The Memphis Grizzlies (29-28) travel to the “Rose City” Friday for their fifth of a seven-game road swing against the host Portland Trail Blazers (32-26). Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET at Moda Center. Below, we analyze the Grizzlies-Trail Blazers odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
Memphis dropped its second straight Wednesday in a 117-105 loss to the Kawhi Leonard- and Paul George-less Los Angeles Clippers as 4.5-point road favorites.
Over the past two weeks, the Grizzlies are 3-5 overall and 5-3 against the spread. They sit at eighth in the West 2.5 games behind the 6-seed Blazers.
Portland has lost three straight and five of the past six games (3-3 ATS) including back-to-back 1-point home losses to the Los Angeles Clippers Monday and Denver Nuggets Tuesday.
The Blazers won two of three meetings last season against the Grizzlies but only covered in one of those games.
Grizzlies at Trail Blazers: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:20 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Grizzlies +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Trail Blazers -150 (bet $150 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Grizzlies +3 (-110) | Trail Blazers -3 (-110)
- Over/Under: 232.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Grizzlies at Trail Blazers: Key injuries
Grizzlies
- C Jonas Valanciunas (concussion) out
Trail Blazers
- PF Zach Collins (ankle) out
- SF Derrick Jones Jr. (hip) questionable
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Grizzlies at Trail Blazers: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Grizzlies 122, Trail Blazers 116
Money line (ML)
Slight “LEAN” to the GRIZZLIES (+125) for a quarter unit because I “like” Memphis plus the points and would like to sprinkle on the dog’s money line for a little more value.
The Blazers are 24th in defensive rebounding rate and 25th in second-chance points allowed per game whereas the Grizzlies have the sixth-highest offensive rebounding percentage and scores the most second-chance points per game.
Finally, Portland’s sixth-ranked offensive rating is a bit of “fool’s gold” in my opinion because it mostly plays iso-ball.
The Blazers have the lowest assist rate by 3.7 percentage points and with such little ball movement could be easier for a Grizzlies team ranked ninth in defensive rating to defend.
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Against the spread (ATS)
If it’s one or the other, the GRIZZLIES +3 (-110) is the preference. I’d put a full unit on Memphis to cover on top of the tiny wager on the money line.
This is a “good spot” for the Grizzlies since they are 11-6 ATS this season as a road dog with a plus-8.0-point ATS margin, 7-4 ATS vs. teams with a winning record and the Blazers are 8-12 ATS as a home favorite and 5-9 ATS at home vs. losing teams.
Furthermore, Memphis is 4-1 ATS when getting spotted 1-2.5 points while Portland is 3-5 ATS when laying points in that range.
Over/Under (O/U)
“LEAN” to the OVER 232.5 (-110) for a quarter unit because I prefer the side more than the total in Grizzlies-Trail Blazers, Memphis has gone Over the total in four straight as an underdog and Portland has the second-worst defensive rating in the Association.
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