Be sure to keep up with injury reports and new information as these picks might change!
Memphis Grizzlies at Indiana Pacers
The Pacers caught a tough break in the Harden blockbuster trade with LeVert immediately going on the injury report. They are roughly .500 since the trade and the departure of Oladipo to the Rockets, who has taken Houston on a 6 game winning streak. The Pacers are now 11-9 on the season and are currently on a two-game losing streak.
The Pacers are certainly missing Warren and LeVert, and are relying heavily on their big men duo of Sabonis and Turner. Turner has been a defensive force down low but the rest of the team has only been playing average defense. They have a current defensive rating that ranks them 14th in the league. Turner is averaging 3.9 BPG, scoring 14.1 PPG and 6.7 RPG. The Pacers will need to start getting more rebounds if they want to start winning more games. They are second to last in rebound and 23rd in the league in offensive rebounding.
Brogdon is leading the offense behind his 22.9 PPG, 7.0 APG, and 4.3 RPG. Brogdon has developed into quite the reliable point guard. Sabonis is their number two scorer and best rebounder dropping 20.6 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 12.0 RPG. The Pacers have a lot going for them and will be an instant top contender once Warren and LeVert return.
The Grizzlies have missed a stretch of games due to the pandemic which works in their favor as it allowed their star point guard Ja Morant to recover without dropping a lot of games. The Grizzlies are a top team in the West with a record of 9-6. They are on a stunning seven-game winning streak and 7-3 in their last 10 games.
The win streak can be attributed to their stellar defensive play. They have the second-best defensive rating in the league and are 1st in steals which leads to a bunch of fastbreak points at the other end. On the other side of the ball, they are struggling. They are ranked 25th in the league in their offensive rating, ranked 16th in field goal percentage, and 26th in three-point field goal percentage. Their savior is their ability to find the open man, they are 2nd in the league in assists. These stats show that defense is still very valuable in a league focused on offense.
Ja Morant has developed into an extremely electric catalyst as the offense runs through him. Morant is averaging 22.0 PPG, 7.7 APG, and 2.0 RPG. From the floor, he is shooting 53% and an abysmal 26% from range. Brooks is also developing into a reliable offensive player averaging 15.1 PPG.
The Grizzlies only have one player averaging over 20.0 PPG, but are seeing scoring up and down their lineup. This is essential to staying in the game when the starters are off the court.
The Pacers are the -6.0 favorite at home. The Grizzlies are still reeling from injuries as Winslow and Jackson are still out for this game. Allen and Valanciunas are game-time decisions. The Pacers have more talent than the Grizzlies and the Grizzlies streak can not last forever. The Grizzlies should cover the +6.0 with a Pacers win.
Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors
The Celtics come to the west coast with a 10-8 record and are 5-5 in their last 10 games. They are on a two-game losing streak after dropping a close game with the Lakers 96-95.
The Celtics will not be completely healthy in this game. Smart, Langford, and Pritchard are listed as out. A blow, but not a huge blow to their offense as their main trio of Tatum, Brown, and Walker are a go. Brown is leading the charge in scoring averaging 27.1 PPG, chipping in 3.5 APG, and 5.4 RPG. Brown is also shooting lights out, he is shooting 53% from the floor and 44% from range. Tatum isn’t far behind, he is averaging 26.8 PPG, 3.7 APG, and 7.0 RPG while shooting 48% from the floor and 43% from range. This duo is difficult to stop.
The Celtics are still trying to phase Walker into the lineup, which suggests he is still reeling from his injury. Averaging around 24 MPG, he is dropping 14.3 PPG, 4.2 APG and 3.2 RPG. A far cry from his days as a Hornet.
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The Warriors will not be completely healthy either. Green and Paschall have appeared on the injury report as game-time decisions. This could have a serious impact on the defensive side as Green shuts scorers down low. The Warriors are also 5-5 in their last 10 games with a record of 11-9.
To keep pace with the Celtics trio, Kerr will need to give Curry a lot of minutes in hopes he has a great shooting night. Curry is averaging 27.7 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 5.4 RPG. Curry has seen a drop in shooting percentages, which can be attributed to the absence of fellow superstar Thompson who helps take pressure off Curry.
Despite, ranking 20th in field goal percentage and 16th in three-point field goal percentage, they are excellent in pace control ranking third on this category.
The Celtics are the -3.0 favorite on the road. The Celtics have the obvious talent advantage suggesting Celtics -3.0 might be a mistake line by Vegas, or a trap. I believe this to be a mistake making Celtics -3.0 the play as the Celtics should get out of their funk.
Grizzlies +6.0
Celtics -3.0
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