The NBA regular season continues with games on Wednesday. The Memphis Grizzlies will hit the road and take on the New York Knicks. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Grizzlies-Knicks prediction and pick.
These two teams have had very different starts to the season. The Memphis Grizzlies have won three of their last four games, but are coming off a tough loss. While the New York Knicks are coming off their first win in their last four games. This should be an interesting matchup between two teams that are trying to regain momentum.
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NBA Odds: Grizzlies-Knicks Odds
Memphis Grizzlies: -3.5 (-115)
New York Knicks: +3.5 (-105)
Over: 217 (-110)
Under: 217 (-110)
Why The Grizzlies Could Cover The Spread
The Memphis Grizzlies have had a good season so far. When everyone was struggling with injuries and COVID, the Grizzlies were able to go on a run and claim one of the best records in the league. Through their first 53 games, they have amassed 35 wins and have only lost 18 games. They are coming off a disappointing three-point loss in overtime to the Sixers. Memphis will look to get back on track on Wednesday as they face off against the Knicks. While the Knicks aren’t the best team in the league, they are still a tough opponent. If the Grizzlies want to score a win they will need to make up for their last game and go back to their winning strategy.
In the Grizzlies’ loss to Philly, they relied on two players to do the bulk of the scoring. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane combined for 71 points and played for a combined 81 minutes. Only one other player on Memphis scored in the double digits. This type of lopsided scoring is not a feasible long-term winning strategy, and it came back to bite them in their last match. In the game prior, when they beat the Wizards by 20, scoring was much more evenly distributed. Six Grizzlies players scored in the double digits, and eight players played for 20+ minutes. If the Grizzlies want to win games they need to use their entire roster and not just rely on their best players.
For the most part, this Grizzlies squad has been healthy. They have been one of the few teams in the league who have been able to take advantage of other teams losing players due to COVID and injuries. Currently, Memphis has two players on their injury report. Dillon Brooks has been out since early January and will remain out. Steven Adams is listed as day to day and is questionable for Wednesday’s match. The Grizzlies have enough of their roster available that these injuries should not impact the game too much.
Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
The New York Knicks have been all over the place this season. At the beginning of the year, they looked like they might be top competitors, but that quickly changed as they began losing games. Through their first 51 games, they have a losing record with only 24 wins and 27 losses. However, the Knicks are coming off an impressive 20-point victory over the Sacramento Kings. New York will look to carry that momentum into Wednesday’s match as they try to turn one win into two. The Grizzlies are a tough opponent and New York will need to play their best game if they want to come out on top.
The Knicks were able to dominate the Kings because every member of the team contributed. New York’s win over Sacramento was the definition of a team effort. Seven players played for 20+ minutes and six players scored in the doubles digits. When a team is able to get this type of productivity from so many of its roster members they become extremely difficult to compete with. If New York is able to put forth another team effort like this on Wednesday then they could easily win their second game in a row.
While injuries play a factor, the Knicks are currently the healthiest they have been all season. Only Derrick Rose and Luka Samanic are listed on New York’s injury report. Neither of those players are new additions, and this should have no impact on the outcome of the game. The Knicks have the players, they have shown that they can compete, they just need to prove it once again on Wednesday.
Final Grizzlies-Knicks Prediction & Pick
The Grizzlies are the better team here. Their loss against Philly seemed like an outlier performance and they should be able to bounce back against a lesser opponent on Wednesday. While the Knicks have shown flashes of competitiveness, they are not reliable enough to confidently pick. Pick the Grizzlies to win and cover.
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