Steve Starr
- Go to BetOnline or Bovada for the latest odds on the Grizzlies vs. Lakers game
- Ja Morant won’t suit up after displaying a gun in a recent Instagram Live video
- The Western Conference rivals tip-off from Crypto.com Arena at 10:00 pm ET on Tuesday, March 7th
Both the Lakers and Grizzlies will be missing their best players when they square off in Hollywood on Tuesday. LeBron James will be out another two weeks at least with a foot injury and Ja Morant “shot himself in the foot” by holding a gun in late-night social media video clips.
Before we break down the matchup, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
Lakers vs Grizzlies
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Memphis Grizzlies | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Los Angeles Lakers | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Anthony Davis steps up
Anthony Davis’ career has gone sideways since helping LeBron James to his fourth NBA championship in 2022. However, the 29-year-old was dominant in a 113-105 victory over Golden State on Sunday. Davis racked up 39 points with eight rebounds and six assists, helping spoil Steph Curry’s return from injury.
Entering Monday, the Lakers (31-34) sit just 0.5 games back of the Pelicans for 10th place. To earn a spot in the Play-In tournament with LeBron on the shelf, Los Angeles needs Davis more than ever. And the power forward has delivered, averaging 29.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks over his past six games.
Anthony Davis since Shaq said he fell off
39 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST, 56% FG
38 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 54% FG
28 PTS, 19 REB, 5 BLK, 57% FG
30 PTS, 15 REB, 4 AST, 60% FG pic.twitter.com/y7S12r5kcg— AD’s Revenge (@REAL_AD_BURNER) March 5, 2023
Ja Morant drama
Ja Morant will miss his second-straight game following his ill-advised Instagram Live session on Saturday morning. The 23-year-old guard had separate gun-related altercations with a 17-year-old boy and a security guard over the summer, according to a recent Washington Post story.
Holding down the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Memphis (38-24) will also be without Brandon Clarke for the rest of the year due to an Achilles tear.
Los Angeles vs Memphis
With both LeBron and Ja out of the lineup, it’s tough to predict what the opening line will be for Tuesday’s contest. Los Angeles is barely over .500 (16-15) against the spread on home court. While the Grizzlies have the second-worst record ATS in the NBA on the road (10-20-1), covering at a rate of 33.3%.
Lakers home games hit the over only 41.9% of the time, the sixth-lowest mark in the league. And 61.3% of Memphis’ road contests go under, the fifth-highest rate in basketball. That means you should seriously consider the UNDER for this one.
Stephen A. Smith warns Ja Morant that NBA has ‘connections with the FBI’ https://t.co/TSpjlKFUuL pic.twitter.com/xUYuAFJh83
— New York Post (@nypost) March 5, 2023
Best Bet
The Grizzlies and Lakers have split the season series at a game a piece. Just last Tuesday, Morant registered 39 points with 10 assists and 10 rebounds in a 121-109 win. Davis also went off in a losing effort, registering 28 points, 19 boards and five blocks for the Purple and Gold.
While neither club will be close to full strength for this one, we like Darvin Ham’s squad to prevail. In the midst of a playoff chase, the Lakers are hungry for wins and AD looks as motivated as he’s been for years. Meanwhile, Memphis has a miserable 12-19 record away from home this season.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
