Toronto Raptors vs Memphis Grizzlies Odds, Props, Picks & Predictions (Jan. 3)

• The retooled Toronto Raptors travel to Memphis for a date with Ja Morant and the Grizzlies on Wednesday night
• The Raptors won their first game after trading for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, while Memphis is 5-3 since Ja Morant’s return
• See the Raptors vs Grizzlies odds, predictions, and player props for the game on Jan. 3, 2023

While both teams have been massive disappointments this season, both the Toronto Raptors (13-20, 4-11 away, ATS) and Memphis Grizzlies (11-22, 3-12 home, ATS) have reason to feel good heading into their matchup on Wednesday night at FedExForum (7:10 pm CT/8:10 pm ET).

After trading OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and guard Malachi Flynn to New York in exchange for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a second-round pick, Toronto shook off a two-game losing streak with a 124-121 (home) win over Cleveland on Monday. On the Memphis side, the Grizzlies have gone 5-3 since star guard Ja Morant returned from suspension, including wins over New Orleans (twice) and Indiana, both top-six teams in their respective conferences.

With Memphis playing the second leg of back-to-back home games, oddsmakers give the Grizzlies a slight edge, but slight is the operative word.

Toronto Raptors vs Memphis Grizzlies Odds

Memphis is a one-point favorite and -116 on the moneyline in Wednesday’s NBA odds, while the Raptors are -102 to win straight-up. The total is set at 228. Memphis has been one of the most-consistent under teams this season , going 13-20 O/U. Toronto has skewed slightly to the over at 18-15 O/U.

Odds as of Jan. 3 on the FanDuel app. Claim a FanDuel promo code to bet on Raptors vs Memphis on Jan. 3.

Toronto, which started the season at +4983 on average to win the East, has faded to +13500 in the NBA Eastern Conference odds. Memphis’ odds to win the West have suffered a similar fate. Coming off a 51-31 season, the Grizzlies were the +1217 fifth-favorite on opening night. They are now +4875 as they struggle to at least get into a Play-In Tournament position in the NBA playoff bracket.

Raptors Adjust to New Faces Quickl(e)y

While it’s only been one game, the early returns on Toronto’s blockbuster trade with the Knicks are positive. The Raptors earned a quality 124-121 win over Cleveland, getting 36 points from leading scorer Pascal Siakam in the process.

Both in the starting lineup, the new additions played their part: Barrett finished with 19 points and nine rebounds on 6-of-12 shooting; Quickley had 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting with six boards, three assists, and two steals.

It’s somewhat concerning that they blew all of a 19-point first-half lead and found themselves tied at 118 under two minutes to play.  But rising star Scottie Barnes scored four points in the final 1.5 minutes to put the Raps ahead for good.

Toronto’s roster shakeup was motivated by an ugly start that put the team eight games under .500 roughly forty percent of the way through the season. The team was playing worse at both ends of the floor compared to last season, when they managed to go 41-41 with a +1.5 point differential.

Toronto’s Offensive Rating had dipped slightly from 114.6 to 114.3, while its Defensive Rating was over two points worse (from 113.1 to 115.3).

Grizzlies Get Back in Win Column

Memphis looked like it might immediately revert back to its phenomenal 2022-23 form when Ja Morant returned to the lineup and the team rattled off four straight wins. But back-to-back losses to the Clippers (117-106 away) and Kings (123-92 home) brought Grizzlies fans back to reality.

They shook off that mini two-game skid last time out with a 106-98 win over the Spurs, a score which flattered San Antonio. Memphis led by seven at halftime and 12 entering the fourth quarter, which stretched to 18 (98-80) with just six minutes to play.

The main difference between Memphis’ wins and losses of late is, unsurprisingly, the play of Morant. He’s scored at least 20 points (and averaged 26.2 PPG) in the Grizzlies’ five wins since returning, and failed to hit 20 in both losses (scoring 19 vs LAC and 17 vs SAC) while combining to shoot 11-of-31 from the floor (35.4%) and 2-of-11 from three (18.2%).

TOR vs MEM Player Props

Player props from the DraftKings app.  

Morant (25.5) has the highest point total over/under in Wednesday’s NBA props for Toronto vs Memphis. Siakam, per usual, has the highest number among Raptors at 23.5.

Raptors vs Grizzlies Prediction

Replacing Dillon Brooks with Marcus Smart, this Memphis group is essentially the same team that finished second in the West last year with an NBA-best 35-6 record at home. They looked like a shell of that team in the early going while Morant was suspended, and they haven’t quite reached the same heights since his return, but they should eventually return close to the form they displayed all last year.

Against a Toronto team that’s 21st in Net Rating and just 4-11 straight-up on the road this year, the Grizzlies should cover even on the tail end of a back-to-back. Bettors can move this line into plus-money by combining a Memphis win with Ja Morant hitting the 20-point plateau which, as mentioned, he’s done in each of the team’s five wins since returning from suspension.

Raptors vs Grizzlies same-game parlay: Grizzlies moneyline + Ja Morant over 19.5 points (+103 at FanDuel) – two units

Sascha Paruk’s 2023-24 NBA betting record:

• 10-8-2 ATS (+1.41 units)
• 9-9 ML (-0.07 units)
• 5-11 player props (-6.6 units)

All wagers one unit unless expressly stated otherwise. 

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