An important game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers is on tap this coming Friday, as both teams are jockeying for the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers NBA Regular Season Game on July 31, 2020
Where: Walt Disney World, Orlando
When: Friday, July 30, 2020, 4:00 PM ET
Line: Memphis Grizzlies (+2) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (-2) – view all 2020 NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Memphis Grizzlies (+2)
Regular Season Record: 32-23
The Grizzlies weren’t supposed to be competing for a playoff spot this deep in the season, but the team’s youngsters are not about that rebuilding life. Ja Morant, who’s the favorite to win Rookie of the Year award honors, seems to have the NBA figured out, as he is averaging 17.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per contest. Morant had a good account of himself in the Grizzlies’ 111-104 home win over the Trail Blazers last February, as he produced 20 points and had nine assists. But another rookie in former Gonzaga Bulldogs versatile big Brandon Clarke also made noise in that game. Clarke fired 27 points off the bench on 12-of-14 shooting and had six rebounds in only 23 minutes.
The Grizzlies, who are second in the NBA with 27.0 assists per game, are 4-2 against the spread in their last six games.
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (-2)
Regular Season Record: 29-37
The Blazers are beefier when they play the Grizzlies again, as centers Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins are back and healthy. The two were not around in the February game against Memphis, thus leaving Portland a slim frontline that got terrorized in the paint for 76 points. But with a deeper and longer frontcourt rotation, the Trail Blazers should be able to prevent Memphis from replicating the party the Grizzles had in the shaded area back in their match last February. The Blazers are also hoping for a more efficient offensive performance from the pair of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Lillard shot just 7 of 19 from the field while McCollum sank just 9 of 25 shots in the Grizzlies game. Lillard leads Portland with 27.5 points per game. McCollum is right behind Lillard with 21.3 points per contest.
The Blazers, who are averaging 113.6 points per game, are 3-2 against the spread in their last five contests.
Writer’s Prediction
The Blazers win, 114-107.
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