Grizzlies vs. Clippers Betting Line – 2013 NBA Playoffs
Carrie Stroup here with your Grizzlies vs. Clippers betting line, courtesy of Sportsbook.com where you can claim your FREE $100 BET here.
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Los Angeles -5 & 180
A pair of teams with identical records begin what they hope are long postseason journeys on Saturday night when the Grizzlies visit the Clippers.
Memphis enters the playoffs on quite a roll, going 9-2 SU (7-3-1 ATS) in its final 11 contests, where it held all 11 opponents under 100 points, giving up a mere 84.5 PPG on 40.7% FG and 29.7% threes. Los Angeles has also been playing great defensive basketball by limiting its opponents to 93.7 PPG on 42.4% FG and 33.6% threes during a current streak of seven straight victories (4-2-1 ATS). These teams will be meeting for the second time in eight days on Saturday, as the Clippers won 91-87 in Memphis on April 13, giving them the season series win (3-1 SU and ATS). Although the Grizzlies tied the Clippers for the third-best road record in the NBA at 24-17 SU, Memphis' 24-16-1 ATS away mark (60%) ranked second in the league. However, L.A. boasted the NBA's fifth-best home record (32-9 SU, 78%) and tied for the fifth-best home wager at 24-16-1 ATS (60%) at Staples Center.
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Memphis is not a potent offensive team by any stretch, averaging a Western Conference-low 93.4 PPG on poor shooting percentages of 44.4% FG (10th-worst in NBA) and 34.5% threes (7th-worst in league). However, the Grizzlies don't hurt themselves with turnovers (13.2 TOPG, 4th-best in NBA) and swipe the fourth-most steals in the league at 8.6 SPG. They also rank second in the NBA in rebounding margin (+3.6 RPG), which helps explain how they lead the NBA in scoring defense (89.3 PPG allowed) and hold opponents to 43.5% FG (3rd in league) and 33.8% threes (2nd in NBA). PF Zach Randolph (15.4 PPG, 11.2 RPG) did not have a good month of April with just 14.2 PPG on 42% FG, but he was a beast in the regular-season finale against Utah with 25 points and 19 rebounds. He's also tallied a double-double in the season series with L.A., compiling 14.8 PPG and 12.0 RPG in the four games. PG Mike Conley (14.6 PPG, 6.1 APG) is in a shooting funk in his past four games with just 11.0 PPG on 36% FG (2-of-10 threes), but he has run this offense beautifully with 26 assists and just six turnovers in the past five contests. Like most NBA players guarded by Clippers star Chris Paul, Conley has struggled versus Los Angeles this season, scoring just 10.3 PPG on 30% FG, but he's still dished out a strong 5.8 APG. C Marc Gasol (14.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG) had a monster game last Saturday against the Clippers with 18 points, 15 boards and seven assists, increasing his averages in this season series to 16.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 4.0 APG. He didn't do much in the final two games of the season though, scoring a total of 10 points in a combined 51 minutes. SG Tony Allen (8.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.5 SPG) remains one of the better defenders in the NBA and played pretty well in Wednesday's victory too with eight points, seven rebounds and four assists in just 20 minutes.
The Clippers don't have a major weakness, as they possess an offense that has scored 101.1 PPG this season (9th in NBA) on 47.8% FG (4th in league), and a respectable 35.8% threes (16th in NBA). Since scoring just 85 points in a home loss to Memphis on March 13, this team has been putting up serious points on its home floor with 105.0 PPG on 51% FG (35% threes) during a 7-1 SU home stretch at Staples Center. This club usually gets the job done defensively as well, surrendering just 94.6 PPG (4th in NBA) on 44.3% FG (10th in league), but it does a horrible job of defending long-range shooters, giving up 37.3% threes (5th-worst in NBA). The Clips produce a league-leading 9.6 steals per game, and usually have the advantage in the paint with a +2.5 RPG margin (6th in NBA), and 5.6 blocks per contest (7th in league). PG Chris Paul (16.9 PPG) ranks second in the NBA in assists (9.7 APG) and leads the league in steals (2.41 SPG). He has been playing exceptionally well during the seven-game win streak with 17.3 PPG (49% FG), 10.9 APG, 2.6 SPG and five double-doubles. Paul has also fared well against Memphis this season with 16.3 PPG (47% FG) and 8.7 APG. PF Blake Griffin (18.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG) hasn't been nearly as effective in the season series with 13.8 PPG (44% FG) and 7.0 RPG in the four meetings, but he played very well in last year's playoffs with 19.1 PPG (50% FG) and 6.9 RPG in the 11 postseason games. SG Jamal Crawford (16.5 PPG) has an underwhelming 14.0 PPG (40% FG) against the Grizzlies this season, but he appeared to bust out of a shooting slump (14-of-43 FG, 33%) by hitting 6-of-8 threes on Wednesday and finishing with 24 points. C DeAndre Jordan (8.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG) finished the regular season on a high note too with 11.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 2.7 BPG in the final three contests, and was also solid in the season series with Memphis, averaging 9.5 PPG on 66% FG with 7.0 RPG. This included 16 points, 12 boards and three blocks in Saturday's 91-87 win at Memphis.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
