The Golden State Warriors experienced the adverse effects of both extremes on Sunday, exerting maximum effort for a victory while ultimately enduring a defeat. Concurrently, the Memphis Grizzlies recuperated on Sunday in anticipation of the challenging schedule that lies ahead.
At times, emphasizing that disparity may be overly apparent; nevertheless, with Golden State increasingly debilitated, competing for 53 minutes on Sunday could be detrimental.
My predictions for the Grizzlies versus Warriors matchup and NBA selections will leverage that advantage early in the Play-In Tournament, commencing at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 15.
Which team will prevail in the matchup between the Grizzlies and the Warriors?
The Golden State Warriors may have lost a crucial home game on Sunday, yet the Clippers have probably been the premier team in the NBA during the past month. The opposite is true for the Memphis Grizzlies, unequivocally.
During the last month of the season, the Grizzlies’ net rating ranked 17th in the NBA, with just the initial two weeks occurring prior to the dismissal of head coach Taylor Jenkins. It is noteworthy that Memphis ranks 17th in net rating over the nine games following Jenkins’s dismissal. In the last month of the season, the Warriors’ net rating ranked fifth, exceeding their Tuesday opponent’s by six points per 100 possessions.
Golden State’s performance on Sunday was disheartening, but do not allow it to deter you from supporting the Warriors entirely. Memphis has endured prolonged adversity.
Prediction for Grizzlies versus Warriors
My optimal wager: Grizzlies first-quarter moneyline (+140 at bet365)
My assessment
On Sunday, Memphis deliberately opted not to pursue an unattainable aspiration, choosing instead to rest its starting in what ultimately became a trivial match against Dallas. The Grizzlies had a complete three-day respite prior to their opportunity to evade the Thunder.
Concurrently, Golden State endured a harrowing overtime defeat against the Clippers. Jimmy Butler participated in the entirety of 48 minutes. Brandin Podziemski achieved a score of 43. Both Draymond Green and Steph Curry exceeded 38 minutes of playtime.
The two-day turnaround will likely disadvantage the Warriors, particularly as they have been in a must-win situation for a whole week, competing in four games over six days, ending in a loss on Sunday. This Play-In stressor will mark their sixth game in eight days, all while contending with this daunting challenge. The Golden State team has participated in eight games thus far in April.
This applies universally at this stage of the season; nonetheless, Memphis mitigated the tiredness on Sunday. Moreover, tiredness is a greater concern for a squad as aged as Golden State. Despite Golden State’s numerous injuries.
Steph Curry donned a plaster splint on Sunday to safeguard a recent thumb injury on his shooting hand. Jimmy Butler seemed to sustain a thigh injury that restricted his performance in overtime. Indeed, both performances were predominantly exceptional; yet, Curry recorded eight mistakes and a -16 rating in 38 minutes, whereas Butler managed only one rebound.
Memphis must capitalize on its advantages in rest and health promptly on Tuesday. Discovering a first-quarter moneyline at such an advantageous pricing is quite unexpected. The Grizzlies are expected to be underdogs on Tuesday, as they face a struggling club against one of the most experienced squads in the NBA.
Nevertheless, the Grizzlies own an advantage initially, and at favorable odds, there is merit in capitalizing on that advantage.
The appeal of selecting the Warriors moneyline resides in its rapid enhancement of the SGP payment due to the paradoxical combination with the Grizzlies’ first-quarter moneyline. Only those two legs yield a payout of +320.
Expressing uncertainty on Jimmy Butler’s rebounding reflects both an understanding of his typical performance and concern over his injured leg. If Butler exhibits any reduction in aggression, it will be evident on the boards, as it was on Sunday.
Securing even one rebound reflected poorly on the alleged tenacious veteran, contributing to his failure to surpass this prop in the past nine games.
