NBA Playoffs 2013: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers, Game 5 Picks

Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers
Tuesday, 4/30/13, 10:30 PM EST, TV: TNT
Opening Point Spread: Los Angeles -5.5
Current Betting Line: Los Angeles -5
Opening Total: 180
Current Total: 180
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Los Angeles Clippers are 5-3 ATS as home favorites of 3.5 to 6 points

Memphis evened the series at 2-2 after picking up back-to-back home wins against Los Angeles, including a 104-83 victory as 3.5-point favorites last Saturday, while going OVER the betting total of 177.5. “They played desperate basketball,” commented Clippers guard Chauncey Billups. The Grizzlies owned a 92-61 combined rebounding edge in Games 3 and 4, while outscoring the Clippers by a significant 44-6 margin in second-chance points. Memphis is 1-6 SU and 3-4 ATS as road underdogs of 3.5 to 6 points, with the OVER going 4-3 in that situation.

The Grizzlies were 24-17 overall on the road during the regular season, including a 14-12 mark versus Western Conference foes, which can’t be ignored when making your NBA picks against the spread. Memphis held Los Angeles to 82.5 points in Game 3 and 4 after the Clippers averaged 102.5 points in Games 1 and 2. Defensively, the team allowed a league-low 89.3 points to opponents this season.

Los Angeles has played Memphis 18 times in the last 15 months dating back to the 2011-12 regular season—winning 11 of those contests, including nine of 10 when scoring 91 or more points on the offensive end. The Clippers are now looking for answers in this affair after being soundly defeated at FedExForum. “They’ve executed better than us the last couple games on both ends,” stated Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. Los Angeles is 5-3 ATS as home favorites of 3.5 to 6 points, while the OVER is 8-0 in those eight contests.

The Clippers need to get a big performance out of forward Blake Griffin, who is averaging 16.5 points and 6.3 rebounds, while he was the only player in the NBA to average 18-plus points, 8.3-plus rebounds, 3.5-plus assists and one-plus steals per game. In 62 NBA playoff series with the home team winning the first four games, the team with home-court advantage has produced a 51-11 record.