The Memphis Grizzlies (43-27) and Los Angeles Clippers (39-30) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Clippers are 6.5-point favorites over the Grizzlies on the spread (Clippers -6.5), with the over/under set at 231.5 total points. Los Angeles is a -270 favorite to win outright, while Memphis is +220 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Grizzlies vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks for Friday, March 21.
Grizzlies vs. Clippers Picks, Prediction
Spread
With Ja Morant (hamstring) is set to miss his third straight game, the Grizzlies are as high as 6.5-point underdogs when they visit the Clippers. Although this line feels steep, a better play would be to fade Memphis on the first-half point spread at +3.5.
Moneyline
While I expect Los Angeles to win this game, the moneyline is too rich for my liking, with odds close to -300.
Over/Under
I prefer to pass on the total, with the current number as high as 231.5. However, I would lean toward Los Angeles surpassing its team total of 119.5 points. The Clippers are averaging 123.8 points during a four-game winning streak, and they'll likely welcome an uptempo pace against this Memphis team.
My Pick: Clippers First Half Spread -3.5 (-115)
Grizzlies vs. Clippers Odds
| Grizzlies Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 231.5 -110o / -110u | +220 |
| Clippers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 231.5 -110o / -110u | -270 |
- Grizzlies vs. Clippers spread: Clippers -6.5
- Grizzlies vs. Clippers over/under: 231.5 total points
- Grizzlies vs. Clippers moneyline: Grizzlies +220, Clippers -270
- Grizzlies vs. Clippers best bet: Clippers 1H -3.5
My Clippers vs. Grizzlies best bet is on Los Angeles to cover the first half spread, with the best line currently available at Fanatics. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Grizzlies vs. Clippers Preview
Wednesday's loss to the Blazers had to be pretty alarming if you're a Grizzlies fan. Even with Morant unavailable, Memphis entered the game as -4.5-point road favorites, so losing by 16 points (115-99) was a massive disappointment.
Without Morant, the Grizzlies are weaker in penetrating inside the paint. They also lose their best ball handler because they can be guilty of committing too many unforced errors.
Memphis ranks 28th in turnovers, averaging 16 per game. The only teams worse than the Grizzlies are the Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz (16-54). That's not exactly the kind of company you want to keep if you're the Grizzlies and trying to challenge for the No. 2 seed in the West.
This season, the Grizzlies are already 0-2 against the Clippers, committing 42 turnovers in both defeats. Los Angeles ranks second in points off turnovers (19.8), but its season average swells to 36.0 against Memphis.
As a result, it's difficult to expect Memphis, without Morant, to do a better job of ball retention against this opportunistic Clippers defense. While Morant certainly deserves some culpability, he tends to help balance things out with his aggression.
Memphis enters this contest on a 2-8 skid on the road against the first-half spread, and that number worsens to 0-5 in its last five. With the Clippers having two days off since last playing on Tuesday, look for them to jump out to a fast start against the Morant-less Grizzlies.
Grizzlies vs. Clippers Prediction
One player who could definitely benefit from the rest is Kawhi Leonard. With injuries limiting the six-time All-Star to just 26 games this season, the Clippers are doing everything possible to try and manage his workload. However, it's vital that Leonard develop and maintain a rhythm heading into the NBA Playoffs next month.
Leonard has a points + rebounds + assists (PRA) of 32.5, a number he has exceeded in four straight games. Moreover, he has cleared this line in his last three meetings against the Grizzlies. He has also covered this number in both games this season when playing on two days of rest.
Bet365 is offering a lower juice (-105) on the over for Leonard's PRA, which would boost our odds to +240 if included in a same game parlay with the Clippers covering the first half spread of -3.5.
Best Bet: Clippers 1H -3.5 (-115)
Same Game Parlay Picks
- Clippers 1H -3.5
- Kawhi Leonard Over 32.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
Parlay Payout: +240
Clippers vs. Grizzlies Betting Trends
