NBA Pick: Lakers -2 (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Picks Summary:
- Lakers -2 (-110)
- Under 226 (-110)
Tuesday’s Grizzlies at Lakers matchup will be missing its two biggest stars in Memphis’ Ja Morant and LA’s LeBron James.
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Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 – 10:00 PM EST at Crypto.com Arena
Just one late-night game around the NBA on Tuesday, and it’s the second of a TNT doubleheader as the Memphis Grizzlies visit the Los Angeles Lakers. Philadelphia at Minnesota is the first game.
Grizzlies-Lakers certainly loses a lot of luster without two of the NBA’s top players in Ja Morant (personal) and LeBron James (injury). This concludes the season series as they have split the first two, each winning at home.
They last played on Feb. 28 in Memphis and the Grizzlies won 121-109. Morant had 28 of his 39 points in the third quarter when Memphis scored 47 total points. Morant also had 10 assists and 10 rebounds overall for a triple-double. Morant made 10 of 12 shots in the highest-scoring quarter ever by a Grizzlies player.
Memphis outscored Los Angeles 86-48 in the paint and added 33 fast-break points. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 28 points and 19 rebounds. LeBron was out then as well.
The Lakers are 40-38 against the Grizzlies since the team moved to Memphis. LA is 27-15 all-time at Crypto.com Arena against the Grizz.
Grizzlies Still Short-Handed
In my mind, it was easy money-fading Memphis on Sunday when it lost 135-129 at the Clippers as the Grizzlies were without Morant, Dillon Brooks, Brandon Clarke, and Steven Adams. Morant was seen on Instagram Live with a firearm in a Denver-area strip club early Saturday morning after a loss against the Nuggets.
The Glendale Police Department confirmed the incident took place at a bar in Glendale, a small enclave surrounded by Denver known for its strip clubs and shopping centers. The department said it is investigating whether Morant might have broken any gun laws. Colorado is an open-carry state, but there are exceptions to the law.
NBA rules prohibit a player from possessing a gun while on team property or traveling on team business. Morant is away from the team right now seeking “help,” and it’s not clear when he will return but it won’t be for this game.
Who Can Help While Morant is Away?
Tyus Jones will continue to start for Morant and had 25 points and 12 assists in Sunday’s loss. Jones would start for many other NBA teams. Incidentally, even without all those guys mentioned, Memphis had a 51-point third quarter against LA, tied for the most points scored by any team in a quarter this season. It was the first time since 1991 that a team lost after scoring at least 50 points in a quarter. The Grizzlies then allowed a 24-2 Clippers run in the fourth.
Memphis fell to 4-6 without Morant this season, averaging 113.5 ppg. With him, the team is 34-19 and averaging 116.2 ppg.
Clarke suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tear in Friday’s loss. He might miss most of next season as well. Clarke was averaging 10.0 points on 65.6 percent shooting, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Brooks was suspended for Sunday’s game because of too many technical fouls this season but will be back Tuesday. He will get dinged another game for each two technical he gets the rest of the regular season.
Adams, one of the NBA’s best rebounders, has been out since Jan. 22 due to a knee injury and is not ready yet.
- The Grizzlies are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games.
- The Grizzlies are 7-20-1 ATS in their last 28 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- The under is 8-3 in Grizzlies’ last 11 road games.
- The under is 5-1-1 in Grizzlies’ last 7 overall.
Davis Carrying Lakers Sans LeBron
Lakers star LeBron James hasn’t played since Feb. 26 due to a foot injury, and he won’t be back until March 23 at the earliest, and that seems rather optimistic for a 39-year-old. I don’t think there’s any chance that LA avoids the play-in tournament now. To make the final eight for the West playoffs, LA is (+190) with no at (-240) at current NBA odds.
If Anthony Davis can continue playing like a beast, maybe the Lakers can move up a few spots in the West without LeBron. In Sunday’s 113-105 upset of Golden State, Davis had 39 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in 38 minutes – yeah, he’s going to keep playing major minutes. Davis scored 12 of his points in the fourth and eight points in the final 4:05 to give the Lakers their third win over the Warriors in the past three weeks.
The Lakers are 5-7 when Davis plays without James this season with Davis averaging 29.6 points and 14.3 rebounds per game when he plays without LeBron.
“I’m in a great groove right now,” Davis said after his second straight game with at least 38 points. “I feel really good.”
Los Angeles limited Golden State to just 18 points in the first and third quarters, the lowest scoring totals by a Lakers opponent in a first or third quarter this season. One might argue that the Lakers are better defensively at this point without James.
Others Filling In While James is Out
Troy Brown has been starting for James and had 14 points and eight rebounds Sunday while playing good defense on Steph Curry and Jordan Poole. Brown had gone to the bench when Lakers coach Darvin Ham decided to start recently acquired Jarred Vanderbilt alongside Davis and James.
“It’s just great to have a kid like that, the way shoots the ball, the way he can put it on the floor, he rebounds. It’s great,” Ham said after Sunday’s win of Brown.
Guard and trade acquisition D’Angelo Russell missed a fifth straight game Sunday with a sprained ankle and he’s iffy for Tuesday. Dennis Schroder has been getting more time with Russell out even though Schroder has an ankle injury. Big man Mo Bamba left Sunday’s game with a sprained ankle.
Just too much craziness going on with Memphis right now, which hasn’t been good on the road even at full strength. Have to go under with all the points missing due to no LeBron or Morant.
- The Lakers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
- The Lakers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- The under is 5-0 in the Lakers’ last 5 home games.
NBA Pick: Under 226 (-110) Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
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