Super Early 2018 NBA Championship Betting Predictions & Picks

San Antonio vs Memphis NBA Playoffs Series Odds Guide

Written by on April 14, 2016

The banged-up seventh-seeded Memphis Grizzlies will look to overcome all odds and pull off a huge upset over Kawhi Leonard and the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs when the two rivals square off in their first round Western Conference playoff series starting on Sunday, April 17. While it’s no secret that the Grizz face a huge task in their quest to dispatch the championship-hopeful Spurs, this expert pro hoops betting analysis will give you the professional insight you’ll need in order to maximize your chances of cashing in on each game in this intriguing first round pairing. With that said and tip-off time quickly approaching, let’s get started.

Spurs vs Grizzlies NBA Playoffs Series Odds Guide

Why Bet On The No. 2 San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs (67-15 SU, 44-38 ATS) ranked 10th in scoring (103.5 ppg) and a stellar second in field goal shooting percentage (48.4 %) while also ranking second in three-point shooting percentage (37.5 %), second in free throw shooting percentage (80.3 %) and 15th in rebounding (43.9 rpg). Defensively, San Antonio ranked a stupendous first in points allowed (92.9 ppg) while also finishing fourth in defensive field goal percentage (43.6 %), first in three-point defense (33.1 %), and third in defensive rebounding (40.5 rpg).

Why Bet on The No. 7 Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies (42-40 SU, 42-39-1 ATS) ranked an uninspiring 24th in scoring (99.1 ppg) and 23rd in field goal shooting percentage (44.0 %) while also ranking a dismal 29th in three-point shooting percentage (33.1 %),ninth in free throw shooting percentage (78.3 %) and 28th in rebounding (41.2 rpg). Defensively, Memphis ranked an impressive 11th in points allowed (101.3 ppg) while also finishing 18th in defensive field goal percentage (45.6 %), 22nd in three-point defense (36.5 %), and 11th in defensive rebounding (43.2 rpg).

My Series Analysis and Expert Pick

San Antonio won the regular season series against Memphis 4-0 while going 3-1 ATS along the way. All-star forward Kawhi Leonard’s two-way contributions helped the Spurs record a near-perfect 40-1 SU record on their home floor while also going 23-18 ATS in San Antonio. Tim Duncan and company also went 27-14 SU and 21-20 ATS on the road to become one of the few teams in the league with winning home and road SU and ATS marks this season. Memphis on the other hand, went 26-15 SU at home but a nearly polar opposite 16-25 on the road. When it comes to covering the spread, the Grizz went 23-18 ATS at home and 19-21-1 ATS on the road. While San Antonio had just three players in Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker, average double figures in scoring during the regular season a whopping five more players, including Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, all averaged at least 7.1 points per game to make the Spurs arguably the deepest team in the league. With Marc Gasol and Mike Conley out for the postseason for Memphis, the Grizzlies have relied on veterans Zach Randolph, Lance Stephenson and Matt Barnes and all three have responded by averaging double figures in scoring this season. Unfortunately, they won’t be nearly enough to take down a Spurs team that is superior in every way imaginable in this series. The favorite in this series is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings and the Grizzlies are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against San Antonio. The Spurs are also 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against their Southwest Division rivals while Memphis has gone 0-4 ATS in its last four road games. The Over is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings between these ballclubs. If the Spurs don’t sweep the Grizzlies, I’ll be completely and utterly shocked!