5 Star Picks From SportsGrid's Prop Tool: More or Less for Morant?

The SportsGrid Player Prop Tool gives daily picks from the entire NBA slate, with each selection tagged with a star rating between 0-5. While any person or algorithm can shoot out predictions and projections, few can boast our model’s success rate. SportsGrid’s 5-star selections are cashing well above 60% since its inception. I’ve personally hit nine of the past 13 model picks I’ve played and hope to keep the ball rolling tonight.

We’re only going to look at one of those top picks below, but if you want the entire list, which includes more than a dozen 5-star selections, check out the SportsGrid Player Prop Tool selections here.

MEM Ja Morant vs. OKC –  Under 38.5 Points+Assists – 5 Stars                 

Under (-111) Edge: 16.4% – Projection: 34.7 Points+Assists

There is no denying that Ja Morant is one of the most exciting young rising superstars in the NBA. He can score with the best of them. In fact, he’s doing just that this year, sitting in the top ten in the league’s scoring race. Morant’s 28.5 points per game lead the Grizzlies and is one of the best scoring averages in the Association. The former Murray State star can also facilitate, leading his Memphis squad with 7.5 assists per game.

Despite all those gaudy stats, a few things are working against Morant tonight, facing the Thunder. The 23-year-old has been dealing with some left ankle soreness that kept him out of Memphis’s 101-93 win over the Miami Heat on Monday. He’s not listed on today’s injury report, but there’s nothing to say that it couldn’t be a factor.

The Grizz is also a substantial homecourt favorite (-9.0), so this game turning into a blowout is not out of the question. A large lead would allow Memphis to give their top player some extra rest if it gets to a garbage-time situation. Something they would love to be able to do, especially if the ankle is bother Ja whatsoever.

Even if Morant plays every minute, he hasn’t exactly torn it up when facing OKC. Less than three weeks ago, the Thunder held Ja to just 19 points and well under this total with only 30 points+assists. In his career, Morant has averaged just 16.8 points and 8.2 assists over nine meetings with Oklahoma City. Two of those mediocre performances went down last year when the former second-overall pick had games of only 17 and 16 points while going well below our number in both contests.

Feel confident rolling on the under with Ja Morant tonight.