NBA - 621 Memphis Grizzlies @ 622 Los Angeles Clippers
Projected Line: LA Clippers by 3 points
Memphis keeps not being respected as a truly top team in the West when they should be treated as one. I understand that Memphis will play a back to back game tonight, but Zach Randolph is back and so, we have the Grizzlies close to their best today, while the Clippers have Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler out and Jamal Crawford with a bad ankle. Memphis's defense has been elite all season long and they got even better since the Tayshaun Prince/Rudy Gay trade. They are extremely physical and their style of play matches well with the Clippers. I believe Bledsoe's and Butler's absences will be the key factors for tonight and it will benefit Memphis, as the Clippers won't have their usual depth edge tonight. Bledsoe at 100% can change the tempo of the game on the team's second unit and even though Butler is having a bad season so far, the fact that Matt Barnes was coming off the bench was only benefit their second unit. Now with Barnes in the starting lineup, his impact isn't that important for the Clippers anymore.
Memphis's backcourt defense is tremendous and in my opinion, they will different players defending Chris Paul at different times, in order to give him different looks in the game. It wouldn't be a surprise to me if Mike Conley, Tony Allen and even Tayshaun Prince defend Chris Paul at a certain time of tonight's game. The Clippers have been dominating the media due to DeAndre Jordan's massive dunk last Sunday against Detroit, but the truth is that they haven't impressed me since the All Star Break, especially in comparison with Memphis. They clearly lost at home against San Antonio, they lost at home against Oklahoma City and they also clearly lost at Denver. Their only great win on this second half of the season was at Indiana, on a game where Roy Hibbert didn't play. I expect a physical game tonight, with the Grizzlies showing that they are a top team in the West and that they have a similar level to the Clippers. I believe on a close low scoring affair in here and so, I'll be taking both the Grizzlies and the Under tonight.
Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 621 Memphis Grizzlies (+6) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker
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