Grizzlies @ Cavaliers Preview: Situational Advantage to Carry Cavs

We’ll dive into some NBA hoops tonight with an intriguing inter-conference matchup as the Cleveland Cavaliers play host to the Memphis Grizzlies tonight on TNT.

Cleveland sits in the fifth spot in the East with their 32-21 record. They’ve shown flashes of excellence and promise of a potential postseason run, but their youth leads to inconsistency. Memphis is 32-19 and second in the West, battling injuries as they chase down Denver for that top seed. Still, they have struggled as of late.

• Location: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse | Cleveland, OH
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: TNT

The Cavs currently have basketball’s best defense, only allowing 106.8 points per game. Opponents shoot the third-lowest clip from beyond the arc while reaching the free-throw line at the fourth-lowest rate.

Knowing what Memphis team we get tonight is a wait-and-see, but Cleveland’s defensive prowess doesn’t always make up for their offensive inefficiencies. They’re coming off a loss, and following their last eight defeats, the Grizzlies are 7-1 in the next game. 

• Spread: Grizzlies +6 (-110) | Cavaliers -6 (-110)
• Moneyline: Grizzlies (+188) | Cavaliers (-255)
• Total: Over 224 (-110 | Under 224 (-110)

Memphis has lost six of its last seven games and is on the second night of a back-to-back with no official word on their injury report yet. Judging from the spread, the books aren’t optimistic we’ll see a full Grizzlies team on the court tonight. Throw in Cleveland’s reliability following a loss, and circumstances are lining up in favor of the Cavs.

I’d lean towards laying the points with Cleveland but wait for more information on the Grizzlies’ side before putting down a wager, as additional line movement will occur once Memphis’ injury report drops.

• Evan Mobley OVER 25.5 Points + Rebounds (-111)
• Darius Garland OVER 7.5 Assists (+148)
• Ja Morant UNDER 27.5 Points (-106)

Mobley has gone over 25.5 combined points and rebounds in seven of his last ten games. Memphis is one of the best rebounding teams, but without Steven Adams, they’re not as effective on the boards. In their first matchup, Mobley hauled in 15 rebounds, his second-highest mark of the season.

Darius Garland had a season-high 14 assists in the first matchup against Memphis and has posted nine-plus assists in seven of his last nine games. We’ll favor his OVER tonight against the Grizzlies.

Going to the other point guard on the floor, we like Ja Morant’s UNDER. Cleveland’s league-leading defense allows the second-fewest points per game to opposing point guards, and Morant only had 24 in the first matchup.