The Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies will tangle for the first time since last season’s surprising first-round playoff series, which the Griz won in six games. The young core of the Griz came together last season matching a franchise record with 56 regular season wins raising expectations for 2022-23. A playoff run last season and new additions to the roster have also increased the expectations in the Twin Cities, but a 13-point home loss to the Knicks on Monday dropped them below .500.
The contest between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies takes place at 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, November 11, 2022, from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN and will air live on ESPN. BookMaker.eu will have odds for every game on the Friday NBA schedule.
NBA Opening Lines at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
This is a chance for the Wolves to avenge the first-round playoff defeat, but they better get their house in order first. It’s been a disappointing start for a team expected to take the next step. Minnesota advanced through the play-in tournament last season doubling its regular season win total from 2020-21. They played more games but still won 56 percent of their outings. Wins over San Antonio and the Lakers late last month moved the Wolves to 4-2, but they stumbled since losing four of their next five while going 1-4 ATS. The only win and payout in that span was against the Rockets, 129-117, on Saturday.
The Griz won seven of their first 10 games but it felt like they could do more. The wins were close and two of three setbacks were blowouts leading to a 3-7 ATS mark in those games. They had a three-game winning streak snapped by the Celtics, 109-106, on Monday, though the Griz covered as a 4-point home dog. The offense has been a little sluggish lately with the UNDER going 4-1 in their last five games.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves added former Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert during the offseason giving them another inside presence to go along with Karl-Anthony Towns. Having two big men who can play at a high level is rare in the NBA today and one we haven’t seen for some time. And it makes no sense to split the minutes putting the club in an awkward spot. The interior defense has been superb holding opponents to 44.2 percent shooting overall. But the perimeter is exposed with both players on the floor.
With D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards in the backcourt the Wolves have balance. And that was on display in a recent win over Houston. They shot 61.3 percent from the field, made 15 threes and scored 60 points in the paint. Towns led all five starters in double figures with 25 points. The only problem is we haven’t seen that kind of production on a consistent basis. The next outing the Wolves shot 27 percent from behind the arc and committed 17 turnovers in a 120-107 loss to the Knicks, their fourth in five games.
Memphis Grizzlies
Having a successful season is different than maintaining success over an extended period of time. The Griz cleared the first hurdle winning 56 games last season up from 38 the year before and had the second-best record in the NBA. Teams won’t take them lightly this season so the Griz should expect a tough game every night. While it hasn’t been pretty all the time the Griz did win seven of their first 11 games having difficulty with some of the top teams. They lost by 41 to Dallas in the first week of the season and Utah beat them by 16 on Halloween.
Added excitement surrounding the Griz has affected the betting line. While their 7-4 record currently has them sixth in the West tied with the second-most wins in the conference, they are just 4-7 ATS. Following a quick trip to San Antonio, the Griz are back home for this contest where they’ve enjoyed plenty of success. They were one of three teams to win at least 30 home games last regular season and they’ve won seven of the last eight against the Wolves going 6-2 ATS.
NBA Odds Pick
There’s a lot of talent in this matchup and the Wolves are expected to have Gobert back in the lineup which will bolster their defense. Still, the Griz have so many weapons with Ja Morant and Desmond Bane each averaging more than 24 points. Toss in their success at home and I have to back the Grizzlies in this matchup.
NBA Odds Prediction: Memphis Grizzlies / OVER
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