The Memphis Grizzlies roll out the welcome mat for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their opening round NBA playoff series. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. ET Sunday at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies are -3.5 point picks in Game 1 and -165 on the moneyline. The Lakers are +165 while the total is 227.5.
Memphis has a series price of -142 compared to LA’s +122.
Memphis Grizzlies (51-31, 2nd seed)
Morant is the catalyst of the Memphis offense, averaging team-highs of 26.2 points and 8.1 assists per game. Despite his off court struggles, he remains one of the most electric players in the NBA:
🚨 INSANE DUNK ALERT (ICYMI) 🚨@JaMorant recently delivered one of the best dunks of the season! 😱🔥 #NBA #JaMorant #GrindCity pic.twitter.com/TPN6AfEr3K
— Culture Ent. (@culture__ent) April 8, 2023
Morant was suspended by the Grizzlies and the NBA. He missed eight games after he was seen in an Instagram Live video holding a gun at a nightclub outside Denver.
The Griz’ will be shorthanded
Memphis will look to contain Los Angeles without one of its stoppers. Steven Adams, who averaged a team-high 11.5 rebounds per game during the regular season, could miss the playoffs with a knee injury that has kept him out since January.
That leaves Jaren Jackson Jr., one of three finalists named Friday for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award, shouldering more responsibilities against LA’s Davis.
Jaren Jackson Jr. will be thought of as a top 20 player in the #NBA after a dominant performance in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/vnce5pQ4NS
— Growl Towel Central (@GTC901) April 14, 2023
Jackson averaged a league-high 3.0 blocks per game.
Memphis and its unheralded defense
Jackson also played a significant role in the Memphis D finishing the regular season with the NBA’s lowest opponent field-goal percentage (.453).
If Adams’ can’t go, Xavier Tillman Sr. will be called on to take up some of the defensive duties. Tillman averaged 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in his 29 starts this season.
Memphis held the No. 2 seed last year, too, but bowed out in the Western Conference semifinals with a 4-2 series loss to eventual champion Golden State.
Los Angeles Lakers (43-39, 7th seed)
The Lakers needed overtime to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-102 in Tuesday’s play-in game. And as they did against Minnesota, the Lakers fortunes will likely rise and fall with the play of LBJ and AD.
In the victory over the T-Wolves, James had 30 points and 10 rebounds while Anthony Davis netted 24 points, grabbed 15 boards and had three blocked shots but committed a costly foul at the end of regulation that led to three made free throws from Mike Conley and forced OT.
Another look at Anthony Davis fouling Mike Conley 3 pic.twitter.com/q2trP7uSDo
— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) April 12, 2023
The LA defense limited Minnesota to 12 points in the fourth quarter and four points in overtime.
ANTHONY DAVIS IS A DEFENSIVE MONSTER 😈 pic.twitter.com/mbLXivv61n
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) April 9, 2023
Davis was also instrumental to the Lakers surge over the final month of the regular season, scoring 30-plus points eight times since March 3. The Lakers went 13-6 over that stretch, putting them in position to host the play-in matchup.
Los Angeles is the first team in nearly two decades to start 2-10 and finish with a winning record. They’re now 40-29 since the start of the season.
LA returns to the postseason
The Lakers missed the playoffs last season and were knocked out in the first round by Phoenix during the 2020-21 postseason. They won the 2020 NBA title.
Head-to-Head
The Lakers claimed the season series, 2-1, capped with a 112-103 victory on March 7. Davis went for 30 points and 22 rebounds in that game neither James or Morant played.
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