The Golden State Warriors travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals, pitting the second-ranked offense against the top-ranked defense. The game gets underway at 9:30 pm ET on Friday, May 15 and will air on ESPN.
The Grizzlies lost to the Warriors 101-84 on Monday. Marc Gasol recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds, earning his 20th double-double of the year. Stephen Curry led the game in scoring with 33 points on 11-for-22 shooting.
Points could be at a premium in this matchup between two of the league’s elite defenses. The Grizzlies rank second in the NBA in defensive efficiency (99.6), while the Warriors are first (98.6). Also, the Warriors’s second-ranked offense (offensive efficiency of 108.6) will face off against the second-ranked defense of the Grizzlies (defensive efficiency of 99.6).
Oddsmakers have deemed this game an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Grizzlies enter the game with records of 55-27 Straight Up (SU) and 40-40-2 Against The Spread (ATS). They have a record of 35-17 SU and 26-26 ATS versus the Western Conference.
Across the court, the Warriors head into the game with records of 47-34-1 ATS and 67-15 SU. Golden State has a record of 42-10 SU and 32-20 ATS against the West. Golden State is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the league, converting 10.8 shots from three-point range per game. When it comes to making good decisions with the ball, not many are better than the Warriors. They have one of the top assist-to-turnover ratios in the league at 1.94. Shifting to the other side of the court, teams seem to consistently miss three-point shots against the Warriors, who are the fifth-best team in the league in terms of three-point field goal percentage allowed at .337. When it comes to defending the rim, the Warriors are one of the best in the league with an average of 6.0 blocks per game. Golden State makes opponents pay for turning the ball over, leading the league in points off turnovers with an average of 19.5 per game.
Golden State beat Memphis in their most recent meeting this season, bringing its SU record in the past 10 games to 6-4. At 5-5, they are even bets ATS. Golden State had the advantage in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) twice over the last 10. Memphis has never had the edge in all categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – GS, ATS Winner – GS
Notes
Memphis is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home.
Memphis is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 22 of Memphis’s last 25 games at home.
Memphis is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games, when playing Golden State.
Memphis 14-6-1 SU in its last 21 games when playing Golden State.
Memphis is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Golden State.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Memphis’s last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State.
Golden State’s offense and Memphis’ defense are well matched, ranking zeroth in points per game and points allowed per game respectively. Golden State scores an average of 0.0 points per game, while Memphis gives up 0.0 points per game.
Golden State and Memphis are well matched, ranking zeroth in points per away game and points allowed at home respectively. Golden State puts up an average of 0.0 points on the road, while Memphis gives up 0.0 points at home on average.
Golden State is undefeated when limiting opponents to fewer than 100 points (40-0). Memphis has a 22-24 record when it puts up less than 100.
The Warriors have a 27-15 record when they allow at least 100 points. The Grizzlies have also performed well when they register triple digits with a record of 33-3 in such contests.
Golden State’s offense and Memphis’ defense both rank second this season. Golden State has an offensive rating of 108.6 and Memphis has a defensive rating of 99.6.
Memphis has an average field goal percentage of 45.8%, eighth-ranked in the NBA. Golden State is a solid 14-9 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Memphis Grizzlies rank higher in field goal percentage (eighth) than effective field goal percentage (20th), while the Golden State Warriors rank the same for both metrics (first).
The Golden State Warriors are among the best in the league with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.94 (ranked second). Ranking 11th, the Memphis Grizzlies have an A/TO of 1.67.
The Memphis Grizzlies rebound 42.6 times per game and are ranked 21st. Ranked sixth, the Golden State Warriors rebound 44.7 times per game.
Memphis is ranked 15th in defensive rebounds, while Golden State ranks 23rd in offensive rebounds.
On average, the Grizzlies force a turnover rate of 15.3%, ranked sixth in the NBA. When the Warriors turn over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a dazzling 17-5 record.
