Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for tonight’s Indiana Pacers at Memphis Grizzlies game.
The NBA season is off to the races with an eventful first week of action. As part of the five-game Saturday slate, the Memphis Grizzlies will host the Indiana Pacers. Memphis is off to a 1-1 start to the season while the Pacers have dropped their lone game thus far.
Looking at the odds for the matchup, the Grizzlies enter as 2.5-point favorites and hold -130 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook on the moneyline. Indiana holds +110 odds of getting the outright upset with the game total set at 239.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction as both these teams attempt to hit their stride on the season.
Grizzlies vs. Pacers preview, prediction
Expectations have been tempered for the Indiana Pacers following their NBA Finals run with Tyrese Haliburton still in the early stages of his recovery from his Game 7 Achilles tear. They fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals rematch on Thursday, but it took double overtime for this to be the case.
Bennedict Mathurin looks to be taking the next step in his evolution as a player, dropping a team-high 36 points along with 11 rebounds. Pascal Siakam added 32 points and 15 rebounds of his own, while players like Obi Toppin, Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith provided adequate depth. Indiana still has its identity of fast-paced style of play, but Haliburton was the engine that made it go and there will be some growing pains in the early stages of the season.
The Grizzlies are 1-1 to start the year with a victory over the Pelicans and a loss at the hands of the Heat. They are coming off a 48-win season last year despite some injury issues and coaching turmoil. Tuomas Iisalo now fully runs the show at the head coach position and continues to introduce his brand of basketball, which leans further into an up-tempo style.
Ja Morant is back on the floor and averaging 23.5 points and 4.5 assists through the opening two games. The 11th overall pick, Cedric Coward, has made an impressive early impact, averaging 15.0 points through his first two games. Jaylen Wells also returned from his scary injury last season while Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope make their impact felt. Memphis is shooting just 29.3% from beyond the three-point arc through the first two games collectively, but it is too soon in the season to read into the statistical trends just yet.
Notable Injuries:
Memphis Grizzlies:
- Zach Edey – OUT
- Brandon Clarke – OUT
- Scotty Pippen Jr. – OUT
- Ty Jerome – OUT
- Vince Williams Jr. – OUT
- Santi Aldama – Questionable
Indiana Pacers:
- Tyrese Haliburton – OUT
- T.J. McConnell – OUT
- Kam Jones – OUT
- Quenton Jackson – OUT
- Andrew Nembhard – OUT
- Johnny Furphy – Questionable
Pacers at Grizzlies prediction, best bet
Neither of these teams are at full strength and will take some time before they fully reach this. But the NBA waits for no one and both teams must be ready to bring their best effort.
Memphis is playing on the second night of a back-to-back after losing to the Miami Heat 146-114 last night. Indiana played its lone game on Thursday night so it has a slight rest advantage. This is not as much of a concern with the Grizzlies playing both games at home but still of note.
This feels like a toss-up game of two teams still figuring themselves out. My slight lean is toward Indiana picking up its first win, but I am backing the over of 237.5 points.
This is a high total but for good reason. The Grizzlies finished last season with the fastest pace in the NBA while the Pacers finished seventh in that category. Indiana’s lone game finished with 276 total points this season, although it did go to double overtime. Both of Memphis’ first two games have also gone over this total at 250 and 260 points.
The Grizzlies lead the NBA in second-half scoring at 69.5 points per game while they give up the most first-half points to opponents in the league at 76.5 points per game. Seven of the last eight games played at the FedExForum have also gone over the total. Both these teams are in the top half of the league in the early portion of this season, even with it being early. Expect there to be plenty of fast-break chances and for points to be frequent in this game. Look for this matchup to finish over the 237.5-point total as both these teams struggle to figure out some semblance of a defensive identity.
Best bet: Over 237.5 Points (-110)
