MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES VS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
1.53
TOTAL POINTS (INCL OVERTIME) - UNDER 249.5
The Cleveland Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA with 55 wins and only ten losses. The Cavs are travelling to Memphis to face the Grizzlies. Memphis will try to snap the Cavaliers' 15-game-long winning streak. The Grizzlies have won four straight and are ready to test Cleveland at the FedExForum in the city of Memphis.
The Cleveland Cavaliers got off to an excellent start to their 2024-25 NBA season. Usually, teams fade away during the long and grueling regular season of the NBA. That has not been the case for the Cavs at all. Cleveland is just getting better and better as the season goes on. The players deserve a lot of credit for that, as does the head coach, Kenny Atkinson. Everybody involved with the Cavaliers deserves their flowers.
Cleveland acquired De’Andre Hunter for Caris LeVert on trade deadline day from the Atlanta Hawks. Hunter has already been useful for the Cavaliers, but his true utility will be shown in the upcoming playoffs. Hunter is one of the best defenders on the perimeter in the National Basketball Association. It was a great and likely necessary deal for the Cleveland Cavaliers to be a top contender. Hunter has the potential to make the difference for the Cavs in the demanding postseason.
The Cavaliers just took care of the Brooklyn Nets in their prior game. The Cavs were down by 18 points and won, 109-104, in the end. The big man, Jarrett Allen, was the engine behind the win with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Darius Garland scored 30 points and had eight dimes as well. The All-Star Evan Mobley added 21 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
The Cleveland Cavaliers played without De’Andre Hunter, Donovan Mitchell, Ty Jerome, and Emoni Bates. The last time the Cavs lost a game was February 4th versus the Boston Celtics (105-112). Cleveland has only lost one of their last 20 games. Mitchell will miss the game due to a groin injury, and Hunter is probable due to an illness.
The Grizzlies currently sit at the second spot in the stacked Western Conference. Memphis has won 42 and lost 24 matches so far this season. The Grizzlies have won four straight games against the Utah Jazz (122-115), the Phoenix Suns (120-118), the New Orleans Pelicans (107-104), and the Dallas Mavericks (122-111). There are four teams fighting for the two to five seed spots in the West (Memphis, LA Lakers, Denver, and Houston). Before their current four-game winning streak, the Grizzlies had lost eight of their last eleven games.
In their most recent win versus the Utah Jazz, Luke Kennard scored 30 points off the bench. Kennard made seven out of his nine attempts from behind the arc. He had the best plus-minus on the Grizzlies with a plus 19. Ja Morant had 28 points and seven dimes. Desmond Bane is playing more with the ball in his hands this season, and he had nine assists against the Utah Jazz.
The Grizzlies are a very well-coached team with a deep roster. Head coach Taylor Jenkins has done a great job in his stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 40-year-old has been with Memphis since 2019, although the team needs to get better in clutch time going forward.
The Spanish power forward, Santi Aldama, will miss the game due to a calf injury. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been the best and most valuable player for the Memphis Grizzlies this season. Jaren has missed a couple of games (ankle) but could be back in the lineup tonight. It would make all the difference in the world for the Grizzlies if he can play. Jackson Jr. is very useful on both ends of the floor.
