With the series tied 1-1, will LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers pick up a pivotal win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Saturday's Game 3? Read on for our Grizzlies-Lakers prediction based on the best NBA odds.
Despite not having Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies secured a 103-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Wednesday's Game 2 to even the series. The storyline after the game should have been about the Grizzlies' depth, but then Dillon Brook had to open his mouth.
On a night when Brooks missed nine of his 14 shot attempts and scored just 12 points, he used his postgame media scrum as an opportunity to call out the NBA's all-time leading scorer. He called LeBron James old, and Brooks said he doesn't respect a player unless that opponent drops 40 on him. Mind you, James scored 28 points on 52.2% shooting in Game 2.
S o now all eyes turn to James and the Lakers. How will Los Angeles respond in a must-win game on Saturday at home? Will James put together a 40-piece against Brooks?
Here is our best Grizzlies vs. Lakers prediction (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
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Grizzlies vs. Lakers prediction
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I honestly don't know how James will respond on Saturday.
On one hand, a player like Brooks is beneath him. James has accomplished a lot, and he doesn't really have anything to prove in his 20th year in the league. On the other hand, James sco red 21 points in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers two years ago just because a fan was talking trash to him after a missed shot at the end of the third period.
There's also plenty of history between the Lakers and Grizzlies, including James and Brooks in particular.
So I don't blame anyone for betting Overs on LeBron in Game 3. His points prop is set at 28.5, which is a bit too rich for me. Instead, I'll be taking Over 2.5 3-pointers, as James has produced a quiet series from deep thus far.
James is 4-for-16 shooting from long range, and he still cleared this number in Game 1. The veteran shot 32.1% from distance in 2022-23, including 33.7% at home and 40.4% over his last 10 games. With some positive regression, James should be able to knock down a trio of triples in Game 3.
James has cleared this mark in five of his last six c ontests, averaging 3.6 3-pointers per contest over that span. I don't know if he's going to put up 40 (or even 30) against Brooks, but it seems unlikely he would do so without clearing 2.5 3-pointers.
That's why I would play this four-star pick at anything -120 or better on the Over.
Grizzlies vs. Lakers best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over 2.5 | Over 2.5 | Over 2.5 | Over 2.5 | Over 2.5 |
| -125 | -106 | -125 | -121 | -115 |
All five of our best sportsbooks have set this line at 2.5, though three shops have juiced the Over to -121 or worse. While we project James to make three 3-pointers, those are steep prices for this prop. We placed this bet at FanDuel, which is giving us -106 odds on the Over.
Additionally, FanDuel offers the best alternate prices for those wishing to bet big on The King in Game 3. James is +115 to finish with 30-plus points, +340 to record 35-plus points, and +750 to drop a 40-piece on the Grizzlies on Saturday. He's also +110 to be the leading scorer in the game.
I'll be sprinkling some change on many of those props to maximize my entertainment. But the 3-point prop is the best way to attack Saturday's James-Brooks showdown.
Grizzlies vs. Lakers odds
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Grizzlies vs. Lakers odds analysis
The Lakers opened as 5-point favorites, but the spread has dropped to 4.5 at our best NBA betting sites. The total has climbed to 220.5 after opening at 218.5 when lines were first released at our best sports betting sites.
This has been an interesting series from a betting perspective. The Lakers won outright as 5-point underdogs in Game 1 when the total finished 12 points Over its mark of 228. With Morant sidelined in Game 2, the Grizzlies won as 1-point underdogs and the total ended up finishing below 223.
Grizzlies vs. Lakers game info
- Date: Saturday, April 22, 10 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Grizzlies-Lakers pick made 04/21/2023 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
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