Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors will face each other in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs. The home side needs a victory to stay in the series, and they will try to deliver it on the home court. The visitors are one step away from the conference finals, and they want to finish the job here.
Memphis was very close to an upset in the previous encounter between these two teams. However, they failed to win and are in a difficult situation now. On the other hand, Golden State booked two straight victories, and another one would seal them the ticket for the next stage. The away side doesn’t want to miss this chance, and they will search for success.
Memphis Grizzlies – Can they stay in the series?
The Grizzlies had a very good defensive display on Monday evening, but they didn’t have enough focus to seal the win in Game 4. Although they were seven points ahead at the beginning of the final period, they eventually suffered a 101-98 defeat. Their rivals enjoyed an 11-2 series in the last minutes of the clash and stole the victory in front of the Grizzlies’ eyes. Memphis had a bit better field goal percentage, but they failed to control the paint, having six rebounds less than their opponents. On the other hand, the Grizzlies made four turnovers less than the Warriors.
Ja Morant has led the Grizzlies’ offense with 27.1 points, eight rebounds, 9.8 assists, and a pair of steals per contest so far. Desmond Bane produces 17.9 pts, while Jaren Jackson Jr. has 15.2 points and 6.9 rebs. Dillon Brooks has contributed to Memphis’s offense with 13.2 pts so far, while Brandon Clarke is another player with a double-digit number of points per match. However, the Grizzlies cannot count on their most productive player, Ja Morant, again. It will be a huge setback for the hosts to cope with.
Expected Line-Up: Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Xavier Tillman
with best odds
Golden State Warriors – Will they finish the job?
The Warriors didn’t shine on Monday evening, but their great experience led them to success in Game 4. Despite trailing in the final quarter, they managed to snatch a vital victory before going back to Memphis. Although their rivals couldn’t count on their best player, Golden State almost failed to capitalize on that. The visitors need to improve their shooting, as they hit only 40% of their field goal attempts. On the other hand, they dominated the paint but also made four turnovers more than their rivals.
Stephen Curry has been the most productive player in the Warriors’ offense during the playoffs, having 28.1 points, 5.9 assists, and four rebounds on average. Jordan Poole has also contributed a lot to Golden State’s offense, averaging 21.9 pts and 5.3 assists. Klay Thompson is close to a 20-point mark in the playoffs, while Andrew Wiggins tops the rebounds charts with 7.1, followed by 15.2 points. Regarding the selection issues, Golden State’s injury list remains unchanged, as Gary Payton II, Andre Iguodala, and James Wiseman are still out.
Expected Line-Up: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green
Expert Pick #1 – Golden State Warriors -4 @-110
Memphis managed to stay competitive without their best player in Game 4, but they still came short. On the other hand, the Warriors were very poor from the three-pointer area, but they still grabbed the win. Although it won’t be an easy game for the visitors, I expect them to end the series here and cover the number. Therefore, I’ll back them as my first pick.
Expert Pick #2 – Over 219 @-110
The latest game stayed under the margin mostly thanks to Memphis’s good defense and Golden State’s poor shooting. Nevertheless, I believe the visitors will improve their scoring in this one and drive the game over the margin. Give me the Over as the second bet.
Expert Pick #3 – Golden State Warriors Over 111.5 @-110
Consequently, I see the Warriors scoring at least 112 points in this encounter and continuing the winning streak. They have an excellent chance to celebrate on the road, and I think they will be pretty efficient. I’ll back them to produce more than 111 pts as my third pick at the same odds as the previous two.
