As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to rack up win after win, the talk around LeBron James and the odds he wins his fifth MVP award continues to rise.
LeBron and the Lakers have won six games in a row and will be 8-point favorites as they go for lucky number seven when they host Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies, who are looking for back-to-back wins following a four-game losing streak.
Find out who we like to cover in our NBA free picks and predictions for Grizzlies vs. Lakers on Friday, February 12 with tipoff scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET.
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview
Injuries
Grizzlies: De'Anthony Melton PG (Out), Desmond Bane SG (Out), Brandon Clarke PF (Out), Killian Tillie PF (Out), Jaren Jackson Jr. PF (Out), Sean McDermott SF (Out), Justise Winslow (Out).
Lakers: Alex Caruso SG (Questionable), Anthony Davis PF (Questionable), Jared Dudley SF (Out), Kostas Antetokounmpo PF (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
The Lakers are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Lakers.
NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonPointsBet USA opened Los Angeles a 6.5-point favorite this morning, quickly moved to -7 and stuck there all day. "Fifty-two percent of bets on the Grizzlies, as well as 62 percent of handle," PointsBet's Patrick Eichner said of betting splits as of 6 p.m. ET. The total opened 218.5 and peaked at 220, then receded to 219, with the Over attracting 65 percent of bets/72 percent of money.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the Spread (ATS) Pick
LeBron and the Lakers have won six games in a row, improving L.A.’s record to 20-6 for the season. Now, everyone knew the Lakers were going to be a threat to repeat this season, but it’s the way they are winning that is so impressive.
The Lakers are led by a defense that is the best in the NBA. They rank first in defensive rating and defensive efficiency while giving up the second-fewest points per game. No one would have blinked if the defending champs took a few possessions or games off at that end of the floor, but that just hasn’t been the case.
Speaking of no days off. LeBron has played in every game for the Lakers this season, averaging 25.5 points with 7.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists while shooting 39.4 percent from three – the second-best mark of his career.
The Lakers might not be the only ones playing well on the defensive end of the floor in this matchup. The Grizzlies rank a respectable 12th in defensive rating and 10th in opponent scoring. While LeBron and the Lakers are rolling, offense is a little harder to come by when Anthony Davis is questionable.
Though the Lakers may have won six straight, the last three games have gone to overtime against not-so-power houses in Oklahoma City and Detroit. On top of that, they are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine games. Keep an eye on the status of Davis, but we like getting this many points with an underdog in what should be a defensive battle.
PREDICTION: Grizzlies +8 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
Since we think this will be a defensive battle, the question is whether the total will still be high enough for us to like the Under.
Obviously, the Lakers’ offense takes a hit when AD isn’t playing, but they were on a bit of a downward trajectory on offense even before he missed the last two games. In fact, the Lakers are averaging just 106.2 points in regulation over their last 10 games.
On the other side, while the Grizzlies feature a cast of several young and talented players, they aren’t the greatest shooting team at this point. Memphis currently ranks 21st in effective field goal percentage and 20th in scoring. That’s not a good mix against the elite Lakers defense.
With a total of 218.5 and the Under trending when these two teams clash, this number seems just high enough for that trend to continue.
PREDICTION: Under 218.5 (-110)
Player Prop Pick
While the Lakers’ offense has been struggling a bit, LeBron has had no problem shouldering the load. James is averaging 8.0 attempts from 3-point range over his last nine games, making 40.3 percent of his attempts. That works out to 3.2 makes per game over that stretch.
While the Grizz are solid on defense, the one place they can struggle is on the perimeter, where they rank 28th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage. James should keep letting it fly from deep in this one.
PREDICTION: James Over 2.5 Made Threes (-120)
Grizzlies vs Lakers Betting Card
- Grizzlies +8 (-110)
- Under 218.5 (-110)
- James Over 2.5 Made Threes (-120)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NBA Grizzlies vs. Lakers picks, you could win $56.82 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where Can I Bet on the NBA?
You can bet on NBA odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including NBA moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals, and a ton of NBA prop odds. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on NBA odds in your area.
