The Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to the FedExForum to take on the Memphis Grizzlies. Action begins at 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Dec. 8 and can be seen on FxS, FxK and C+D.
The Grizzlies enter this game hoping for similar success after barely hanging on to beat the Suns 95-93 on Sunday. Courtney Lee was a key piece with 18 points, six assists, and four rebounds. The Thunder, meanwhile, are coming off a 98-95 win against the Kings on Sunday. They were led by Russell Westbrook who recorded 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He elevated his game, recording his third triple-double of the season.
Marc Gasol has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Grizzlies. During that stretch, he has averaged 19.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and 2.6 blocks.
This one might be a mistake-prone game for the Thunder offense, which ranks 29th in the NBA in miscues (turnover percentage of 16.4%). They’re matched up against the disruptive Memphis defense, which causes the second-most turnovers in the league (17.5%).
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Grizzlies winning the first matchup 122-114. Westbrook had a double-double in the loss with 40 points and 14 assists.
The Thunder take on the Grizzlies as a three-point favorite. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is sitting at 203 points. The Grizzlies have gone 12-9 Straight Up (SU) and 9-12 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 9-7 SU and 8-8 ATS against the Western Conference. The Grizzlies are one of the best in the NBA in terms of free throws made, making an impressive 21.0 per game. Not making mistakes with the ball is a staple of Memphis’s offense, which averages just 13.2 turnovers per game.
As for their opponent, the Thunder were a poor bet so far, with a disappointing record of 7-13 ATS. Their SU record, 12-8, hasn’t been quite as bad. Oklahoma City has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 2-8 record. The Thunder convert their shots at a high percentage, ranking third in the league at .465. The Thunder have controlled the glass with an average of 48.2 rebounds per game, second in the league. Moving on to Oklahoma City’s defense, blocking shots is an area where it has excelled. The Thunder average 7.0 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the league.
In their previous meeting this season, Memphis beat Oklahoma City, bumping its SU record to 6-4 over the Thunder in their last 10 meetings. Furthermore, the Grizzlies hold the advantage ATS with a record of 5-4-1.
Predictions: SU Winner – OKC, ATS Winner – OKC, O/U – Under
Notes
Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
Memphis is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Memphis’s last 23 games at home.
Memphis is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home.
Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Memphis’s last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City.
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City.
Memphis is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City.
Memphis is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Memphis.
Memphis has allowed an average of 99.6 points per game this season. Oklahoma City averages 107.7 points per game, ranking the team second in scoring.
On average, Memphis allows 98.8 points per home game. Oklahoma City averages 110.9 points per away game, ranking the team second in scoring.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Grizzlies are 7-3 on the season. When the Thunder score fewer than 100, they are a subpar 1-5.
When the Memphis Grizzlies allow at least 100 points they are 5-6, while the Oklahoma City Thunder are 11-3 when they register triple digits.
The Grizzlies have an offensive rating of 99.8 (ranked 24th). The Thunder rank 10th for their defensive rating of 100.6.
Oklahoma City beats Memphis in both possessions per game and points per possession. The Thunder average 100.8 possessions and 1.068 points per possession, while the Grizzlies average 96.6 possessions with .998 points per possession.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking fourth in the league with an EFF% of 51.0%. When their opponents record a similar or higher EFF%, the Memphis Grizzlies have a poor 4-7 record.
On average, the Oklahoma City Thunder make 21.2 assists per game and the Memphis Grizzlies make 20.8. Oklahoma City is ranked 16th, while Memphis is ranked 17th.
Memphis makes an average of 4.0 blocks per game (ranked 24th). Oklahoma City ranks higher in blocks with 7.0 (ranked second).
The Memphis Grizzlies rank 19th in offensive rebounding, while the Oklahoma City Thunder rank fifth in defensive rebounding.
Making 8.8 steals per game, Memphis is ranked ninth in the NBA. Oklahoma City has a solid 11-7 record when it gives up at least 8 steals.
