Lakers vs Grizzlies Odds: Memphis Faces Elimination at Home

Desperate Grizzlies Ready to Extend Series

The Memphis Grizzlies will look to avoid elimination as they return home for Game 5 of their first-round series with the Lakers. Let’s take a look at the Lakers vs Grizzlies Odds to see where the value might lay for bettors.

Memphis will be irate at how the final moments of the fourth quarter and OT unfolded in Game 4 as their hopes of evening up the series were erased in a painful manner. Their offense went cold when it mattered most and the team simply couldn’t put away some wide open looks that could have swung momentum in this series in a big way.

Meanwhile, the Lakers had a vintage LeBron James playoff performance to thank for their Game 4 win as The King went off for 22 points, 20 rebounds and 7 assists, including the game-tying layup that forced OT.

The Lakers are the second play-in team looking at causing a first-round upset based on NBA standings by conference; they, along with the Miami Heat, hold 3-1 series leads.

Memphis has opened as 3.5 point favorites for Game 5, with the total again being set at 222.0 points.

Grizzlies Support Cast Needs to Show Up

Memphis’ depth took a hit when they lost Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke to season ending injuries and the outcome has left them devoid of reliable production in their second unit.

The result has left Taylor Jenkins searching his bench for reliable minutes and he’ll need something from his role players if they’re to extend this series.

Traditionally, role players have always better performed at home and their shooting splits have replicated that so far this series.

The Grizzlies missed a lot of wide open looks on the perimeter in Game 4 as they finished 9-for-42 from beyond the arc. The Lakers defense is willing to give up those perimeter looks by design and if the Grizzlies start hitting from deep they’ll be able to mix up their offensive sets to find consistent looks at the basket.

In their two home games this series the Grizzlies have gotten 24.0 points per game from their second unit. In their two road games in LA, they got just 14.5 points per game – and that included getting late garbage time points in OT.

If their bench can feed off the home crowds energy they’ll give their starters the opportunity to extend this series and force a return to LA.

Lakers Desperate to Wrap Up Series

The LA Lakers know that their playoff run revolves around health and a short turnaround between games from here until the end of the series could be a dangerous tightrope to walk for a team that needs big minutes and effort from LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

There’s always been question marks around Davis’s willingness to engage in physical matchups in the paint and that’s very much been at the forefront of obeservation this series even with his team holding a 3-1 lead.

Davis has scored more than 22 points just once this series and is coming off a 12 point outing where he went 4-for-13 from the field.

LeBron and AD both logged 45 minutes each in that Game 4 win and the short turnaround is a big ask on their bodies. Getting that extra rest ahead of a second-round matchup with the winner of Golden State and Sacramento is paramount to their long-term success this season, but their current predicament certainly leaves some understandable concerns.

The Grizzlies play fast, physical basketball and that’ll be amplified in a very loud and raucous arena. If LA can control the pace and find easy buckets in transition to play from in front they’ll feel good about seeing this out, but if they’re forced to chase this game it might be in their best interest to pack up early and prepare for a Game 6 in LA.

The scheduling and circumstances surrounding this game certainly favor Memphis and with their role players likely to produce in front of their home fans there’s fair cause to believe they walk away with a win and extend this series.

Laying the points with the Grizzlies is one of the top looks on the board right now in the playoffs and I think there’s every reason to believe they get the job done convincingly here.

• That’s all for our Lakers vs Grizzlies Odds preview. Be sure to find all our NBA score predictions and more at PointSpreads.com.
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