Grizzlies vs Clippers Odds, Lines & Predictions (Mar. 5)
By Quinn Allen in NBA Basketball
Published:
- The Grizzlies head to LA to face the Clippers on Sunday
- Memphis will be without Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, and Brandon Clarke
- Can Kawhi Leonard and Co. take advantage? Find the Grizzlies vs Clippers odds, preview, and prediction
The Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies (38-24, 12-19 away) head West on Sunday for a matchup with the slumping Los Angeles Clippers (33-33, 15-15 home) at Crypto.com Arena. The tip-off is scheduled for 10 PM ET here. Read on for the Grizzlies vs Clippers odds below.
Memphis is coming off a loss to the Denver Nuggets and will need to get by without Morant for the next two games at the very least. He’s been suspended for flaunting a gun on Instagram Live. As for LA, they’ve dropped five in a row and remain winless since the All-Star break.
Grizzlies vs Clippers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis Grizzlies | +6.5 (-110) | +220 | Ov 228 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Clippers | -6.5 (-110) | -260 | Un 228 (-110) |
With the Grizz shorthanded, the Clippers are a 6.5-point favorite for this contest with moneyline odds of -260. They’ve covered the spread in 48.5% of their games. Memphis comes back at +220 and owns a putrid 1-9 record an ATS underdog on the road. The Grizzlies dominated LA last season, winning all four meetings.
Odds as of March 5th at DraftKings.
Tough Times For Memphis
On paper, Memphis is just fine. They’re still in second in the West and considered a serious contender. But, Saturday was a horrific day for this franchise and it’s fanbase. Ja is facing a suspension for his immature actions on social media and released a statement saying he will take some time away to seek help. To make matters worse, key role player Brandon Clarke tore his Achilles Friday and is set to miss the rest of the season.
Also, Dillon Brooks picked up his 16th technical of the campaign, which means he’s suspended for this Clippers affair. That being said, Taylor Jenkins’ squad is going to be severely shorthanded in Southern California. The Morant news is undoubtedly the most disturbing because, after all, he is their franchise cornerstone and the engine of this offense.
Breaking: Ja Morant will be away from the Grizzlies for at least the next two games, the team announced.
This comes after Morant displayed a gun in an Instagram Live video early Saturday morning.
More: https://t.co/6b3z5WGS2D pic.twitter.com/y3U0SuQRH6
— ESPN (@espn) March 4, 2023
On a more positive note, the Grizzlies are 6-4 in their last 10 outings and had won three in a row before the defeat to the Nuggets. Expect Tyus Jones to step into the starting role for Ja until he’s back. Big man Steven Adams is questionable here with knee soreness as well. He hasn’t played since January 22nd.
Clippers in Rough Shape
Los Angeles made a flurry of moves at the trade deadline to strengthen their roster around Kawhi and Paul George. However, it’s not making much of a difference these days. In the midst of a fight for the No. 6 seed in the NBA Playoff Bracket, the Clippers are playing very poorly right now.
Russell Westbrook isn’t exactly fitting into Ty Lue’s system, while LA continues to falter defensively when it matters most. Thursday it was a blowout loss to the shorthanded Warriors and then Friday, the team fell by one point to the Kings, with Westbrook’s late-game turnover proving to be costly.
Russ 🤝 Buckets pic.twitter.com/rG0qUchFIM
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 4, 2023
Russ did finish with 27 points though, while George dropped 28 and missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer. Leonard sat out due to knee injury management, but he’s expected to suit up Sunday. Although Memphis is a tough, gritty squad, this feels like an opportune time for the Clippers to take advantage of a depleted opponent and break out of this cold skid.
Grizzlies vs Clippers Prediction
No Ja, Clarke, or Brooks makes it very difficult to back Memphis, especially considering their away record. Take LA to cover.
Pick: Clippers -6 (-110)
Sports Writer
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
