The Oklahoma City Thunder (42-25) meet the Memphis Grizzlies (32-37) Friday at 4 p.m. ET in the NBA’s Orlando bubble. We analyze the Thunder-Grizzlies betting odds and lines, with NBA picks and best bets.
Thunder vs. Grizzlies: Key injuries
Thunder
- SG Terrance Ferguson (leg) out
- SG Dennis Schroder (personal) out
- PF Mike Muscala (concussion) out
Grizzlies
- PF Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) out
- PG Tyus Jones (knee) out
- SF Justise Winslow (hip) out
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Thunder vs. Grizzlies: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:40 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Thunder 112, Grizzlies 99
Moneyline (ML)
The Thunder (-189) hammered the Los Angeles Lakers, 105-86, in their last game. Their defense forced the Lakers into an off night where they shot 35% from the field and 14% from three. Oklahoma City has won two of three games in the restart and is seeded sixth in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies (+155) are in freefall during the restart losing all four of their games. Miraculously, Memphis is still a half-game in front of the Portland Trail Blazers for the 8-seed in the West.
The season series is tied 1-1, but the game the Thunder lost they were without their second-leading scorer, SF Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari has scored 20-plus points in the last three games he has played against Memphis.
Despite the absence of Schroder, a Sixth Man of the Year Award favorite, the Thunder are the healthier side, plus PG Chris Paul and company are playing their best hoops as we draw closer to the postseason.
We are going PASS THE MONEYLINE in favor of the Oklahoma City spread and because the payout for betting Memphis to pull an upset is too small.
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
This game opened with Oklahoma City favored by 3.5 points but has been steamed up to THUNDER -4.5 (-110). Obviously, we want to get our action in ASAP to get the best possible price but I’d pay for the Thunder at -6.5 if need be.
The recent trends suggest Memphis is the play—the Grizzlies are 4-0 against the spread in the last four meetings but the Thunder are the best ATS team in 2020. Oklahoma City is 42-25 ATS on the year.
The Thunder bludgeon bad teams—they are 24-14 ATS against sub-.500 teams—while the Grizzlies struggle against winning teams and have a 10-15-1 ATS record vs. teams above-.500.
BET THUNDER -4.5 (-110). New to sports betting? A $110 bet on the Thunder -4.5 (-110) earns a $100 profit if Oklahoma City wins by six or more points.
Over/Under (O/U)
It should be pretty easy for the eighth-most efficient defense of the Thunder to stop the 20th-ranked Grizzlies offense, especially when that offense is missing the second-leading scorer and leading three-point shooter in Jackson.
I only lean UNDER 222.5 (-110) because the Thunder are 18-12 O/U when they are favorites and they have the second-best free-throw attempt rate in the NBA. They can get to the line all day against a Grizzlies team that sends opponents to the line at the sixth-highest rate in the league.
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