Memphis hosts the Cavalries as two of the hottest teams in the league face off. The Cavaliers are on another 15-game win streak as the rip through the league. However, Memphis isn’t a pushover; with Ja Morant returning to form and the possible return of JJJ, this could be an exceptionally even matchup.
Donovan Mitchell Out
De’Andre Hunter Probable
Jaren Jackson Jr Questionable
Santi Aldama Out
There is only one word to describe Cleveland’s season so far, dominant. They have chewed through the East and have the best record in the league. This team is deep, strong, and efficient. When everyone is healthy, their ability to play on both sides of the ball is almost unrivaled. No wonder they’ve stood head and shoulder over most of the other teams in the East.
The Grizzlies won’t be an easy challenge for the Cavs, though. They’ve been looking great lately behind Ja Morant. He’s seemingly rediscovered his mojo and has been a force for this team. He hasn't been doing it alone, though. We’ve seen multiple players stepping up recently, like Luke Kennard, Zach Edey, and Desmond Bane. They have looked solid.
They’ve been doing all this without their best player, too, as Jaren Jackson Jr has been sidelined. However, he may return tonight, giving the Grizzlies one of the best two-way threats in the league back.
The Grizzlies' recent success has me leaning toward them tonight. They’ve been firing on all cylinders. Not to discount the epic run that the Cavs are on, winning 15 straight, but this game could be the end.
The Cavs will have to lock in on offense. They’ll need Garland at his best. Putting up 30 against the Nets on Tuesday was a great sign, but on the whole, March has been a rough month for Garland. Mobley and Hunter will be the other two who need to improve their scoring.
One of the biggest threats to Memphis tonight will be the Cleveland bench. Hunter and Ty Jerome have been destructive when they get in. They’ll be a huge problem for Memphis.
Ultimately, this game is going to come down to defense. If the Cavs can stop Ja from taking over, they’ll take this game. If Memphis can keep the scoring pressure high and force someone on Cleveland to step up, they’ll take it. Either way, this game will be close, but Memphis is my pick tonight!
Money line: CLE (-135) / MEM (+114)
Total Points: 245.5
Spread: -2 CLE (-112) / +2 MEM (-108)
The Grizzlies have a little more momentum than Cleveland. Homecourt advantage, the possible return of JJJ, and no Donovan Mitchell should swing this one toward the Griz. If Morant shows up to this game like he has, Memphis should be able to compete with Cleveland, at the very least, and have a solid chance of beating them.
The under is looking tempting tonight, with Mitchell benched. It’s not like the Cavs haven’t been able to score without him, but it has eaten into their totals lately. In the last matchup between the Cavs and Griz, Mitchell had 33 points to lead the game. Without his production, the under is feeling better.
Memphis has a slight advantage tonight. If JJJ plays, and Morant continues to look like old Morant, a 2-point spread seems fair. The plus money on the money line is a little more appealing, but the +2 here isn’t a bad option as a safety net.
Allen is an excellent rebounder, but he tops out around 10 rebounds against teams with size. If JJJ is playing tonight, it could affect his rebounding numbers by pulling him out of the paint or battling against the added size. This will be a close line, but looking at Allen’s recent games, the under seems more promising.
Garland hasn’t been lights out from three lately. Even with Mitchell out tonight, Garland under 4 made threes feel safe. He’s only made more than 3 threes once since the All-Star break, and it took 11 attempts against the Bulls. Even against the Nets in their last game, he had 11 attempts and only managed to hit 3. The under has some value tonight.
Ja has turned it back on. After their five-game losing streak, they’ve won their last four. Ja has also been a major factor in their success, as he’s tapped back into that swagger that makes him incredible. You have to return to February 23 before you find a game Morant hasn’t scored over 24 points in. With Mitchell out tonight, too, this is a solid grab.
Jaylen Wells isn’t usually the guy you see racking up assists, but at only 2 assists for a starter, it looked interesting. Wells has earned 2 or more assists in seven of his last ten games. Especially if JJJ plays tonight, he might get some easy assists with how well this starting group has been scoring.