Warriors vs. Grizzlies Picks & Predictions 3/9/23

Golden State Warriors (34-32 SU, 31-34-1 ATS) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (38-26 SU, 30-32-2 ATS)
When: Thursday, March 9th, 7:30 PM (ET)
Where: FedExForum, TN, Memphis
TV: TNT

Point Spread: GS -2.0/Mem +2
Total: 235.5
Money Line: Golden State Warriors -132/+110

Notable Injuries

Warriors

• Andre Iguodala (Probable) Hip
• Andrew Wiggins (Out) Personal
• Kevon Looney (Probable) Back
• Gary Payton II (Out) Abdominal
• Jonathan Kuminga (Probable) Ankle
• Ryan Rollins (Out) Foot

Grizzlies

• Steven Adams (Out) Knee
• Ja Morant (Out) Not With Team
• Brandon Clarke (Out) Achilles
• Jake LaRavia (Questionable) Back
• Vince Williams Jr. (Out) Right Shoulder

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Golden State is 34-32 overall. When taking to the road, Golden State has a mark of 7-25 and a win percentage of 22%. Currently, the team is 5th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 31-34-1 vs. the spread. Golden State travels to take on the Grizzlies, hoping to avoid their 3rd straight loss.

Golden State most recently lost to the Thunder by a score of 137-128. The team high 40 points from Stephen Curry were not enough to come away with the win. The Warriors were 4-point favorites going into the game.

Heading into the game, Memphis is 38-26 overall. When playing at home, Memphis has a mark of 26-5 and a win percentage of 84%. Currently, the team is 3rd in the Western Conference. So far, they are 30-32-2 vs. the spread. The Grizzlies need a win in today’s matchup vs. Golden State to avoid their 4th straight loss.

Memphis most recently lost to the Lakers by a score of 112-103. The team high 26 points from Jaren Jackson Jr. was not enough to come home with the win. The Grizzlies were 1 point favorites going into the game.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Warriors picked up the 123-109 win over the Grizzlies. Heading into the game, Golden State was the 7.5-point underdogs, giving them an ATS win. So far this season, the Warriors have a record of 2-0 vs. the Grizzlies. Spanning across the last five head-to-head matchups, the Warriors and Grizzlies have been competitive, with an average margin of victory sitting at just -1 point per game. This has resulted in a 3-2 ATS record for Memphis. In these matchups, the teams have put together an over-under mark of 1-4. Combined, they averaged 221 points in these games.

Analysis

This season, Golden State is among the league leaders in scoring, averaging 118.1 points per game. So far, the Warriors are also one of the more up-tempo teams in the league, sitting at 102.0 possessions per game. The Warriors have been able to put together a strong offensive attack despite sitting just 4th in a 3-point shooting percentage. Overall, they are among the league leaders in attempts at 43.2 attempts per game. Defensively, the Warriors have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 105.46 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 33.92%.

As the Warriors prepare for today’s game, Jordan Poole is their leading scorer with an average of 20.7 points per game. This season, Poole has a field goal percentage of 42.7%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Klay Thompson, who is averaging 22.1 points per game.

This season, Memphis is among the league leaders in scoring, averaging 115.6 points per game. So far, the Grizzlies are also one of the more up-tempo teams in the league, sitting at 101.0 possessions per game. Memphis’ 3-point shooting numbers are below the league average, as they have hit just 34.3% of their looks from deep. On average, the team gets up 33.1 3-point shots per game, placing them 14th in the NBA. Defensively, the Grizzlies have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 109.93 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 34.88%.

An important injury to consider for today’s game is that Memphis will be without Ja Morant, who is listed as out on the injury report. Desmond Bane will assume the role of primary scorer for the team. This season, Bane has been averaging 21.2 points per game for the Grizzlies.

Betting Trends

• The Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last five after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
• The Warriors are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.
• The Grizzlies are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
• The Grizzlies are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

The Golden State Warriors have lost their last six road games. The Grizzlies haven’t looked very good without Ja Morant. I believe the Warriors will get back on track Thursday and win by 7+!