Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies
Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
FedEx Forum – Memphis, Tennessee
Opening Line: Memphis -5 1/2
Current Line: Memphis -4 1/2
Opening Total: 180
Current Total: 180
Opening Money Line: Grizzlies -195 / Jazz +165
Current Money Line: Grizzlies -190 / Jazz +160
On the last day of the regular season, all 30 NBA teams are playing tonight. Of those 15 games, 7 games have some sort of playoff implications either for seeding or just to get in the bracket. The 43-38 Utah Jazz and 55-26 Memphis Grizzlies meet in one such match-up in Memphis. The Jazz are one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the last playoff spot in the West. The Jazz must beat Memphis and hope the Lakers lose at home to the Houston Rockets later in the evening. A Jazz loss would send the Lakers to the playoffs regardless of what LA does against Houston. If Utah makes the playoffs, the will play the #1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
This game is also important for the Grizzlies as they are locked into the fifth seed in the West and will play the #4 seed Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. However, if the Grizzlies win and the Clippers lose at the Sacramento Kings, then Memphis would have home court in that series. Otherwise the Grizzlies will travel to Los Angeles for game #1.
The Jazz have won 4 of their last 5 games, including two in a row against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Utah swept a home and home against the Timberwolves 107-100 in Salt Lake City last Friday and 96-80 in Minneapolis Monday night. Memphis has also won 4 of the last 5 games, including 103-97 at the Dallas Mavericks Monday.
Memphis leads the series 2-1 against Utah this season. The Grizzlies won in Memphis 103-94 November 5 in their home opener. The two teams split a pair of games in Salt lake City, with the Grizzlies winning 99-86 December 15, and the Jazz winning 90-84 March 16. Memphis has won 5 of the last 6 at home against Utah. The Grizzlies lost at home Saturday night to the Clippers to snap a 13 game home winning streak. Memphis hasn’t lost 2 straight games at home since March of 2012.
Utah is coached by Tyrone Corbin. The Jazz are 42-38-1 ATS and the total is 39-41-1 this season. Utah is outscoring teams 98.4-98.3 this season. The Jazz are shooting 45.6% from the field and 36.7% from 3 point range. Utah is 12th or better both categories. The Jazz make 76.3% of their free throws. Utah averages 42 rebounds a game and give up 40.6 per game. The Jazz are #7 in rebounds allowed. Utah opponents are shooting 45.9% from the field and 37.1% from 3 point range. The Jazz are 21st or worse in both categories. The Jazz average 22.8 assists, 8.4 steals, 6.3 blocks, and 14.2 turnovers.
Center Al Jefferson averages 17.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1 steal, and 1.1 blocks per game. Power forward Paul Millsap averages 14.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1 block a game. Shooting guard Gordon Hayward averages 14.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3 assists. Point guard Mo Williams averages 13 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Guard Randy Foye averages 10.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2 assists. Forward Derrick Favors averages 9.5 points, 7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. Marvin Williams, Alec Burks, DeMarre Carroll, Jamaal Tinsley, and Earl Watson make up the rest of the rotation. Center Enes Kanter is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Memphis is coached by Lionel Hollins. Memphis is 45-34-2 ATS and the total is 31-49-1 this season. Memphis is outscoring teams 94-90 this season. They are first in the league in points allowed and are #26 in scoring. The Grizzlies are shooting 44.4% from the field and 34.5% from 3 point range. The Grizzlies are #21 in field goal percentage and #24 in three point shooting. Memphis is #9 in the league in free throw shooting at 77.3% from the line. The Grizzlies average 42.6 rebounds per game and give up 39. Memphis is #1 in rebounds allowed and #12 in rebounding. Grizzlies’ opponents are shooting 43.7% from the field and 33.9% from 3 point range. Memphis is #3 in both categories. The Grizzlies average 20.9 assists, 8.6 steals, 5.3 blocks and 13.2 turnovers a game.
Forward Zach Randolph averages 15.3 points, 11.1 rebounds to lead the team, and 1.4 assists per game. Randolph is fifth in the league in rebounding. Point Guard Mike Conley, Jr. averages 14.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 2.2 steals a game to lead the team in the latter two categories. Center Marc Gasol averages 14.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal, and 1.7 blocks per game. Forward Tayshawn Prince was acquired from the Detroit Pistons in the Rudy Gay trade. He is averaging 9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game this season between both teams. Tony Allen starts at shooting guard and is one of the best defenders in the league. Allen averages 8.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Point guard Jerryd Bayless, forward Quincy Pondexter, forward Darrell Arthur, guard Tony Wroten, and forwards Ed Davis and Austin Daye make up the rest of the rotation.
Utah is 6-0 ATS in road games, 5-0 against Southwest teams, and against teams with winning home records, 4-1 after a straight up win of 10 points or more, 11-3 when the opponent scored more than 100 points, 7-2 after a cover, 10-4 overall, 7-3 one one day rest, and 9-4 against Western Conference teams. The Jazz are 14-6 ATS in the last 20 against the Grizzlies, including 8-3 in Memphis.
Memphis is 4-1 ATS against teams with losing road records, and after scoring 100 points or more, 3-1-1 after a straight up win, and on 1 day rest, and 2-7 against teams with winning records. The under is 8-3 overall in this series and 11-5 in the last 16 in Memphis.
The chances of the Clippers losing at the lowly Kings is pretty slim. The Grizzlies would like to have home court against the Clippers, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they lost this game. The Jazz on the other hand must win and root for the Rockets against the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers. I like Utah to find a way to pull out a tough and gritty road win.
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