Our record remains intact in the New Year as we were unlucky to get a push in the under for the Suns-Hornets total on Sunday. Charlotte failed to offer much defensively as Phoenix racked up 133 points in the contest. We'll turn the page to Monday as the NBA has ten games on the card. One matchup that's caught my eye involves the Grizzlies traveling to Brooklyn to take on the Nets.
Let's break it all down and see where the value might lie.
The Memphis Grizzlies are quietly becoming one of the best teams in the league. They come into this one on a four-game winning streak as the team fully embodies the confidence and bravado of their young superstar Ja Morant. Morant's fearlessness as a third-year player is truly something to marvel at, and it seems that he plays even better when the lights are the brightest. Memphis has already surpassed Brooklyn in offensive efficiency as it ranks ninth with 108.1 points per 100 possessions. As for Brooklyn, it was ranked in the top-three for much of the season, but it's now dropped to 12th (107.1 points per 100 possessions).
When you have Morant on your team, you certainly have a chance. The Murray State product is ranked in the top ten with a 25.07 Player Efficiency Rating (PER). Morant's value to the team is much more than the 24.7 points he contributes on a given night. He's also dishing out 6.6 assists and averages 5.7 rebounds per game.
After playing on Friday, Memphis should be well-rested for this game. The Grizzlies are 4-2 against the spread (ATS) in this spot, while the Nets are 9-10 ATS when on one day's rest.
I think there's been a bit of fatigue with Brooklyn as players have been in and out of the lineup in recent weeks due to a COVID outbreak. The Nets were already stretched after not having Kyrie Irving available for the start of the season. That's mainly why the Nets changed their stance and allowed Irving to return to the team on a part-time basis despite his vaccination status. With Irving set to make his first appearance for the Nets on Wednesday against the Pacers, I think his return does create a bit of a distraction for the team at the moment.
If there's ever an opportunity to fade the Nets, now would be the time. Brooklyn's lost its past two games and is also 0-7 ATS against Memphis at home. Furthermore, Memphis is on an 8-1 run ATS on the road, and a 7-1 ATS run as an underdog.
This line seems a bit high, with the Grizzlies catching seven points. As a result, I can only look to take the points with the road underdogs.
Pick: Grizzlies +7
All NBA predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid.
