Who will win the top game in the Western Conference?

There will be a real top game in the Western Conference on Monday night. The Kings host the Grizzlies and thus the second-placed team is the guest of the third-placed team. We can expect a very exciting and probably close game. Before the clash between the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies, the betting odds are pointing to an away win.

The host is by no means without a chance at the Golden 1 Center, however. Their home record of 15 wins and ten losses is very respectable, if not outstanding. In addition, Mike Brown’s team is in very good form and has won six of the last seven games. The most recent loss was a narrow 127-129 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Memphis’ away record is solid, as the Grizzlies won and lost eleven games each. Just recently, their streak of eleven straight wins was broken against the LA Lakers. The unlucky one was Brandon Clark, who missed the decisive free throw to tie the game with two seconds left. However, this defeat does not affect the odds between the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies and the visitors remain the favourites.

We expect a very close game between the two teams and recommend betting on the hosts between the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies. The visitors had a tough game in Phoenix and could hardly recover. Sacramento had a day off and could therefore prepare better for the game. In addition, the Grizzlies are currently on two defeats in a row. Furthermore, their away record is not nearly as strong as Memphis’ home record. Taking the above facts into account, the odds on a home win are definitely worth it.

Sacramento Kings – Statistics & current form

Sacramento are currently in third place in the Western Conference and are the surprise team of the season. Mike Brown’s team is currently at 26 wins from 45 games. Moreover, the Kings have one game less than New Orleans or Golden State, for example. Still, it could be a snapshot, as even the LA Lakers in thirteenth place have only managed five fewer wins.

Domantas Sabonis – diversity personified

Sabonis’ professional career did not begin in his home country of Lithuania, but in Spain. He was then drafted eleventh overall in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016. However, he really blossomed with the Indiana Pacers, where he became a top player in the National Basketball League. He was lured to Sacramento just under a year ago and is also one of the best players on the team there. He currently stands at 18.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, leading two of the three categories. Only De’Aaron Fox averages more baskets than him.

The NBA’s Best Offense

Who would have thought this before the season? The Kings average 120.0 points, the best offense in the league, and that comes as a surprise. Sacramento doesn’t have that one player on the team who regularly scores 30 or more points. However, Mike Brown’s team compensates for that brilliantly through the breadth in the squad. Defensively, however, the host has problems, as the Kings allow an average of 117.1 points, ranking only 24th in the league. Against Memphis’ potent offense, that could become a major disadvantage.

Injured List:
Chimezie Metu – Game Time Decision

Predicted Sacramento Kings Lineup:
PG: De’Aaron Fox – PF: Domantas Sabonis – SG: Kevin Huerter – SF: Harrison Barnes – SF: Keegan Murray

Memphis Grizzlies – Statistics & current form

Memphis are only one place ahead of the Sacramento Kings, but the lead is considerable. The Grizzlies are on 31 wins and have thus won five more games than their upcoming opponents. Taylor Jenkins’ team has only lost 14 games this season and is thus on a very good path towards the NBA playoffs. They should also succeed in reaching the playoffs this season, after Memphis reached the quarter-finals of the knockout round in the previous season. However, they were eliminated by the eventual champions from Golden State.

Desmond Bane in the shadow of Morant

Desmond Bane is not talked about enough because at 24 years old he is already playing very good basketball and still has a lot of potential. The shooting guard averages 21.6 points per game, wins 5.1 duels in the air and also lays 4.1 assists on the floor. In his rookie year, Desmond Bane seemed to have not yet arrived in the NBA. In his second year, he really turned up the heat and already averaged 18.2 points. His presence also creates spaces for Ja Morant, as it means opposing defences can’t focus on just one player.

Offensive and defensive top

The Grizzlies are averaging 117.6 points per game, ranking fifth league-wide. With Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks, Memphis has four players averaging more than 15 points. In addition, Taylor Jenkins’ team is also very good defensively, allowing only 111.9 points per game. Especially in the fight for the second balls, the guests are very reliable. That will also be necessary in the game against the NBA’s current best offence if Memphis wants to get a win away from home.

Injured List:
Danny Green – Out

Predicted Memphis Grizzlies lineup:
PG: Ja Morant – SG: Desmond Bane – SF: Dillon Brooks – PF: Jaren Jackson Jr. – C: Steven Adams

Sacramento Kings – Memphis Grizzlies Head-to-head comparison / H2H record

The direct comparison between the two teams goes narrowly to the hosts. Sacramento has won 53 duels, while Memphis has been victorious 49 times. There have already been three meetings between the two teams this season, two of which the Grizzlies have won. However, Sacramento’s chances are still good in the upcoming clash, as the visitors only played last night in Phoenix. For this reason, between the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies, our prediction goes in the direction of the hosts.

Sacramento Kings – Memphis Grizzlies Tip

If we look at the betting odds before the duel between the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies, the bookmakers seem to favour the visitors. However, we disagree, because Memphis had to play against the Phoenix Suns only last night and lost in an intense match with 112-110. The host should therefore be much fresher and have good chances to win especially in their own hall. The win rate is 60% with their own fans behind them, while the visitors have only won 50% of their games away from home.

If you want to stay away from a win or handicap bet in this duel, we recommend betting on under 248.5 points between the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies. The visitors will not play a power play after Taylor Jenkins’ team had to give everything over four quarters last night. In addition, the Kings will have their problems against the strong defence of the Grizzlies, so that overall a game with few points is indicated. The last time the line was topped in a clash between these two teams was in February 2020, and there have been 11 other meetings since then.