Before tuning into the Super Bowl, enjoy a matchup between two of the NBA’s best Sunday afternoon as the Memphis Grizzlies (34-21, 2nd in West) take on the Boston Celtics (40-16, 1st in East). The Celtics will host this one at the TD Garden, with tipoff scheduled for 2:00 pm ET.
The Celtics are the favorite in this one playing at home. They are -178 to win, while the Grizzlies’ moneyline sits at +150. The spread features Memphis as four-point underdogs (-110), and the over/under for total points is 229.5 (-110).
Memphis Looks To Improve On the Road
At 34-21, the Memphis Grizzlies have had a fantastic season, just four games back of the Denver Nuggets in the West. Still, while they are 23-5 at home, they have struggled a bit on the road, going just 11-16.
The Grizzlies have lost seven of their last ten games, but they are on a two-game winning streak coming into Sunday. In their last game, they took down the Timberwolves at home 128-107.
Ja Morant had a game-high 32 points, with nine rebounds and nine assists on the night. This season, he is averaging 27.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.
Offensively, Memphis ranks eighth overall, averaging 116.2 points per game (113.8 on the road). They rank ninth in the NBA in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 112.1 points per game (116.3 on the road).
Celtics Trying To Win With Superstar Out With Injury
While the Celtics have dominated this season, especially at home, where they are 22-7, the team took a blow this week as star Jaylen Brown suffered a facial fracture. Brown, who is averaging 26.5 points, seven rebounds, and 3.2 assists, will be out for this one.
Luckily for Celtics’ fans, they have two stars, and Jayson Tatum should be able to dominate in this one. This season, he is averaging 30.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.
His contributions have helped the Celtics to have the fourth-best offense, averaging 117.6 points per game (121.1 at home). They are also dominant on defense, allowing just 111.5 points per game to opponents.
Other major contributors for the Celtics include Malcolm Brogdon (14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists), Derrick White (11.3 points, 3.6 assists), and Al Horford (9.1 points, 6.1 rebounds).
Take Boston To Win And Cover
Looking at the trends, the Grizzlies are just 3-8 in their last 11 games and 4-8 against the spread in their previous 12. In their last 14 games against Boston, they are 4-10 against the spread.
As for Boston, they are 4-1 straight up and against the spread in their last five games. They are also 11-2 in their last 13 home games and undefeated in their last eight home games versus Memphis.
The injury to Jaylen Brown hurts the Celtics, but they are one of the few teams with the depth and overall play to withstand the injury. Boston is a solid team, but they are on a whole different level at home.
On the other hand, Memphis really struggles on the road, and that will likely continue on Sunday. Take Boston to win and to cover the 4-point spread (-110).
