in the NBA, allowing opponents just 106.9 points per game.
Memphis Looks To Extend Win Streak At Home
The Grizzlies will put their NBA-best 10-game winning streak on the line Wednesday night at home. This season, they are 19-3 at home and 15-3 against Eastern Conference opponents.
A large part of their success is due to a high-octane offense that ranks fourth in the NBA, averaging 117.6 points per game (120.3 at home). The offense is led by 23-year-old star Ja Morant, who is averaging 27.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game.
Other major contributors for the Grizzlies include Desmond Bane (21.7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Jaren Jackson Jr (16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds), and Dillon Brooks (16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists).
On the defensive end, the Grizzlies rank eighth, allowing 111.6 points per game (108.6 at home).
Take The Grizzlies To Win And Cover
Looking at the trends, the Cavaliers are 6-3 in their last nine games, but they are 1-4 in their last five against Memphis. In their last 17 road games, they are just 4-12-1 against the spread.
For the Grizzlies, not only are they undefeated in their last 10 games, but they are 7-3 against the spread in that span. They are also 6-0 against the spread in their last six against Eastern Conference opponents.
While Cleveland has the best defense in the NBA, they just have not been able to play to the same level on the road as home. Especially with Donovan Mitchell likely out for this one, they may have a tough time keeping up with the Grizzlies’ offense.
For that reason, take Memphis to both win and to cover the 6-point spread (-119) in this one.
