Do the Grizzlies defend first place in the Western Conference?

It’s the top game in the Western Conference when the Denver Nuggets host the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night.

The hosts are in second place, while the visitors are in first place. So we can expect a game of equals and therefore the betting odds are also very even between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies. However, Denver have only lost three of their twelve home games this season, so they are certainly not without a chance.

With four wins from the past five games, the Nuggets are also still in good form. The visitors’ record is more impressive, however, as Memphis have won nine of their last eleven games. The Grizzlies have not been so strong away from home so far, with Taylor Jenkins’ side winning only six of their 14 away games. For this reason, odds for a win between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies do not go far apart.

Despite the injuries on the home side, everything points to a very close and exciting game. Both teams are very strong on the offensive end and are among the best teams in the NBA. We therefore recommend a bet on 225-242 points in the game between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies. If the two teams maintain their season average, the odds have value. We expect around 230 points in this match-up.

Denver Nuggets – Statistics & current form

The Nuggets are currently in second place in the Western Conference. Michael Malone’s team is currently at 18 wins and eleven losses. Denver is thus on a very good way to enter the NBA playoffs, but there are still a lot of game days to go. In the preseason, the Nuggets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual winners Golden State. This season, Denver will be looking to top that preseason result as the quality in the squad is there.

Aaron Gordon

The Nuggets’ injury list is very long and therefore Aaron Gordon could play a crucial role in the upcoming game against the Grizzlies. Jokic is highly likely to play, but besides the centre, coach Michael Malone will probably rotate a bit. Gordon is a major factor on the team with 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game and will likely get more shots than usual against Memphis, especially since Jamal Murray is very likely to be spared.

Pros & Cons

Denver is not to be underestimated with 115.8 points, especially on the offensive side. Among other things, this is also due to the good passing game, because the ball runs very neatly for the Nuggets. Therefore, it is not surprising that Michael Malone’s team ranks second with 28.2 assists per game. Defensively, the team still has room for improvement, as Denver allows an average of 114.8 points, which ranks them 17th in the NBA. Thus, it will be a big piece of work against Memphis.

Injured List:
Collin Gillespie – Out
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – Game Time Decision
Jeff Green – Game Time Decision
Nikola Jokic – Game Time Decision
Jamal Murray – Game Time Decision
Michael Porter – Game Time Decision

Starting Five of the Denver Nuggets:
PG: Nah’Shon Hyland – SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (GTD) – SF: Bruce Brown – PF: Aaron Gordon – C: Nikola Jokic (GTD)

Memphis Grizzlies – Statistics & current form

The Grizzlies currently lead the Western Conference and that comes as no surprise. In the preseason, Memphis was in second place at the end of the regular season and was only eliminated in the quarterfinals of the NBA playoffs against the Golden State Warriors. Taylor Jenkins’ team currently has 19 wins and only ten losses. So they pick up where they left off and maybe the Grizzlies can even take another step forward this year.

Ja Morant

The Grizzlies’ point guard is playing another strong season and is currently even in fourth place in the race for the Regular Season MVP title. With 26.7 points he is Memphis’ top scorer and also leads the assists category. With his 1.90 m, he has an incredible jumping power and thus grabs the most rebounds in the team behind Steven Adams. He has already been Rookie of the Year, was voted Most Improved Player 2022 last season and was also named to the All-Star Game.

Pro & Cons

Memphis doesn’t seem to have a real weakness this season. At 116.2 points per game, the team ranks sixth in the NBA. The Grizzlies even lead the NBA in rebounding with 49.1 rebounds. Their weakest ranking is 14th in assists, and that’s saying something. Taylor Jenkins’ team is also good on the defensive end, allowing just 111.4 points per game. For this reason, the bookmakers seem to see the visitors ahead in this duel.

Injured List:
Desmond Bane – Out
Danny Green – Out

Starting Five of the Memphis Grizzlies:
PG: Ja Morant – SG: Dilion Brooks – SF: John Konchar – PF: Jaren Jackson – C: Steven Adams

Denver Nuggets – Memphis Grizzlies Head-to-head comparison / H2H record

The direct comparison between the two teams goes to the host from Denver. The Nuggets won 60 games and walked off the court as losers only 39 times. The last duel between the two teams took place in April and went with 122:109 quite clearly to the Nuggets. Before that, the Grizzlies won three games in a row. Due to injuries, our prediction for the upcoming game between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies goes in the direction of the visitors.

Denver Nuggets – Memphis Grizzlies Tip

We expect a very even game between the two teams. Denver is very strong at home and also in good shape. On the other hand, some players are injured, so a win bet on the host is out of the question. Memphis is therefore rightly slightly favoured, but the Grizzlies’ away weakness steers us to another main bet. Between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies, we recommend betting on both teams to score over 109.5 points.

With Memphis having had an extra day off and Denver having a lot of banged up players in their ranks, between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies the odds on an away win also seem interesting. So if we had to choose a winner, our choice would go to the visitors. This is also because Denver is not particularly good defensively and could certainly have problems against one of the best offenses in the NBA.