There are 10 games of NBA action tipping off across tonight’s slate. Starting at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Memphis Grizzlies will face off with the Atlanta Hawks.
This is the second and final matchup between these two cross-conference opponents this season. They last faced off on Jan. 21, which resulted in a 124-122 Hawks win. Plenty has changed for both franchises since this point.
Looking at the odds for tonight, the Hawks are 13.5-point favorites and hold -900 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Grizzlies hold +600 odds of winning outright, with the game total set at 240.5 points.
Grizzlies vs. Hawks preview
The Memphis Grizzlies have slipped to 12th place in the Western Conference with a 24-46 record on the season. Despite making the playoffs in four of the past five years, Memphis pulled the plug on this iteration of its roster with the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade at the deadline the headline of this. The Grizzlies have lost back-to-back games and 10 of their last 11. On the season, the Grizzlies have gone 33-37 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in 37 of their 70 games played.
Memphis ranks 16th in the league in scoring, averaging 115.5 points per game. The Grizzlies also rank 23rd in offensive rating, 25th in field goal percentage, and 19th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 118.7 points per game against the Grizzlies, which ranks 23rd in the league. They also rank 21st in defensive rating, 24th in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
The Grizzlies have a loaded injury report which continues to be problematic. Ja Morant, Zach Edey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Santi Aldama, Cedric Coward, Brandon Clarke, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Jahmai Mashack will all remain sidelined. Cam Spencer is considered doubtful with a back injury, while Taj Gibson and Javon Small are each questionable. Memphis has kicked off a youth movement and are sorting through which players are the foundation of the future. Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, Walter Clayton Jr., Taylor Hendricks, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper will continue their auditions.
The Atlanta Hawks have climbed to sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 39-32 record on the year. They had an 11-game winning streak snapped on Friday against the Rockets, but they have won 12 of their last 13. On the season, the Hawks have gone 38-33 against the spread, and the game total is 35-36 to the over/under.
Jalen Johnson missed the previous matchup with left shoulder inflammation and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game. The Duke product made an All-Star leap this season, posting averages of 22.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game. Jonathan Kuminga has shown some encouraging flashes across his first seven games with the organization, posting averages of 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has also benefited from playing with some additional freedom, adding 20.3 points and 3.6 assists per game. CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Corey Kispert each also play important roles.
As a team, the Hawks are scoring 117.9 points per game, which ranks seventh in the league. They also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field-goal percentage and sixth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.5 points per game against the Hawks, which ranks 20th in the league. Atlanta also ranks 12th in defensive rating, 19th in opponent field-goal percentage and 17th in opponent three-point percentage.
Grizzlies vs. Hawks prediction, pick
While they entered the season in relatively similar spots as franchises, the Grizzlies and Hawks have gone very different directions. Both Ja Morant and Trae Young had questions about how their style of play translates to winning at the NBA level. The Hawks elected to move on from Young and turn the franchise keys over to Jalen Johnson. Atlanta has flourished without its former franchise centerpiece and is firmly in the Eastern Conference mix. The Grizzlies fought through some disgruntled feelings from Morant and instead traded Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline to launch their rebuild. Morant’s future will surely be a question once again this summer, with the Jan 21st. matchup against this Hawks team the last time the star guard took the floor.
You can make a case that if the Grizzlies were at full strength, they could have a chance at the postseason in this loaded Western Conference. But it has been weeks since the team has been able to roll out a roster healthy enough to compete, and this same problem will plague them tonight. Jalen Johnson being listed as questionable is a concern for Atlanta as well, although it is worth noting that the previous game he missed was the second half of a back-to-back game so could have been nothing more than precautionary.
Atlanta won the first matchup between these two teams 124-122. Memphis has won just six total games since this point, dropping 22 games across the same stretch. Morant was healthy at this point, and Jackson Jr. was still on the roster.
Expect the outlook to be even more concerning for Memphis in tonight’s match. Atlanta is loaded with size and high-level athletes, and this will be a major factor against this youthful Grizzlies squad. Expect the Hawks to attack the glass at a high rate and for Memphis to struggle to generate any sort of consistent offense. The Hawks have won their last 10 home games, while the Grizzlies have lost their last six games on the road. Expect Atlanta to shine as the more talented team and have no trouble pushing this to a blowout victory by more than the 14.5-point spread. It is a tight postseason seeding race in the Eastern Conference, so count on a full-scale effort from the Hawks, with the Grizzlies not having the talent level to match their opponent.
