Mixed martial arts Memphis Grizzlies vs Phoenix Suns Best Bet: Grizz Pull Out the Blanket
Memphis Grizzlies vs Phoenix Suns Best Bet: Monday, January 16th
It was a tough loss to stomach on Friday night as the Warriors got just their 4th road win of the season, blowing out the Spurs 113-144. But that was then and this is now!
It’s Monday, people and we are looking to bounce back from that disaster on Friday night, so let’s move our attention to FedEx Forum. The Memphis Grizzlies will be taking on the Phoenix Suns in their third game of the season, and it’s going to be interesting. They split the season series, and both teams are facing some injury issues, but the Grizzlies are in much better form. Have a look below for my analysis and best bet.
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Memphis Grizzlies vs Phoenix Suns Preview
Mon, Dec 16th 22:00 (UK time)
The Memphis Grizzlies are by far the hottest team in the NBA right now, riding a 9-game winning streak and coming off a 113-120 road win against the Indiana Pacers. The team is playing at an extremely high level at the moment, blowing out teams left and right and are still very close to clinching the top spot in the Western Conference. They haven’t been covering the spread in their last few games, but they are playing a very weak opponent tonight and their home form has been impeccable this year.
First of all, the Grizzlies are the best defensive team in the NBA, ranking top of the heap in defensive rating, and allowing 111.8 points per game. They love to push the pace and are 3rd in the league in field goal attempts per game whilst making a solid 47.2%. They aren’t the best 3-point shooting squad, making just short of 12 threes per game, but their rebounding (1st in rebs per game), teamwork and explosiveness allow them to get a lot of wins. That said, Ja Morant is listed as questionable for tonight’s encounter with a hip injury.
For the Suns, it’s been an up-and-down season so far, and they are going through a huge slump at the moment. Having lost 8 of their last 10 games, they are sitting in 11th place in the west and riding a 2-game losing streak. They have been dead in the water since Devin Booker went down with that groin injury, and it doesn’t stop there. Chris Paul, Cam Payne, Cam Johnson, and Jae Crowder are all out for this game and the Suns are in big trouble. They lost a lot of their recent games by well above double digits, so this 10-point spread doesn’t seem as bad as it looks at first glance.
The Suns have ranked 25th in NET rating over their recent 5-game stretch, and have covered the spread in just 2 of those games. Their offence has really struggled recently, ranking dead last in offensive rating and averaging just 106.4 points per game (28th in NBA). They are a team that likes to take things slow, ranking 28th in offensive rating and taking just 86.7 field goals per game. This will be a huge disadvantage tonight and I don’t expect them to keep up for long.
Memphis Grizzlies vs Phoenix Suns Best Bet
These two teams have already faced each other twice this season and have split the series so far. The Grizz took the first game in Phoenix by 125-100, but the Suns got payback in Memphis on Christmas by 108-125.
You can bet the Grizzlies weren’t happy with that blowout loss on Christmas in front of their home fans and they have this game marked on their calendars. They shot just 36-91 from the field and 8-30 in that one, so don’t expect a similar result this time around. I’m chopping that one up to a cold shooting night.
The Grizzlies are faster, healthier, better at rebounding and most importantly playing a revenge game in front of their home fans. I usually stay away from double-digit spreads, but I think the Grizzlies have more than enough to take care of business against the injury-ridden Suns team. They have been one of the best teams ATS this season, and have no problem backing them again.
- Selection: Grizzlies -10.0
- Best Odds: 1.99 (Marathonbet)
- Stakes: 3/10
Odds as of 2:00 pm January 16, 2023. Odds may now differ.
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