The Los Angeles Clippers will host the Memphis Grizzlies in an afternoon game at Staples on Saturday, making out NBA day begin earlier than usual, but make sure you are there for it as it will feature two teams who are very much in the mix for the Western Conference playoff spots. After a hot start, both teams slowed down a bit, so this is a perfect opportunity to boost their spirits.
Grizzlies at Clippers
Spread: N/A at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: N/A
The Grizzlies lose yet another in the final minute
After winning five of their first six games, the Memphis Grizzlies got bit by the injury bug and haven’t played as well lately. They ended a four-game homestand with two tight defeats, kind of games where they usually succeed, and ones that they would have probably won if playing healthy. On Wednesday, they lost a nailbiter to the Orlando Magic, 99-101. With Mike Conley Jr. sitting out the game to rest the aching Achilles, and Marc Gasol playing at less than 100 percent, the Grizzlies played a turbulent game and for the second time in as many games, lost in the clutch.
With their playmaker on the shelves, the Grizzlies opted to start Mario Chalmers, who hasn’t done as much and had a poor ending to the game. Instead, the game was run by Tyreke Evans, who is looking to resurrect his career with great games off Grizzlies bench. Evans scored a season-high 32 points with three rebounds, four assists, two steals and four 3-pointers. Ironman Gasol looked healthy enough with 22 points and 9 rebounds, hitting 10-of-14 shots as the primary scoring option for Memphis. Brooks and Ennis also scored in double digits, as the Grizz haven’t had many problems on the offensive end. As a team, they hit shot at 47.6 percent clip and had 13 turnovers. However, Conley is a two way player, among the best in the league in keeping the ball in front of himself. That part the Grizzlies backups couldn’t simulate. Usually, stingy Memphis defense allowed 51 percent shooting to the Magic, and 45 percent from the three-point territory. The Magic are as hot as it comes shooting the ball, but it was still a disappointing result for the Memphis defense.
The timing of the last game was as crucial to resting Conley as was the severity of his injury condition. He is officially questionable to play in this game, but you can expect him to dress on Saturday. Backup Wayne Selden is also under a question mark.
Place: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Date/Time: Saturday, November 4th, 2017. 3:30 PM ET
TV Coverage: FSPT, Fox Sports Tennessee
The Clippers crush Dallas, improve to 5-2
The Los Angeles Clippers annihilated the Dallas Mavericks on national television Wednesday night, 119-98. It’s a game they really needed after losing two in a row at home, first by shutting down the engines before the finish line against Detroit and then running into a wall of mad Warriors. The Clippers were sharper, more patient and efficient. It has everything to do with the opposition, but they were back to being the team that rolled to four victories to start the season.
Blake Griffin got the Clippers pointed in the right direction, with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists in a superb first half in which the Clippers opened up a 20-point lead. He was cruising along the rest of the Clippers in the second half, so the final numbers won’t provoke many ohs. Austin Rivers scored 19 points, Lou Williams scored 17 in a reserve role and Danilo Gallinari had 14. DeAndre Jordan added 13 points and nine rebounds. Just a regular day of the work. But it was much more than that. First half was a true gem. The Clippers scored 66 points, leaving the Mavericks so helpless that they resorted to intentionally fouling Jordan in a hack-a-Shaq style of tactics. The Clippers were playing at a good speed, minimizing the need for halfcourt sets they’ve has some issues with this season, and will surely continue to emphasize it.
The end of a five-game home set will feature a back-to-back pair of afternoon games, which is something coach Rivers isn’t happy about. A tough stretch is beyond, with 8 of the nine games played on the road. Teodosic is still out, the others are good to go.
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers Game Trends & Prediction
The Grizzlies have failed to cover in the last two, as they were favored to win against the Eastern Conference foes. This has knocked them to a 4-4 ATS record, which doesn’t tell you enough of a story on how underrated they are. Despite giving up a high field goal percentage to the Magic, the game still remained below the line of 205, so they continue to be money on the minus points. For the season, they are 6-1-1 against the over/under.
The L.A. Clippers against the spread record mirrors straight up wins and losses, so they are 5-2 this season. However, they’ve covered only once in three games. The season started with 5 unders, too, but the bookies adjusted there as well. We saw the last two games end over the projected number of points.
Admi-Rank: This tool doesn’t pardon you for bad officiating, unfair schedule or injuries, so the Grizzlies had to slide a bit with two losses. They are still a better team than the Clippers, who have more serious issues with consistency.
It really comes down to whether Memphis Grizzlies can play as well on the road as at home, as they’ve opened the season with 6 games at home and a short 2-game trip to Midwest. Of course, they’ll fare much better if the rest helped Conley, and despite the unofficial reports of his well-being, he’s too important of a piece not to wait for his status confirmation. Of course, the Clippers are being somewhat overlooked and may not have gained the attention of the public back after a win over lowly Dallas.
Either way, the bookmakers are not giving us the opportunity to bet just yet. They are taking the cautious approach and will only release the lines on game day, when more information about the injured players will become available. This leaves me with only one option, and that’s to show you my fair numbers to get you covered in both cases:
(Conley playing) – L.A. Clippers -2.5 and over/under 200.5
(Conley out) – L.A. Clippers -5.5 and over/under 202.5
My guess is that Conley plays and that we’ll get a good value on the away side and possibly unders, but we’ll have to wait and see.
My Pick: (odds yet to be released)
Total: (odds yet to be released)
