Oklahoma City Thunder’s road back to playoff picture took another hit after losing to the New York Knicks on Wednesday. It won’t be any easier for them in the next match as a showdown with the streaking Memphis Grizzlies awaits them in FedEx Forum this coming Saturday.
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[sc:NBAArticles ]Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies Betting Preview
Where: FedExForum, Memphis
When: Saturday, January 31, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies — view all NBA lines
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
Add losing to the lowly New York Knicks to the list of recent disappointments for Oklahoma City, as the Thunder took a 100-92 loss in Gotham on Wednesday.
[sc:NBA240banner ]With Kevin Durant sidelined for the second game in a row due to a sprained big toe, Russell Westbrook was left with most of the scoring burden but his 40-point outburst wasn’t enough to carry the Thunder to a victory.
Obviously, there’s a need for Westbrook to get support from his teammates, especially if Durant will be ruled out for the next game. The Thunder got just 16 points from starters not named Russell Westbrook in the Knicks game with Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams chipping in only 10 and six points, respectively.
Speaking of Ibaka, the Thunder big man hit four three-pointers and scored 16 points in the Thunder’s narrow 91-89 loss to Memphis back in November—a game that featured neither Westbrook nor Durant, who were both out at that time due to injuries. Ibaka’s outside threat can loosen up the Grizzlies interior defense, thus affording Westbrook and the likes of Reggie Jackson and Dion Waiters wider driving lanes.
Jackson, who led the Thunder in that game with 22 points, has been a spark off the bench in OKC’s last two games, scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively.
The Thunder are 3-0 ATS in their last three games against Memphis.
Create a betting account now and put your own prediction to the test.
Betting on the Memphis Grizzlies
No Mike Conley, no problem for the Grizzlies, as Memphis notched its fifth-straight win by crushing the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, 99-69.
Not having Conley against Oklahoma City, however, should sound a bit worrisome for the Grizzlies.
Conley, who is dealing with a sore wrist, played big in the first meeting this season with the Thunder. In that game, he led the team with 20 points while dishing out five assists. If he’ll be forced out once again because of the injury, the playmaking chores will be shared by Beno Udrih and Nick Calathes.
Udrih took over Conley’s place in the starting lineup against the Nuggets and played well, finishing the game with 11 points and three assists in 23 minutes. Calathes also scored 11 points and added five assists in 25 minutes of action off the bench.
The Grizzlies’ frontcourt will have their hands full as well against OKC’s big men. The Thunder outrebounded Memphis in their first meeting, 44-38, and made 16 points off offensive rebounds as against the Grizzlies’ six. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, however, seemed to be up to the task this time around, after combining for 25 points and 24 rebounds against Denver. Memphis had 57 rebounds while the Nuggets which is fifth in the league in rebounds this season, only had 47.
The under is 9-1 in the Grizzlies’ last 10 games.
Writer’s Prediction
Memphis wins, 98-92.
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