Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers
Thursday, 3/22/12, 10:00 PM EST, TV: CSNW
Opening Point Spread: Memphis PK
Current Betting Line: Memphis -1
Opening Total: 194
Current Total: 194.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Memphis has dropped four of its last six games and comes off a 119-110 loss to the Sacramento Kings as three-point road favorites on Tuesday night. The Grizzlies are 9-12 overall on the road, including a dismal 5-10 mark versus Western Conference opponents. The franchise has dropped four of the last five meetings in this series, including a 97-84 defeat as six-point road underdogs on Jan. 24. Offensively, the team shot just 37.8 percent from the field, with guard O.J. Mayo being the leading scorer with 20 points. Memphis is 9-11 ATS on the road and the “under” is 13-8 in that situation.
The Grizzlies have still managed to win 11 of their last 16 games to move into fifth-place in the Western Conference standings, as the team is 13-4 this season when facing teams with below-.500 records on the date the game is played. Memphis is certainly glad that star power forward Zach Randolph has made it back to the lineup, averaging 17.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in three games since coming back from a torn right MCL injury. Small forward Rudy Gay is still the main offensive weapon at this point, scoring 20-plus points in 22 of the last 34 games.
Portland has dropped two consecutive games by a double-digit margin and is dangerously close to suffering a lost season. “We got to play with more effort,” commented Trail Blazers All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge. The Trail Blazers have allowed at least 111 points in three of their last four games and have managed to hit the century mark just once offensively in that span. The team has a chance of bouncing back due to winning 12 of the last 15 overall meetings with Memphis. Portland is 4-12 ATS as an underdog this year and the “under” is 9-7 in those contests.
The Blazers are certainly led by Aldridge’s play on the floor, as he is one of only three NBA players to average at least 21.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Portland will need to make a big move in the standings over the next nine games, as the squad plays seven of those contests inside the friendly confines of the Rose Garden. The reserves were outscored by a 45-9 margin versus the Milwaukee Bucks last time out, as they missed their first 23 shots and finished 2-of-29 from the floor.
Bettors will likely back the Trail Blazers due to their 5-1 ATS mark following a double-digit loss at home, while the Grizzlies are 0-5 ATS as a favorite.
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