Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies Preview and Prediction (2/28/23)
Moneyline: Grizzlies -365, Lakers +300
Spread: Grizzlies -8.5, Lakers +8.5
Total: 236.5
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies Betting Odds Breakdown
The Los Angeles Lakers will be making their way to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.
Memphis is coming into this game as the favorite at -8.5 and the over/under is sitting at 236.5 points. Along with that, the moneyline is at -365 for Memphis and +300 for Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Lakers Preview
The Lakers are coming into this game at 29-32, which has them sitting at 13th in the western conference.
Los Angeles has had a rough season so far, and it looks like they will be fighting for a play-in spot down the stretch. Going into this one, it wouldn’t be surprising if offense is sort of difficult to come by. Now obviously, LA still has great offensive players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis that can contribute consistently, but as a whole, the Lakers are 20th in the whole league when it comes to offensive efficiency. But, in this game, they will be without one of these players, and that is LeBron James due to right foot soreness. And considering the fact that the Grizzlies are first in the league in defensive efficiency, it may be difficult for them to find consistent offense with one of their star players out.
Something that the Lakers may also have trouble with in this game is trying to defend the paint. The Grizzlies are a very physical team on the inside, and they are also very successful offensively in the paint. Per game, the Grizzlies score about 59 points in the paint, which is first in the league by a few points. And for the Lakers, they don’t defend the paint too well, as they let up about 52 points in the paint per game. In this game, the Lakers need to at least try to match the intensity that the Grizzlies have on the inside.
Memphis Grizzlies Preview
The Grizzlies are sitting at 36-23 on the season, which has them at second place in the western conference.
This young Memphis team has had a great season so far, and it looks like they will be a force within the NBA for years to come. They have arguably the best young core in the league, with their star player Ja Morant getting close to reaching his full potential. This year, Morant has averaged 27 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, and he has become one of the most fun players to watch in the whole league. And with how this team has still not completely developed, Memphis fans should be looking forward to the coming years with how good the team is now.
The biggest thing for Memphis defensively in this game is to try to slow down Anthony Davis. Although the Lakers have had a disappointing season considering the talent that they have, they could still be a dangerous team for any team to face. But, the most important thing for them is to slow down Anthony Davis, because he will be looked to the most since LeBron James is out. It looks like the Grizzlies have the advantage in this game, but they do still need to be careful with the Lakers.
Logan’s Free Winner Prediction: Memphis Grizzlies -8.5
Memphis has had a great season so far, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they kept it going against LA. On top of that, the Grizzlies will be at home in this game, where they have played their best basketball there with a record of 25-5.
The Grizzlies seem like the better team in this matchup, and you should expect them to get the win in Memphis.
