Memphis comes to Oklahoma City on Wednesday with one thing in mind; beat the Thunder and win the series.
Winning hasn’t come easy for either team this season, but both the Grizzlies and Thunder are within striking distance of making the playoffs.
It will be a little harder for them to make the playoffs in the Western Conference, but they are only a few games back of the eighth spot.
Online betting markets are open for the game, so sign up to BetUS for the latest odds.
Memphis Underachieving
It’s a common trend for the Memphis Grizzlies, but NBA fans expected something slightly better in 2021.
With the likes of Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas on the team, having a winning record was on the agenda after 39 games. However, the Grizzlies are struggling to keep their head above water.
A 19-20 record isn’t where this team should be and we’re expecting better in the second half of the season. NBA betting lines continue to give Memphis respect, but it needs to deliver for bettors in March and April.
Memphis has a 5-5 record from its last 10 games, including wins over Miami and Golden State. If it can replicate those performances, Memphis is good enough to beat the best teams in the NBA.
As it stands, the Grizzlies are a team right on the cusp of rising up the rankings. They are third in the Southwest; three games back of San Antonio, so a short winning streak gets them back into contention.
Thunder In Danger Of Falling Behind
Oklahoma City hasn’t been able to fire on all cylinders this year and it’s in danger of falling completely out of contention.
The Thunder are currently 12.5 games back of Utah in the Northwest, but the upside is that they’re only four games back from eighth.
Recent form has improved somewhat for the Thunder, which enters this game with consecutive wins. They scored a 114-112 win over the hapless Houston Rockets before beating Minnesota 112-103 on Monday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is doing everything he can to keep his team in contention. The Canadian is averaging 23.5 points and despite sitting against Houston, he came back and put up 31 points against Minnesota.
The only problem is that he has little help from his teammates. Oklahoma City is in rebuild mode and they’re not hellbent on making the playoffs, so bettors are having a tough time trusting them.
However, we believe this team has some fight and the consecutive wins are testament to that.
The Winner Takes The Series
It’s all tied up at 1-1 in the best-of-three series between the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Memphis scored a 122-113 win in the first game before Oklahoma City bounced back and won 128-122.
It comes as no surprise to know Gilgeous-Alexander was the difference in the second game. He scored 30 points on 8/17 shooting, and he got to the free-throw line 11 times.
Ja Morant featured with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Thunder turned around a 10-point fourth quarter deficit.
It was a similar story in Game 1, but this time Memphis got the better of the Thunder in the fourth. The Grizzlies had only a one-point advantage coming into the final term and they were able to stretch it out impressively.
Memphis shot at over 50% and forced Oklahoma into 18 turnovers, so it will be looking for something similar on Wednesday.
Grizzlies vs Thunder Game Prediction
Memphis is the more talented NBA team, but there will be value for Oklahoma City at our online sportsbook.
Playing at Chesapeake Arena helps the Thunder and after scoring back-to-back wins, their confidence should be high.
There isn’t much the Thunder can do about their poor record, but there is still a lot of time left this season. If the Thunder can make a late run towards the playoffs, they are a dangerous team at their best.
With 20+ points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are more than capable of putting a team like Memphis to bed. Bettors get value odds and they’re worth snapping up.
