No NBA team is hotter than the Memphis Grizzlies right now. Amid an impressive 11-game winning streak—featuring victories over heavyweights like the Suns, Nets, and Warriors—Memphis is doing it all. Ja Morant looks like the NBA’s next great superstar while a third-ranked offense (112.3 points per game) is humming along, unimpeded.
Morant knows his team has got something special cooking.
However, an old adage remains true: Good teams win, but great teams cover. And that’s a test a young Memphis team has also passed with flying colors of late.
In addition to that glowing winning streak, the Grizzlies have covered the spread in eight straight games against the Spurs, Nets, Cavaliers, Pistons, Clippers, Lakers, Warriors, and Timberwolves. It’s actually been so long that Memphis has not failed to cover a spread since last year (get it?).
11 of em . let's keep it rolling 🐻
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) January 14, 2022
What’s been particularly eye-opening is how few and far between the close calls have been. Save for a narrow 110-106 road win over the Cavaliers where they just barely covered a +3.5 spread; the Grizzlies have paced themselves so far ahead of everyone else. Even big underdog bets like +6.5 on the road against Brooklyn simply haven’t mattered.
But, as they tend to do, all good things must eventually end. There will come a time in the coming days where the Grizzlies, as good as they are, do fail to cover the spread. Morant might have an off night. An opposing sixth man might go nuclear. It happens, especially in a night-to-night league like the NBA. And while the Grizzlies will still undoubtedly be a good team, we might have to, at least temporarily, revoke that coveted “great” label.
Such is the nature of the sports betting beast.
The main reason the Grizzlies’ exceptional eight-game cover streak might soon come to an end? A daunting upcoming schedule. It starts tonight at home against Luka Doncic’s Mavericks (-2.5 at Tipico.)
At 22-19, Dallas has been far from what anyone would call a juggernaut this season. But the Mavs are always dangerous as long as they have a talent like Doncic at the helm. With more of a mediocre defense compared to their high-powered offense, it’s quite possible the creative Doncic alone drives a dagger into the Grizzlies’ streak.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any easier after Doncic and company leave Memphis because the East-leading Bulls come to town on Monday. Guards DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine are playing like sure All-Stars, if not potential starters in the All-Star Game. Factor in an otherwise deep lineup centering around big man Nikola Vucevic, point guard Lonzo Ball, and microwave scorer Coby White, and Memphis should have its hands full there, too.
Two days later, on Wednesday, the Grizzlies go to Milwaukee to play the defending NBA champion Bucks. Now, there are litmus tests and benchmarks to surpass, and then there’s covering a spread against the last team to win the final game of the entire season. Call it a hunch, but one has to think reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will want to send a message in what could certainly prove to be a Finals preview when all is said and done.
Ja Morant’s Grizzlies have arrived, and then some. If they can somehow continue to cover the spread against one of the league’s best players and two Eastern Conference heavyweights, then they deserve even more shine.
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).
[mm-video type=video id=01fs9yw2hpkhcj8g2tmm playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fs9yw2hpkhcj8g2tmm/01fs9yw2hpkhcj8g2tmm-176e9a3ad499593efe0c8d4ef1f5ac0f.jpg]
[listicle id=1390309]