Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers Odds: Grizzlies Favored on the Road
Damian Lillard Sidelined in Matchup With Ja Morant
The Portland Trail Blazers have jumped out to an unexpectedly hot start this season. With a 5-1 record, they have been a nice surprise for many who didn’t know what to expect from this team entering the season. They’ve beaten the Kings, Suns, Lakers, Nuggets and Rockets with their only loss coming against the Miami Heat. They’ll have their hands full on Wednesday night when they welcome in the Grizzlies, not just because Ja Morant is in town, but because Damian Lillard will be out of the lineup. Memphis has also had quite a bit of success early this season, sitting at 4-3 on the year. However, they’re coming off of two straight losses to the Utah Jazz. Knowing they’re hungry for a win, and that the Blazers are without Lillard, the Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers odds are in favor of the away team tonight.
Game Information
Game: Memphis Grizzlies (4-3) at Portland Trail Blazers (5-1)
Location: Moda Center
Day/Time:
How To Stop Ja Morant
The biggest concern for the Portland Trail Blazers in tonight’s matchup – other than Damian Lillard being out – is stopping Ja Morant. The Grizzlies guard is off to the best start of his career, averaging 33.3 points, 6.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds. It’s hard to believe, but Morant is also averaging a career-best in shooting percentage, shooting 55% from the field and 56% from beyond the arc.
While the Blazers are a top-10 team in defensive rating this season, Morant is playing on another level. The job of shutting him down will likely fall on either Anfernee Simons or Shaedon Sharpe who is expected to start in Lillard’s absence. Regardless of who is guarding him, the rest of the team will have to be ready to help on the defensive end, knowing that Morant loves to drive the lane and get to the basket.
Defense a Focus for Grizzlies
It’s no secret that the Grizzlies know how to score the basketball. They rank sixth in offensive rating and are putting up an average of 115.9 points per game. However, the defensive end is where the Grizzlies need to improve. They’re giving up 119.1 points per 100 possessions through their first seven games of this year’s NBA season schedule, which ranks dead last in defensive rating.
If Memphis wants to cover the Grizzlies vs Trail Blazers odds of -2 on the road, they are going to have to do it on the defensive end. Desmond Bane is also listed on the injury report and is questionable for Wednesday’s game, which means Memphis will lack some offensive production from him.
Case for the Blazers
An NBA betting tip we like to consider is how a team responds when a star player is out. Oftentimes, when a team is without their star – as the Blazers are tonight without Lillard – the rest of the team plays harder knowing they can’t rely on their star to carry the team. Therefore, there are a few player points props that we would consider taking tonight.
Simons has been huge for the Blazers this year and has all the capabilities to step up and take on a larger scoring role without Lillard. Sharpe has also been a really exciting player for Portland and one that will likely get plenty of extra minutes on Wednesday. We expect his usage to go up quite a bit if he does indeed take over the starting point guard role. Look to bet the over for both of these players’ points props.
All-in-all, on Grizzlies vs Blazers betting odds lean in favor of Memphis on the road as they’re looking to bounce back from two-straight losses, but props might be the way to go if you want to have some action on the home team.
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