Grizzlies vs. Warriors: NBA odds, Picks and Predictions
Grizzlies vs. Warriors Odds
| Grizzlies Odds | -8 |
| Warriors Odds | +8 |
| Over/Under | 233.5 |
| Date | Sun, Dec. 25 |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. |
| TV | ABC |
On Christmas Day, the Memphis Grizzlies will travel to San Francisco to battle the injury depleted Golden State Warriors. Entering play, Memphis is tied for the best record in the Western Conference, with Golden State sitting one game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for the final play-in spot. In this holiday matchup, oddsmakers are anticipating a comfortable victory for Memphis, pricing the Grizzlies as 8-point road favorites on the spread.
Memphis Grizzlies
During the month of December, Memphis is 8-2 overall and leads the league in Net Rating, outscoring their opponents by 13.0 points per 100 possessions. In that span, the Grizzlies have multiple statement wins, having defeated the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns by a combined 66 points. On the offensive end of the floor, this unit has exhibited a balanced approach, shooting fewer three-pointers than league average. The primary catalysts for success have been excellent ball movement and a strong presence on the glass – ranking in the top-four in both rebounds and assists per game.
In their last 10 contests, the Grizzlies lead the NBA in defensive efficiency, having allowed only 102.1 points per 100 possessions. A key to their defensive gameplan has been selectively allowing their opponents to shoot from the perimeter, allowing the eighth-most three-point shots per game, but holding their opponents to the eighth-lowest percentage in the league on such shots.
Golden State Warriors
Outside of Stephen Curry, the Warriors have zero players averaging more than 19.1 points or more than 6.6 assists per game. Unsurprisingly, Golden State has struggled mightily when Curry has not been on the floor this year. Since Curry last played on December 14, this group has only one win in four games. On the season, the Dubs are 14-12 with Curry and only 1-6 without him – a trend that goes back multiple seasons. Per Cleaning the Glass, Golden State ranks in the 95th percentile in offensive efficiency and the 60th percentile in defensive efficiency when Curry is on the floor, but regresses to the 5th percentile in offensive efficiency and the 19th percentile in defensive efficiency when he is on the sidelines.
In their last four games, the Warriors rank 30th in opponent three-point percentage, 30th in opponent assists per game, and 18th in opponent free throw attempts per game. Facing one of the hottest teams in the league, it could be another difficult day for this group, even with the benefit of home court.
Grizzlies vs. Warriors – Picks & Predictions
The betting recipe is straightforward when Stephen Curry is not in the lineup for Golden State – take the other team to cover the spread. Heading into this Christmas Day matchup, the Grizzlies are trending towards the top of the Eastern Conference standings and the Warriors are trending towards the lottery. Expect Memphis to get the job done in this spot.
PICK: Grizzlies -8 (-110, DraftKings)
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