Steve Starr
- Go to BetOnline or Bovada for the latest odds on the Lakers vs Grizzlies matchup
- Memphis was destroyed on Saturday despite Ja Morant scoring 45 points in his return from injury
- TNT airs Game 4 from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Monday, April 24 at 10:00pm ET
The Lakers’ cruised to an easy 111–101 Game 3 victory on Saturday over a Grizzlies team that scored just nine points in the opening 12 minutes. Los Angeles’ 35-9 lead after the first frame tied a NBA playoff record for the largest point differential after a quarter of play.
Can Memphis make things more competitive in Game 4? Before we look at the opening line, check out the latest 2023 NBA Playoff Betting Odds and our guide to betting on NBA basketball.
Lakers vs Grizzlies
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +4.5 (-113) | +165 | Ov 220.5 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Lakers | -4.5 (-107) | -190 | Un 220.5 (-110) |
Dillon Brooks hurts his team
Dillon Brooks has stolen the headlines of this series, first calling LeBron James “old” and then getting ejected in Game 3 for striking the NBA legend in the groin. Before being shown the door, Brooks missed 10-of-13 shots, helping put Memphis in an insurmountable 26-point first-quarter hole.
James registered 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists in Saturday’s 111-101 win. The question is if he and the Lakers will bring the same effort to Game 4? After a dominant display in the series opener, Los Angeles no-showed Game 3, losing to Memphis team playing without Ja Morant.
Dillon Brooks was ejected after receiving a flagrant 2 for this hit to LeBron. pic.twitter.com/LL9CLRAryy
— ESPN (@espn) April 23, 2023
Ja rules in his return
Ja Morant was spectacular in his return from a hand injury, finishing Saturday’s game with 45 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. Memphis’ All-Star guard scored 22 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to make what was an uncompetitive beatdown look respectable on the final scoreboard.
After being named the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year last week, Jaren Jackson was dominated by Anthony Davis in Game 3 on both ends of the court. He registered only 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting while allowing AD to record a team-high 31 points and 17 rebounds.
Los Angeles vs Memphis
Los Angeles is a 4.5-point home favorite on Monday night. The Lakers were 25-18 at home during the regular season, covering in just over half their games (22-21) in Crypto.com Arena. In addition to their Game 3 home win, Darvin Ham’s club won their Play-In home game over Minnesota. Meanwhile, Memphis was a miserable 16-26 on the road in 2022-23, with a 14-27-1 record against the spread.
Game 4’s total is set at 220.5 points. The two teams exceeded that total in Game 1, but fell well short in the past two contests. Both Lakers home games (58.1%) and Grizzlies road games (57.1%) skewed heavily towards the UNDER during the year.
LeBron on Ja Morant dropping 22 straight points:
“That boy is good.”
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/sscwxNe6qr
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 23, 2023
Best Bet
Oddsmakers are forecasting Lakers in 6 (+160) and Lakers in 5 (+235) as the most likely outcomes for this best-of-seven series following Los Angeles’ dominant Game 3 victory. While Memphis rebounded from a Game 1 loss, Taylor Jenkin’s club has been one of the NBA’s worst road teams all year.
Knowing the Grizzlies are much better at home, LeBron James and the Lakers will make sure they come away with a home victory in Game 4 and take total control of the series.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
