by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Jan 31, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
Where to watch: BSSE-MEM, ROOT-SP+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Grizzlies -5.5
FanDuel: Grizzlies -5.5
BetMGM: Grizzlies -5.5
Caesars: Grizzlies -5.5
Season record
Blazers: 24-26
Grizzlies: 32-18
The second half of the basketball season is upon us, and what a cluster we've got in the standings right now, right? So many teams are in the playoff hunt, so many teams not expected to make the playoffs are in the process of trying to prove people wrong. You know who doesn't need to be made wrong? Our champion handicappers who have been killing it all year long. Scott Rickenbach is coming off a 5-2-0 week over the last seven days, while Doc's Sports has been efficient at 14-8-0 over the last 30 days. Do you want to get on this winning? Make sure you're following our champion handicappers at bigal.com to celebrate in these moments!
Blazers - Grizzlies preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Blazers: won 129-125 vs. Hawks
Grizzlies: won 112-100 vs. Pacers
Good luck trying to find me a player that is as hot as Damian Lillard is right now. The man could not miss a basket, the man cannot miss anything that he throws toward the basket and that probably includes throwing a rock into an ocean because that's the equivalent of how he's shooting a basketball right now.
Good luck trying to find me a player that is as hot as Damian Lillard is right now. The man could not miss a basket, the man cannot miss anything that he throws toward the basket and that probably includes throwing a rock into an ocean because that's the equivalent of how he's shooting a basketball right now.
Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers will try to keep his hot streak going on Wednesday when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx forum in which the Blazers are trying to win their fourth game in the last five.
But yes, what a week it has been for the All Star guard for the Blazers. The man who had 60 points a week ago has not slowed down since that efficient absurd game. Since then lillard has put up 30 points and then 42 has recently has Monday when Portland won 129-125 against the Atlanta Hawks.
Lillard's 42 points were just enough to counteract Dejounte Murray’s team-high 40 points, but the Blazers also got 22 points from Jerami Grant and 21 points and seven assists from Anfernee Simons. Portland shot us an astounding 54% from the floor and went 19 of 40 from 3 point range. That was even despite getting out rebounded 45-32.
“I wasn’t really expecting the ball but I was prepared for it,” Simons said. “Usually, they don’t help off me like that. (DeAndre Hunter) helped way off and I got pretty much an easy 3 to get off. It was as easy as it comes.”
The Blazers have failed to cover in five of their last seven, including the last two. Portland was 5.5 point favorites against Atlanta and failed to cover by a point and 1/2. Portland was then three-point favorites against the Toronto Raptors at home before losing 123-105.
But at least the Blazers are not like the Grizzlies and falling off a Cliff during a losing streak. Memphis ended its five game-winning streak on Sunday with a 112-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers after returning home following a five game road trip.
Ja Morant had 27 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for a dominant triple-double, and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 28 points and eight rebounds.
“We needed it,” Morant said. “Obviously going through a terrible slump that we haven't been in in years, dropping five games on the road. That's not our identity. That's not us.”
The Grizzlies had failed to cover in five of its last seven but they have covered in two of the last three. One of them was a rare underdog cover of 2.5 against Golden State on January 25th but they were able to get the job done.
“We just accepted the challenge,” said Jackson, who also had five blocks. “We have to come out and compete every night. This is nothing new. We're just glad to be back home and get a nice win.”
Prediction
As we mentioned before the Grizzlies played the Pacers, sometimes it's just a matter of getting back home and getting in front of your home crowd in order to really get back to the way things were. And for the Grizzlies this is exactly what they need. Grizzlies 124, Blazers 117
Betting trends
Blazers are 8-2 ATS against Southwest Division teams this season.
Blazers are 11-3 ATS after 2 straight home games this season.
Grizzlies are 16-8 ATS at home this season.
Grizzlies are 10-2 ATS after losing 4 of 5 the past 3 seasons.
Projected starting lineup
Blazers:
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Anfernee Simons
SF: Josh Hart
PF: Jerami Grant
C: Jusuf Nurkic
Grizzlies:
PG: Ja Morant
SG: Desmond Bane
SF: Dillon Brooks
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr.
C: Brandon Clarke
Injury report
Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic (calf, probable), Josh Hart (hamstring, probable), Justise Winslow (ankle, out)
Grizzlies: Danny Green (knee, probable), Desmond Bane (knee, questionable), Steven Adams (knee, out)
Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic (calf, probable), Josh Hart (hamstring, probable), Justise Winslow (ankle, out)
Grizzlies: Danny Green (knee, probable), Desmond Bane (knee, questionable), Steven Adams (knee, out)
Statistical leaders
Blazers:
Points: Damian Lillard -- 30.4
Rebounds: Jusuf Nurkic -- 9.6
Assists: Damian Lillard --7.3
Grizzlies:
Points: Ja Morant -- 27.3
Rebounds: Steven Adams -- 11.5
Assists: Ja Morant -- 8.2
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Portland Trail Blazers - Memphis Grizzlies prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NBA projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
