On Tuesday, April 15th, the Golden State Warriors will host the Memphis Grizzlies in the 7 vs. 8 game in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The winner of this game will face the Houston Rockets in the opening round of the Western Conference Playoffs, and the loser will take on the winner of a 9 vs. 10 meeting between the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings to determine who plays the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s nothing but drama in the NBA moving forward, and we’ll be diving into all of it over the next couple of weeks. Keep reading for Grizzlies vs. Warriors odds and predictions, and make sure you come back to VSiN throughout the course of the NBA Playoffs. We’ll have previews of every single series and daily best bets/player props. We’ll also have betting trends and insights from our analytics guru Steve Makinen. Of course, we’ll also be talking about all of this on our live programming too! It’s a great time to be a VSiN subscriber, so make sure you check out our $59 Summer Special. That’ll give you full access to everything we have to offer until August 1st!
How To Watch Grizzlies vs. Warriors
Where: Chase Center in San Francisco, California
When: 10:00 pm ET on Tuesday, April 15th
Channel: TNT
Grizzlies vs. Warriors Odds
(Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and accurate as of Sunday, April 13th at 3:30 pm ET)
Moneyline: Warriors -278, Grizzlies +225
Spread: Warriors -7 (-110), Grizzlies +7 (-110)
Total: Over 230 (-110), Under 230 (-110)
Grizzlies vs. Warriors Prediction
The Warriors were unable to win a home game against the Clippers on the final day of the regular season, and that ultimately put them in this Play-In situation. However, if the team can earn the seventh seed, it wouldn’t be the worst place to be. Houston is a very good basketball team, but it’s also an unproven group. Also, being the No. 7 in the Western Conference means avoiding an early clash with the Thunder. The problem is that winning this type of game is no given, even for a team that is 23-8 with an Efficiency Differential of +9.5 since acquiring Jimmy Butler (according to Cleaning The Glass).
While Memphis has a losing record under interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo, the team hasn’t exactly looked terrible lately. In fact, since April 3rd, the Grizzlies have the sixth-best Efficiency Differential (+8.8) in basketball. They’re also 10th in points per 100 possessions (118.5) and sixth in points allowed per 100 possessions (109.7) in that span. Of course, we’re talking about a six-game sample size here. And one of those games was Sunday’s meeting with Dallas in which the Grizzlies rested their starters. But what else do we really have to work with? Iisalo hasn’t been the leading man on the sidelines for very long. But honestly, I’m buying a bit of what I’m seeing.
It does stink that Jaylen Wells is out with a broken wrist, as the rookie was a crucial 3-and-D player for this Memphis team. But the Grizzlies are undeniably better offensively with Ja Morant getting to run more pick-and-rolls. The team has also looked much better with Zach Edey playing bigger minutes at the five. Edey is averaging 9.3 points, 15.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in 30.5 minutes per game since the start of April, and he and Jaren Jackson Jr. give Memphis a massive frontcourt that warps the game a little. Combining that with a potent backcourt of Morant and Desmond Bane, plus some solid depth, makes this a tough team to beat.
Ultimately, a lot of people are going to look back to the Warriors’ road win over the Grizzlies on April 1st and come to the conclusion that Golden State should win this game convincingly at the Chase Center. But that was a game that Memphis led 120-116 with 3:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. Then, the Warriors got hot and the Grizzlies folded. But the point is that Memphis was a lot closer than the final score indicated, and the Grizzlies were just getting used to their new coach. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if things are tight once again, and I can even see Memphis figuring out a way to win.
It’s just hard not to like the Grizzlies to find a way to score, even against a great Warriors defense. Say what you want about this Memphis team, but this group is talented and has players that can feel it up. Also, for a team with some defensive concerns, are we sure a matchup with Golden State is the worst thing in the world? Curry is still one of the toughest covers in basketball, but who else do you 100% trust to knock down 3s and help with spacing here? Buddy Hield and Moses Moody have both had their issues earning the trust of Steve Kerr this season, and Brandin Podziemski is extremely streaky. Also, while Butler is great, it’ll be interesting seeing him go to work against Jackson if Memphis looks to play big. He could have trouble creating in the mid-range area against a player with Jackson’s length.
The reality is that the Warriors probably aren’t as good as their late-season surge, and the Grizzlies aren’t as bad as their second half of the year. That makes it hard for me to see Golden State winning by eight or more. There isn’t a huge difference in talent, and Memphis’ size could hurt Golden State. The Warriors are also a little banged up.
Bet: Grizzlies +7 (-110)
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