The San Antonio Spurs defense has been lit up by a few powerhouse offenses during this last stretch and it has been reflected in their record. Tonight, they visit the worst offensive team in the league in Memphis and the Spurs open as 4.5-point favorites with the total at 210. The Grizzlies have won two of the first three meetings this season but the Spurs have won seven of the last 10 head-to-head games.
- The Spurs are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games.
- The Grizzlies are 1-6 SU in their last seven games vs teams with winning records.
- The total has gone OVER in nine of the Spurs’ last 10 games (avg. combined score: 239.2).
Spurs vs Grizzlies Game Center
Don’t be Fooled by Spurs’ Recent Results
The Spurs have been on the receiving end of some high scores recently, but in fairness, four of the teams they played were among the top 10 scoring teams in the NBA. In addition, they played games without Rudy Gay, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan – all of whom are expected to be in the lineup tonight.
One common theme among the losses is Derrick White out of the lineup. White remains sidelined indefinitely and will miss his fifth consecutive game. A big advantage for the Spurs in this matchup is that they don’t defend the three-pointer well – and that’s OK because Memphis hits just 33.8 percent from three, 27th in the league.
Grizzlies Keep it UNDER 100
Since December, the Grizzlies have been averaging 98 points or less per game. That’s unbelievable in today’s high-paced, offensively charged NBA. Through three games against the Spurs in 2018-19, the Grizzlies are averaging 96 points per game.
In their last 10 games, Memphis is shooting 31.5 percent from beyond the arc and just 43.7 percent from the floor. That’s exacerbated by having the slowest pace in the Association at 96 possessions per game.
My Pick For Tonight
I’m liking a couple of picks for this game. I think the Spurs will cover the spread against one of the worst teams in the league that recently traded away its star center, Marc Gasol. Additionally, Mike Conley, the team’s leading scorer, has scored just 15 and 11 points in the two games since the trade deadline – well below his season average.
Conley was rumored to be on the move but remained in Memphis. It’s hard to imagine that he isn’t experiencing a bit of an emotional letdown while also having to get acclimated to new players in the rotation.
With that, I like the Grizzlies UNDER 102.5 points for the fourth time in five games.
