Lakers vs. Grizzlies prediction, odds, line, time: 2023 NBA playoff picks, Game 2 bets from model on 71-37 run
FedEx Forum hosts a pivotal NBA playoff matchup on Wednesday evening. The Memphis Grizzlies welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to town for Game 2 of a best-of-seven first round series. The Lakers lead the series after a 128-112 win in Game 1, leaving Memphis with real urgency at home in front of a crowd that projects to be raucous. While the Lakers project to be healthy, the Grizzlies are listing Ja Morant (hand) as a game-time decision, with Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams both ruled out for the season.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Memphis. Caesars Sportsbook lists the game as a pick’em, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 226.5 in the latest Lakers vs. Grizzlies odds. Before you make any Grizzlies vs. Lakers picks, you need to see the NBA playoff predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters the second week of the 2023 NBA playoffs a stunning 71-37 on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $3,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Grizzlies and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Grizzlies vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Grizzlies spread: Pick’em
- Lakers vs. Grizzlies over/under: 226.5 points
- Lakers vs. Grizzlies money line: Lakers -115, Grizzlies -105
- LAL: The Lakers are 20-21-1 against the spread in road games
- MEM: The Grizzlies are 23-18-1 against the spread in home games
- Lakers vs. Grizzlies picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers have won their last 24 best-of-seven series with a 1-0 lead, the longest streak in NBA history. That puts Los Angeles in a strong position overall, and the Lakers are healthier than the Grizzlies at this stage. In Game 1, the Lakers closed the contest with a 15-0 run and, on offense, it was a dominant performance. Los Angeles scored 1.28 points per possession in the game, shooting 53.3% from the field and 43.2% from 3-point range.
The Lakers also secured more than 35% of missed shots on the offensive glass while producing 22 second-chance points and 26 fast break points. That included breakout efforts from Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, with Hachimura becoming the first Laker to score at least 25 points off the bench in a playoff game since 1996. The Lakers also have star power with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and Los Angeles led the NBA with 26.6 free throw attempts per game this season. See which side to back at SportsLine.
Why the Grizzlies can cover
The Grizzlies have the benefit of a pronounced home-court advantage, in addition to two-way strengths. Memphis posted the best home record in the NBA (35-6) during the regular season, out-scoring opponents by more than 10 points per game at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies scored almost 1.15 points per possession in 2022-23, with Memphis leading the league by averaging 58.4 points in the paint per game. Memphis also finished No. 2 in fast break points (18.0 per game), and the Grizzlies produced top-six marks in offensive rebound rate (30.2%) and second-chance points (15.3 per game).
Memphis also averaged 26.0 assists with only 13.6 turnovers per game, and the Grizzlies generally dominate on defense. Led by Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies allowed only 110.7 points per 100 possessions, No. 3 in the NBA this season. That includes the best mark in opponent shooting (45.3%) in the NBA, with top-six metrics in 2-point shooting allowed, points allowed in the paint, turnovers created per game, steals per game, and blocks per game. See which side to back at SportsLine.
How to make Grizzlies vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 225 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can see the model’s NBA picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Lakers vs. Grizzlies? And which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is 71-37 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
Source: CBSSports.com
