The Lakers Are Back In The Postseason | Lakers vs Grizzlies | OSB
Los Angeles Lakers at Memphis Grizzlies: Game 1
By Sam Batz
The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, April 16th for Game 1 of their First Round matchup (3:00 PM EST, ESPN). The Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament on Tuesday, April 11th to secure the No. 7 seed. The Grizzlies had a great year, and are the No. 2 seed in the West for the second straight season. Since the playoff field was expanded to 16 teams in 1984, just five No. 7 seeds have made it past the First Round. Memphis is favored to win both Game 1, and the series as a whole. The Grizzlies Moneyline is priced at -170, while the Lakers are the underdogs at +140.
The Los Angeles Lakers (+140)
The Lakers had a rough start to the season, going 1-9 in their first 10 games, but 82 matchups later, Los Angeles is in the playoffs. The Lakers finished the season with a 43-39 (52.4%) record, which was good enough to qualify for the play-in, where they beat the Timberwolves 108-102 on the tournament’s opening day, securing this matchup with Memphis. The Lakers were 2-1 and averaged 114.3 points per game against the Grizzlies this season. Los Angeles may be led by the best scorer in NBA history (see Game Changers below), but they are not expected to make it past Memphis. The Lakers are +3.5 point underdogs, which isn’t insurmountable, but will have a tough time against the Grizzlies lock-down defense.
The Memphis Grizzlies (-170)
The Memphis Grizzlies went 51-31 (62.2%) this season, securing the No. 2 seed for the second-straight postseason. Last year, they were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals. Memphis has never won an NBA Title, and will look to avoid the First Round upset against the Lakers. They are favored to win both Game 1 and their series as a whole, but were 1-2 against LA in the regular season, and the Grizzlies have a history of being bounced early in the playoffs. But this is the best lineup Memphis has had in a long time, and if they can stay focused on the task at hand, the Grizzlies could go far.
Lakers vs. Grizzlies Odds
Team | Current Spread | Current Total | Opening Moneyline |
Los Angeles Lakers | +3.5 (-106) | Ov 227 (-110) | +140 |
Memphis Grizzlies | -3.5 (-118) | Un 227 (-110) | -170 |
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Lakers vs. Grizzlies: Season Stats
Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) 117.2 (6th) 116.6 (20th) 48.2 (10th) 34.6 (25th) 113.9 (19th) 113.2 (12th) 23-18 (56.1%) 20-21 (48.8%) | Stat Type Points/Game Opponent Points/Game Field Goal % Three-Point % Offensive Rating Defensive Rating Home Record (Win-Rate) Away Record (Win-Rate) | Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) 116.9 (9th) 113.0 (11th) 47.5 (16th) 35.1 (23rd) 114.7 (11th) 110.7 (3rd) 35-6 (85.4%) 16-25 (39.0%) |
Lakers vs. Grizzlies: Betting Trends
Los Angeles Lakers 39-41-2 18-21-1 (Away) 24-27-1 (vs. West) 43-40 8-2 23-28 (as Underdogs) 13-19 (Underdogs Away) | Betting Trend ATS (Season) ATS (Home/Away) ATS (Conference) O/U (Season) O/U (Last 10) ML (Favorite/Underdog) ML (Home/Away) | Memphis Grizzlies 37-42-3 23-17-1 (Home) 20-30-2 (vs. West) 37-44-1 5-5 48-16 (as Favorites) 32-5 (Favorites Home) |
Lakers vs. Grizzlies: Game Changers
Los Angeles Lakers
- Lebron James is now the NBA’s all-time point leader (38,652 points) after passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earlier this season. The 38-year old James leads the Lakers with 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game
- Anthony Davis is an integral part of the Lakers success. Davis averages 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He averaged 29.0 points per game against Memphis this season and has the best odds to score to first points of the game (+450)
Memphis Grizzlies
- Ja Morant leads the Grizzlies with 26.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. 2019 2nd-overall draft pick averaged 30.5 points per game against the Lakers this year
- Jaren Jackson Jr. is a leading candidate for Defensive Player of The Year, and will play a vital role for the Grizzlies against LA. Jackson Jr. averages 18.6 points, 6.8 rebound, and 3.0 blocks per game
Lakers vs. Grizzlies Prediction
Take the Memphis Grizzlies to win Game 1. The Lakers will certainly make this an interesting series, but LA won’t win a single game in Memphis. The Grizzlies are nearly unbeatable at home, winning over 85% of the time, and posting 119.8 points per game in Memphis. Both teams can score the rock, so it will come down to defense, which benefits Memphis. The Grizz have a higher ranked defense (3rd), and allow fewer opponent points per game (113.0), and will enter Sunday’s Game 1 matchup looking to start off on the right foot with a win.
Prediction: Memphis Grizzlies Moneyline (-170)
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