The No. 5 Memphis Grizzlies (4-1 SU, 3-1-1 ATS) open their Western Conference semifinal series taking on the No. 1 Golden State Warriors (4-0 SU, 1-3 ATS) Sunday. You can watch the game live on ABC.
The Grizzlies advanced to their second Western Conference semifinal in three seasons dispatching the Portland Trail Blazers in five first-round games. The Grizzlies are a seasoned playoff team and all that knowledge and experience will be needed as they try to get back to the conference finals like they did in 2013. Memphis handed Golden State one of its 15 regular season losses with a convincing 105-98 win in December.
With seven days off in between games the Warriors should be well-rested; if all that down-time is beneficial remains to be seen. Golden State enters its second round series having won its last 20 home games, including a win over Memphis in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates, and is 41-2 at Oracle Arena this season. The Warriors weren’t as dominant at home against New Orleans in the first round failing to cover both times, but came away with victories both times.
KEY INJURY
Memphis guard Mike Conley watched his teammates eliminate the Blazers Wednesday, just days after facial surgery to repair multiple fractures following an inadvertent elbow from Portland’s CJ McCollum in Game Three. No timetable for his return has been given by the club but at some point he will get clearance by team doctors and as Conley said “sooner rather than later,”
QUOTE TO NOTE
“They are really talented players who can shoot it from anywhere. Once they cross half-court, any shot is a good shot for them. So, you’ve got to do a good job on defense. You can’t just start gambling and making your own defense once they break you down because then you’re done.” – Grizzlies center Marc Gasol said of the Warriors
BETTING TRENDS
- Memphis is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 games overall.
- Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last seven home games.
- The OVER is 7-2 in Memphis’ last 10 road games.
KEY STATS
93.8: The Grizzlies had the second-best scoring defense in the league during the regular season limiting opponents to 95.1 points per game and held the Blazers to an average of 93.8 in the first round.
33.8: Warriors MVP candidate Stephen Curry topped the 30-point mark three times in four first-round games against New Orleans, including 40 in the Game Three comeback win, for an average of 33.8 in the series.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Grizzlies know they face a tough task but this is a squad with plenty of postseason experience with Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley – if he returns – and Tony Allen now in their fifth straight playoffs. The Grizzlies have an advantage down low with the strong inside play of Gasol, Randolph and Jeff Green but the loss of Conley is a severe blow and weakens the Grizzlies backcourt, especially on defense, in an area where the Warriors have the edge. Nothing against Beno Udrih and Nick Calathes but they can’t replace Conley’s 16 points per game and his defensive skills.
The Warriors earned homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs after winning a franchise record 67 games and are led by the All-Star backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Overshadowed by the offensive exploits of MVP candidate Curry is the Warriors top-ranked defense, an area coach Steve Kerr is particularly proud. The Warriors were exposed in the post by the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis in the first round but their overall depth proved to be too much prompting New Orleans coach Monty Williams to say, “They’re built to win a championship, they’re probably the most complete team that we faced.”
The Warriors haven’t had to work around major injuries like several teams in the league and that’s a reason why they’ve been so good. The Grizzlies have to take on the league’s-best without one of their top performers in Mike Conley, leaving the Griz scrambling to find answers especially defensively. They were able to get by Portland in the first round but this a much different team. Without Conley the Griz simply don’t have enough to get an upset on the road.
Golden State 106, Memphis 98
BookMaker will be the first sportsbook to send out NBA odds for this game. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next half. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
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