While basketball fans around the world are thrilled to have the NBA regular season back in full swing, the Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers are probably wishing that the preseason isn’t over yet.
Both teams lost their opening games in this renewed campaign, looking like they need more tuning up to do. However, there’s no looking back now, and the only way to improve is to let the season’s string play out. But only one team will leave Bankers Life Fieldhouse with its first ‘W’ of the season on Thursday night; will it be Memphis or Indiana?
Read on as we break down this thrilling matchup from the NBA’s opening week festivities. For our coverage on the rest of Thursday night’s slate, check out previews for Hawks vs. Knicks and Mavericks vs. Clippers right after this.
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Memphis Grizzlies vs. Indiana Pacers Preview
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
When: Thursday, October 29, 2015 7:00 PM ET
Line: Memphis Grizzlies (-2.5) at Indiana Pacers (+2.5); total: 188.0 – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Memphis Grizzlies
[sc:NBA240banner ]Be it because of Cleveland’s fury being unleashed after falling to the Bulls on Tuesday, or simply the jitters on opening day, but the Memphis Grizzlies were flat-out flat in their 106-76 blowout at the hands of the Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Memphis’ main problem from the previous season rose again on its inaugural home game: poor shooting. The team shot just 35.4 percent from the field, with no player scoring over 12 points in the contest. Marc Gasol and and Zach Randolph both had the (dis)honor of being the Grizzlies’ leading scorers for the night and shot decently for a combined 11-of-23 from the field.
However, with the buckets not falling for the Grizzlies, their big men down low couldn’t secure any boards from missed shots as well, with the team having been outrebounded by the Cavs 54-40 in the loss. This has to be remedied by their next game against Indiana, who is also finding it hard to shoot effectively from the field.
A nice bounce-back game on Thursday would be nice for swift-handed Mike Conley, who failed to register a steal against Cleveland and finished with just six assist and eight points on 2-of-8 shooting. The return of the Grizzlies’ grinding defense would also do well against Indiana, who only gave up 13 turnovers to the Raptors on Wednesday. Memphis, meanwhile, forced the Cavs to turn the ball over19 times.
The total has gone under in Memphis’ last four games played on the road.
The good news for the Pacers’ opening night is that they finally have Paul George back in the fray. George flirted with a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in the 106-99 loss to the Raptors on Wednesday.
However, most of George’s points came from the charity stripe, where he was 9-of-10 from the line. From the field, though, he was just 4-of-17 for the night and missed all his shots from downtown. It seems as if Indiana’s cornerstone player still needs to ease in to his role after a lengthy absence from the game.
But it wasn’t just George who’s entirely at fault in the loss to Toronto. Particularly, Monta Ellis couldn’t find his stroke to aid the Pacers in scoring late in the game. Ellis finished with just nine points, six assists and not a single rebound in his first game for Indiana, who gave up a 17-point lead in the first half.
At least the team saw some promising performances from their wingmen in George Hill and C.J. Miles. The two combined for 37 points behind nine three-pointers on 15 attempts in the loss, and will be vital for Indiana’s offense to put up points against Memphis’ stifling defense on Thursday.
Indiana has won its five last games at home (4-1 ATS), with the total going over in four of those five contests.
Writer’s Prediction
Memphis (-2.5) wins a tough one on the road, 85-80.
