This is the best matchup of the evening, with the red-hot Houston Rockets traveling to Memphis to take on a strong Grizzlies team. The Rockets won their last matchup against the Grizzlies in a razor-thin finish. Expect fireworks again tonight, with the game tipping off at 6:30 PM PT.
Marcus Smart Out
Vince Williams Jr Out
Ja Morant
Alperen Sengun Questionable
Steven Adams Questionable
Jabari Smith Jr Out
These two might be the hottest teams in the Western Conference. The Rockets have won eight of their last ten games and have been elite. This team is getting better every week, too. Amen Thompson has emerged as a potential star in the making, with an iconic gaming shot against Boston on Monday. Pair his ascendance with Jalen Green playing some of the best basketball of his career, and this group is dangerous. They are no longer the fun young team but a legitimate threat in a strong Western Conference.
The Grizzlies, on the other hand, have been doing fantastic. Winning seven of their last ten, they’ve found similar success. Jaren Jackson Jr has been essential to this team lately, as he’s been the leader on both ends of the floor. They’ve needed him to be, as Ja Morant continues to be streaky. The real story has been the bench this year. The Grizzlies seem to hit on all of their roster moves. Santi Aldama, Luke Kennard, and Brandon Clarke are some of the league's best role players.
The Grizzlies match up well against Houston. Memphis is second in rebounds per game, only behind Houston. Rebound may be the most crucial start while playing Houston because of how much they rely on offensive boards. Houston averages the most shots per game with their shooting number near the bottom of the league. This is primarily from their aggressive rebounding that secures critical second-chance points. Where Houston has struggled is when teams take those second-chance points away.
Memphis must secure the defensive glass to win this game. With Edey, Jackson, and Aldama, they have a fantastic chance to do that. In their last matchup, Jalen Green scored 42 points to secure the win, while the team shot 52% from three. The odds of them shooting that well are minimal, and considering they only won by 2 points, the Grizzlies feel like the better choice tonight.
Money line: HOU (+160) / MEM (-192)
Total Points: 236
Spread: +5 HOU (-118) / -5 MEM (-102)
Even as the favorite, this is a solid line. With the Rockets going on a tear lately, it’s hard to bet against them. However, Memphis has the personnel to limit the scoring ability of Houston. Unless Houston gets another massive heroic performance from one of their guys, Memphis is the better bet tonight.
With the elite defense on Houston and Memphis’ ability to limit offensive rebounds, both sides might struggle to score. Considering their last matchup only barely beat this line at 238, and Houston shot out of their minds, the under is my pick tonight.
I like the Houston spread a lot. It doesn’t feel like Memphis can run away with this game, so 5 points on this hot Rockets team is excellent. This is probably the best line in the game. If you still see the line at 5, you should consider grabbing it!
Brooks isn’t exactly a consistent scorer, but he’s a bit of a hothead. With him returning to Memphis, there is a good chance he’ll be playing with some extra effort. Only needing to hit 14 points and how he’s shot the ball from three, he might have a great chance to his 14+ early.
Jackson has been the rock on this team. He'll have to do it all tonight with a flurry of young, springy athletes in Houston. If he focuses on preventing offensive rebounds like he should and attacks the younger defenders on Houston, he should hit this line. This line should be good since he’s been the leading scorer in Memphis over the last three games.
Even though Thompson has been playing outstandingly, his 11-rebound mark is a bit aggressive. In the last two games against Memphis, he had 7 rebounds in one and 13 in the other. So it might be a coin flip, but I’d hedge on the under.
It’s a bit of a mystery why Ja Morant’s ball security has gone out the window. He’s been averaged 4+ turnovers a game all month. Considering the defender he’ll be facing tonight, the over on turnovers is a strong take.