NBA Betting – Memphis Grizzlies at LA Clippers

Memphis Grizzlies at LA Clippers (-3.5, 202 o/u)

The Memphis Grizzlies (40-14, 17-9 road) continue their four-game road trip tonight in Los Angeles when they face the streaking Clippers (37-19, 23-7 home) at the STAPLES Center (10:30 p.m. Eastern).

Tonight’s matchup pits Memphis’ top-ranked defense (95.7 points per game) against the Clippers’ second-ranked offense (107.0 points per game). On paper, it looks like the Grizzlies are catching a break as they face the Clippers sans leading scorer Blake Griffin (who is out indefinitely due to elbow surgery).

However, the Clippers have already played five games without their superstar, going 4-1 in that stretch. And they haven’t been beating up on the NBA’s bottom-feeders, either, downing San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas during the last four.

Memphis, meanwhile, has won three of its last four, including last night’s 98-92 road win over the Northwest Division-leading Trail Blazers. The Grizz were down double-digits heading into the fourth, but outscored Portland 34-15 in the final frame to get the win. All five of Memphis’ starters scored in double-figures; center Marc Gasol led the way with 21 points, six boards, and three blocks.

Gasol was dominant the last time these teams tangled, as well (on Nov. 23). The Spanish big man put up 30 points and 12 rebounds as part of a 107-91 rout by the Grizzlies.

“I don’t know if he has been on a good diet, but he looks great and is playing great,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said about Marc Gasol that night. “The Grizzlies seem to have that edge. They aren’t messing around.”

Memphis played yesterday, while the Clips had the night off. But, eventually, LA is going to start missing Griffin. Taking the road-warrior Grizzlies +3.5 looks like a decent play.

(Photo credit: Fido (Flickr: NBA Kings@Clippers) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)