Indiana Pacers at Memphis Grizzlies Betting Preview
The Pacers will be in Memphis to face the Grizzlies, who collapsed and fell victim to the Knicks at MSG on Friday night. Indiana has been playing without Myles Turner and Malcolm Brogdon, the other guys all being forced to step up. They still sit three games under .500 and in the play-in tournament middle.
Injuries are the absolute worst thing in sports, and there is only one proof of them. And while it does stink for the athlete, and you feel for them, it allows the other players on the roster to step up and get their chance. Again, it’s a pretty sad give and take, and one that is horrible for the one trying to recover, but they are a part of the game. It’s led to TJ McConnell being a real sixth man of the year and defensive player of the year candidate.
Memphis is all too familiar with the injury bug. Jaren Jackson Jr. is still yet to play this year, while Justise Winslow is out again after finally returning after a year-long absence. The Grizzlies have been through a lot this year, but yet they sit here with a winning record. They are also probably bound to appear in the play-in tournament in their respective conference.
Odds: With Myles Turner out of the lineup, Memphis is a -2.5 favorite. The over/under is set at 228.5 points.
Pacers Seeking Road Upset
Being a 2.5-point underdog doesn’t mean that if you win, it will surprise folks. It just means that Indiana is a little undermanned, and so the Grizzlies are expected to come away with the victory. But, when you have Domantas Sabonis as your best player and guys like Caris LeVert and a now-healthy Brogdon around, good things can happen.
McConnell has emerged as an elite playmaker and defender off the bench, even coming up with a point-steals-assists triple-double earlier on in the year. Doug McDermott and Justin Holiday continue to provide excellent shooting, knowing that TJ Warren isn’t going to return until next season. It’s really too bad he hasn’t been able to play much, and injuries have been hampering his whole career.
The key matchup will be Sabonis/Goga Bitadze vs. Jonas Valanciunas.
Grizzlies Seeking Home Victory
With Ja Morant in your lineup, there will probably be greatness every night. The way he has elevated his game in his second year has been nothing short of tremendous. Morant was the #2 pick in 2019 and so was expected to immediately contribute. But, he has improved in all areas already and is not very far from being an elite guard.
Valanciunas has a double-double streak that is the longest in franchise history, while Dillon Brooks and Kyle Anderson have been providing tremendous minutes and versatility. When JJJ is back in the fold, this is going to be a dangerous team. And he will be there to help guide them through the rough play-in tournament that is expected to greet them in mid-May.
Grind City Wins at Home
The Grizzlies will get the dub in front of their home fans. Sorry, Indy.
FREE PLAY: GRIZZLIES -2.5
OVER/UNDER: UNDER 228.5
