Houston Continues Five-Game Road Trip
There may be no bigger NBA news this week than the return of Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant from an eight-game suspension earlier this week. Most importantly for the Grizzlies, they were able to hold down the fort while Morant was gone. Memphis went 6-2 without him and is still in second place in the Western Conference standings.
While the Houston Rockets recorded a three-game winning streak in the middle of March, they have regressed to the mean since then. Houston has lost three straight games and is slowly heading toward the end of a rebuilding season. The Rockets are hoping to spring a few surprises before the season is out.
Rockets Need to Find Punch
Anyone recently making NBA picks on the Houston Rockets would be disappointed with the effort from the defense over the past three games. Houston has allowed 110 or more points in the past five games. Despite the lack of success on defense, scores and odds show that the Rockets have seen five of their past six games go under the total.
The Rockets have also been good against the spread over the past ten games, compiling a 6-3-1 record. Jalen Green has led the scoring effort for Houston, compiling 22.1 points per game. The Rockets have shot 45.5 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from the 3-point line this season.
Memphis Wants to Build Off Return of Return
Morant’s return saw him contribute some solid numbers off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies. Looking at the past NBA lines will show that Morant scored below his season average of 29.6 points per game, but he finished with 17 points, five assists and four rebounds. For Memphis to continue marching toward the NBA Finals, they will need to get the most out of Morant.
While the Grizzlies had no issues winning without Morant, Memphis didn’t fare so well against the spread. The Grizzlies are 4-5-1 against the spread over the past 10 games, which includes a 3-4-1 mark without Morant in the lineup.
Las Vegas odds show that Jaren Jackson Jr. has led the Grizzlies in scoring in the last five games.
Rockets vs Grizzlies Game Injuries
Rockets vs Grizzlies Head-to-Head
Anyone looking at an NBA betting preview for this matchup will see that Memphis has won all three meetings this season.
When the Grizzlies and Rockets met, Memphis had two offensive explosions, scoring 130 and 129 points, respectively. In the other meetingsgame, the Grizzlies held the Rockets under 100 points and won by 14.
Rockets vs Grizzlies Game Information
- Game: Rockets (18-55) vs Grizzlies (45-27)
- Location: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
- Day/Time: Friday, March 24, 8 p.m. ET
- Rockets vs Grizzlies Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Rockets vs Grizzlies Betting Lines
Rockets vs Grizzlies Picks and Prediction
The Grizzlies will have a hard time catching the Denver Nuggets for the top seed in the Western Conference. However, Memphis needs to be worried about the Sacramento Kings, who are on their heels for the second seed. The Grizzlies showed earlier this week that they can find plenty of good shots against Houston.
Memphis will need to tighten the ship on defense. With Morant back in the lineup, this is a good spot to bet on his second performance being better than his first. The Grizzlies will cover the double-digit spread and put up enough points to send this game over the total.
Cleveland is listed at -175 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Cavaliers, you have a chance to win $57. Brooklyn is +150 offering a chance to win $150 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Cleveland a 63.64% chance to win, with the Nets at 40.00%.
Rockets vs Grizzlies Trends
Rockets vs Grizzlies Edge
Rockets vs Grizzlies Results
Rockets vs Grizzlies Game Summary
Rockets vs Grizzlies Previous Game(Mar. 22, 2023)
The Rockets don’t look like they present much of a challenge to the Grizzlies on the road. Memphis has won six out of their last seven, even without Ja Morant. Now some reports suggest he’ll be back tonight. That’s a big reason to take Memphis with your sports bets.
Even if not, what’s the case for the Rockets here? They’re the second-worst team in the league and have the fewest road wins of any squad. Memphis is 30-5 at home, the best home mark in the NBA.
The Memphis Grizzlies have won three straight and six of seven and should have even more wind in their sails on Wednesday. In case you missed the NBA news, it looks like the team will get star point guard Ja Morant back in the fold.
