Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves will face each other on Tuesday evening in the NBA playoffs action. The home side missed a great opportunity to increase its advantage, and they need to fight for a lead again. The visitors want to build up on their latest performance and grab the win on the road.
Memphis was close to snatching the second away victory against the Timberwolves, but the series is tied again. They are back on the home court, and they look forward to beating their opponents again. On the other hand, Minnesota was close to entering trouble, but they managed to level up the score. They got a boost of confidence, and the away side should try to capitalize on that momentum.
Memphis Grizzlies – Can they win on the home court?
The Grizzlies could have been 3-1 up, but they suffered a narrow 119-118 loss in Minneapolis on Saturday evening. Although they were close to turning around the result at the very finish of the match, they didn’t make it. The numbers in that match were pretty leveled, and Memphis had a very good 48.8 field goal percentage. 46.9% of their three-pointer attempts were successful, while Memphis also had five rebounds more than their opponents. Eventually, they lost the match but will have two upcoming games in front of their fans.
Desmond Bane has led the Grizzlies’ offense during the post-season, scoring 23.3 points per match, followed by 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Ja Morant produces 20.5 pts and tops the assists and rebounds charts with 10.8 and 7.8, respectively. Dillon Brooks contributes with 17 points per game, while Brandon Clarke has 15.3 points and seven rebs per contest. Tyus Jones and Jaren Jackson Jr. are another two players that produce a double-digit number of points. On the other hand, Killian Tillie and Santi Aldama are still on the injury list, while Ziaire Williams is questionable.
Expected Line-Up: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams
with best odds
Minnesota Timberwolves – Are they capable of another upset?
The Timberwolves managed to defend their court in Game 4 after losing in the previous match. Although it was a close game, they eventually celebrated a narrow victory. They had a 47.3 field goal percentage, while they also scored 50% of their attempts from the three-pointer area. Minnesota was a bit inferior in the paint, having five rebounds less than their rivals, but they also made three turnovers less. Karl-Anthony Towns was a crucial player for the T-Wolves in the previous game, scoring 33 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists for 42 minutes on the court.
Anthony Edwards has been the most productive player in the Timberwolves’ offense with 24.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per contest. Karl-Anthony Towns is also in the 20s with 21.3 pts, followed by 10.8 rebs, a team-high 2.3 blocks, and a pair of assists. D’Angelo Russell contributes with 13.3 points and tops the assists charts with seven per match, while two more players produce 10+ points per game on average. Minnesota won’t have any selection issues ahead of this encounter.
Expected Line-Up: Patrick Beverley, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt, Karl-Anthony Towns
Expert Pick #1 – Memphis Grizzlies -6 @-110
Although they go to this one after losing the latest match, the Grizzlies should meet expectations and win. I still find them a better team, and Memphis should get back the advantage and cover the number in front of the home fans. That’s why I’ll take them against the spread as my first pick.
Expert Pick #2 – Over 232.5 @-110
The margin on the totals market is pretty high, but I’ll back the Over as my second bet. Both teams have been doing well in the offense, and Towns started contributing more to the T-Wolves. Four of the Grizzlies’ last five games went over the margin, and this one should be quite similar.
Expert Pick #3 – Ja Morant Over 26.5 @-110
Ja Morant is below his season average in this series, but I expect him to drive Memphis to a valuable victory at home. Although he’s been just slightly above the 20-point margin in the post-season, he might score at least 27 in this one. It’s going to be my third pick at the same odds as the first two.
