Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview Dec 29
Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers Predictions
WagerTalk NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers betting preview for Wednesday, December 29. At the time of posting, the Grizzlies are holding steady as a 5.5-point home favorite over the visiting Lakers, with the total sitting at 226.5 points.
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| Wed, Dec 29 | NBA Betting Notes |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Memphis Grizzlies -5.5 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| Total: | 226.5 Points |
| Game Time: | 8:10pm ET / 5:10pm PT |
| Arena: | FedEx Forum in Memphis |
| TV: | NBA TV |
Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers Analysis
The Lakers broke a five game losing streak by winning at Houston last night in a score-fest 132-123, and they will turn around and travel to Memphis for a game against the Grizzlies who are coming off one of their biggest wins of the year as Ja Morant hit a last second shot to take down the Suns.
Memphis is a 6-point favorite and the total is 226.5 points, and this game certainly has my attention from a wagering perspective.
Memphis has won two in a row, and those two wins mean a lot to this team. They had struggled with Morant in the lineup this season, and they lost three in a row in his return. Then they lost Dillon Brooks, but with their backs against the wall they rallied for two impressive wins…a 25 point blowout of Sacramento and a 1 point win against the Suns (without Ayton).
I think it would be a mistake to look at ATS trends across the season with this team as the lineup and dynamic are different tonight, but the last two games without Brooks, but with Morant and Bane they were -2.5 against Sacramento and they covered by 22 points, and they were +7.5 against Phoenix and covered by 8 points. So they’ve outperformed what the books have gauged them at the last two games.
The Lakers are coming off a nine point win against the Rockets, and while a win is a win, the Rockets have lost seven out of eight games with their only win being against Detroit so I wouldn’t crown them Champs just yet. Before this they had losses to Brooklyn, San Antonio, Phoenix, Chicago and Minnesota and on the season they are tied second worst in ATS going 13-20.
Last night they needed triple doubles from Lebron and Westbrook, and they still gave up 223 points and the perimeter defense is going to be a glaring concern for them tonight. The Lakers are the third worst team in the league guarding point guards giving up 24-7-9 a game, and they also give up 21-7-6 to shooting guards so against a team like Memphis whose strength is their perimeter, this is a bad matchup for LA.
Lebron is piling up a lot of stats without AD in the lineup, but he’s also piling up a lot of minutes as he’s averaging over 37 minutes a game in December, and this back to back might be tough on him and Westbrook as they are getting very little support from the other players.
Earlier this month these two teams played and Memphis won by 13 points with no Morant and no Brooks, and LA had AD, Lebron and Westbrook. Memphis is rested and has to be feeling great about themselves after their big win against Phoenix, I’ll take Memphis at home tonight to win and cover against a Lakers team that should get torched by the guards and might show some fatigue.
OFFICIAL PLAY: Grizzlies -6
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Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers Preview from GoldSheet
The Lakers ended their 5-game losing streak with a 132-123 victory at Houston last night in Houston, and now moves on to take on Ja Morant and a Grizzly side that’s won 12 of its last 16 and is coming off an upset at Phoenix on Monday. LeBron James (32 pts., 11 rebs., 11 assists) and Russell Westbrook (24-12-10 each turned in a triple double (although Westbrook was pushing a quadruple double with his 7 turnovers).
Memphis covered first 2 meetings with the Lakers this season, with the home team taking both meetings SU. Back on Oct. 24 Morant poured in 40 points plus dishing 10 assists and Steven Adams pulled down 16 boards in a 121-118 loss at the then-Staples Center, when Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points off the bench to spark the Lakers to rally in the 4th Q. Of course, LA had the services of Anthony Davis in that one, and he had 22 pts., 8 rebs. and 4 blocked shots that night.
NBA Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his NBA Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Wednesday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers contest.
NBA Tip-Off Show
Join Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of guests for the NBA Tip-Off Show at 4:15pm ET / 1:15pm PT as we discuss tonight’s marquee games. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of professional handicappers as they preview tonight’s NBA action, including this Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers clash, from a betting perspective.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NBA point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Wednesday’s NBA games, including this Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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